Richard Dur, the Leadership Institute’s graduate of the week, helped bring home a victory for conservatives in Canada.

“Your training and tutorship was absolutely invaluable. Thank you! Putting much of what I learned from and at LI made for a victory of the Wildrose Alliance Party in the 2009 Calgary-Glenmore By-election in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It’s a party that is now a real force in Alberta politics,” said Richard.
    
Richard and another LI graduate, Tony Reznowski, teamed up to work on the successful campaign.

Richard first came to the Leadership Institute in May 2008 for the week-long Campaign Manager School and then for the Internet Activist School.

“LI graduate and Canadian Member of Parliament Rob Anders said it well when he described LI training as ‘taking a drink from a fire hose,’” Richard said. “I would encourage all conservative activists to take LI training, work on a campaign, take more training, and do more campaigns.  This method I found grew my understanding of campaigns and increased my ability to put that understanding into practice.”



Richard came back for more training in February 2009. He took LI’s Political Voter Mail School and the week-long Campaign Manager School for a second time.

“You're bound to learn something as LI teaches so very much, but bound to miss lots too given the sheer volume and density of the program,” Richard explained, “hence the benefit of taking the training several times, complemented with actual work on political campaigns.”

When not campaigning, Richard manages his business, Blue Direct – Political Services, which provides consulting and telephone services for conservative candidates running for office at all levels and for conservative organizations across Canada.
 
“Morton Blackwell's ‘The Laws of Public Policy Process’ adorns my office wall,” Richard said, “and it has provided constant insight and guidance throughout my career.”

Richard was born and raised in Alberta, Canada as the youngest of three children, and graduated from St. Mary’s University College (Calgary). He and his wife Chantelle, pictured above, have two children. His family currently resides in Calgary.

LI offers campaign training the first full week of every month. Come the week of December 5 for LI’s Future Candidate School.

LI has an International Leadership Training Seminar the week of December 11 in Arlington, VA. Contact LI’s Director of International Programs Miguel Moreno at MMoreno@LImail.us for more details.
 
To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate you know to be featured as LI's graduate of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Hart at LaurenHart@LeadershipInstitute.org.