By Kathy Hagood
Contributing Writer

It’s a long way from Charleston to Nairobi, Kenya, but for Bill Summers, director and vice president of the Vision Financial Summerville office, it only took a little chocolate to kick off the journey.

Summers placed a winning bid at The Chocolate Affair fundraiser in March for a leadership development opportunity in Kenya set for September.

His $7,500 bid will go toward dropout prevention programs in Charleston County Schools.

Summers was intrigued when he heard about the auction item being offered by Leadership Safaris.

“It sounded like an amazing opportunity too good to pass up,” said Summers, who has lived and traveled overseas and continually seeks to improve himself both professionally and personally.

“I’m one of those people who is always listening to self-improvement CDs in the car,” Summers said.

Summers is relatively new to the Charleston area, having established the local office for his Pittsburg, Pa.-based equipment leasing company this past August. Vision Financial generates annual revenues of $37 million.

Leadership Safaris, which is based in Rockledge, Fla., takes executives, entrepreneurs and sales leaders like Summers on a professional development experience set at two locations: Sosian Ranch in Kenya’s highlands and the Maasai Mara, the wildlife-rich northern section of the famed Serengeti plains.

“I’ve always dreamed of going to Africa and seeing the wildlife there, so I’m really looking forward to September,” Summers said.

Leadership Safaris’ participants take on an assortment of physical challenges, including learning how to skeet shoot, driving a Land Rover, throwing a Maasi spear, jumping off a waterfall and riding a camel. They also go on numerous game drives and walks, seeing and photographing spectacular big game and meeting members of the Samburu and Maasi pastoralist tribes.

All those safari experiences are tied back into the group’s leadership training set in interactive daily sessions between the outdoor adventures and related to the 360-degree assessment, which is taken prior to the safari. An individual follow-up leadership coaching session via telephone is set for several weeks after participants return.

Leadership Safaris President Suzie DeBusk created the training’s concept and curriculum.

“I found my best leadership training has come from my experiences in Africa, and I want to share that with others,” DeBusk said. “Taking on the physical challenges increases your confidence and determination because you learn you are capable of more than you ever imagined.”

Leadership Safaris has a sales office in Charleston led by Kim Thompson. Thompson arranged The Chocolate Affair donation of the training program and trip, which is valued at more than $12,000.

Thompson, who previously tried her hand at a gourmet coffee distribution business and plans to kick off another venture in the future, recently returned from her own leadership-training program in Kenya.

Among many other adventures, Thompson proved herself a competent Land Rover driver, taking on a challenging obstacle course through the bush on Sosian Ranch. She also braved climbing an 85-foot waterfall and jumping off at the top.

“The experience allowed me to gain insight into myself both personally and professionally. It taught me to sit back, reflect and understand how what I do affects others. I walked away a better person,” she said.

The group begins the trip by resting overnight in a four-star hotel in Nairobi.

The Sosian Ranch features an Italian-crafted lodge filled with antique furniture and trappings of the African habitat.

The upscale tent camp in the Maasi Mara features furniture and a private bathroom in each tent with commode and hot showers.

The group has private safari guides to educate them and answer questions during game walks and rides.

“Kenya offers physical challenges, but it’s not exactly roughing it,” Thompson said.

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