A group of some of the state’s most promising leaders in the social, political and business realms gathered Friday in downtown Lawrence for the annual Leadership Kansas Leadership Summit.

The event was highlighted by the introduction of the 2011 class, comprised of 40 leaders from across the state from a variety of backgrounds. Five selected for the statewide program currently call Lawrence their home, including former mayor Rob Chestnut.

“The people in the program have already been identified as leaders,” said John Federico, executive director of Leadership Kansas. “What we hope to do is expose them to the most important topics for Kansas.”

The program takes participants to six area communities where they learn from recognized experts in fields such as education, business, agriculture and societal health and development. Along with being recognized as an opportunity to learn and grow, past participants said Friday the program offered an eye-opening experience.

“You get to learn about what’s going on all across the state,” former program participant and Lawrence resident Steve Johnson said. “You get to see operations and people that you’d never see. It really rounds out your education.”

Friday night’s keynote speaker was Kansas native Skip Yowell, who co-founded JanSport and authored “The Hippie Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder and Other Mountains.”

Yowell moved back to the Sunflower State after traveling the world. Before speaking at the summit, he was presented the Kansas Community Service Award. Yowell stressed the importance of innovation to the professionals in attendance.

The 2011 class of Leadership Kansas is the 32nd in the program’s history.

“For most people this is the best program in their adult professional lives,” Federico said. “You spend six months traveling across the state having fantastic experiences, you can’t help but grow fond of each other and grow fond of the program.”

Johnson seconded the notion.

“You make lifelong friends,” he said.