As Kitty Saylor leaves her CEO position at one of Loudoun County's largest employers, REHAU North America, to become Chief Executive in residence of Montana State University's Alumni Foundation and Chairman of The Loudoun Laurels, it would be hard to find a local community leader who is not aware of her history of good deeds.

From Teachers in Industry to the Boy Scouts, from help for the underprivileged to the Center for the Arts, Kitty has made generous and gracious commitments to Loudoun County. Her work on the CEO Cabinet, on the George Washington University Science & Technology Campus Advisory Board and on Montana's new ecoHouse exemplify her broad sense of responsibility.

But none reflects more intensely her level of commitment than being asked to take the helm of The Loudoun Laurels, a landmark program that underscores her belief that stewardship is the keystone of every community's success.

"A wonderful community absolutely depends on citizens seeing what needs to be done and taking responsibility to make certain the things that need to be done are done," she emphasized.

"I grew up understanding that we are all responsible for the quality of our communities; my mother taught me that. Without the proactive commitment of individuals whose work often goes unrecognized, we would lose that quality of life we can too easily take for granted.

"It has been my honor to lead REHAU North America, and it will be my even greater pleasure to help Montana State's president advance the university's academic and research efforts.

"I must admit, however, that chairing The Loudoun Laurels, ensuring that truly important community leaders are recognized and helping young people understand the importance of stewardship, is tremendously exciting and something I look forward to with enormous gratification."

As CEO of REHAU North America since 2006, Kitty has let her actions speak for her commitment to her community, but she understands clearly how important it is to teach young people about stewardship.

To ensure that Loudoun County's young citizens learn the importance of stewardship, she has created a new Loudoun Laurels initiative called The Loudon Laurels Stewardship Trust.

"I have always believed that The Loudoun Laurels should find a way to introduce the exemplary citizens we recognize every year to young people who need to understand the importance and pleasure of true community stewardship," she continued.

"With the enormous help and support of my Leadership Committee, we have established The Loudoun Laurels Stewardship Trust to recognize, mentor and provide scholarships to worthy Loudoun County students.

Beginning this year, we plan to recognize students at our annual gala. Our hope is that each student will receive a scholarship and have an opportunity to personally meet and work closely with the Loudoun Laureates.

"We believe this program will inspire and motivate young citizens to take greater responsibility for their community, and will help them meet and understand how and why true leaders pursue what is sometimes a difficult and unappreciated community role."

The Leadership Committee Kitty created to help her lead The Loudoun Laurels initiative includes: Joe Boling, Pat Daly, Ed Hatrick, Marc Leepson and James Rohrbaugh.

It would be easy to assume that the beautiful, Lauren Bacall-lookalike who has achieved such impressive success was raised and educated to land on her feet in the male-oriented world of global executive prowess. If growing up in the beautiful Montana world of cattle ranching, cold, hard winters and wide-open spaces provides that background, then Kitty was well prepared.

Growing up the youngest of three, Kitty's was raised by a single mother who set high standards and worked as hard for her community as she did for her family.

"Marjorie, my mother, fought as hard to keep our local library open as she did to provide my brothers and me with the very best ideals," she explained. "She is an extraordinarily articulate and dedicated individual and it is going to be wonderful to be closer to her now that I have a professional role at the university. She is as involved today as she has been for all these years."

When Kitty's 21-year-old brother, Dan, died of epilepsy in 1976, his death took a devastating toll on the family.

"He had been ill for so long, and we all helped each other take care of him, but losing him is something we will never forget. It only underscores how important it is to do everything you can while your help can make a difference."

Kitty and her two older brothers are very attached to the land.

"We are all drawn back to Montana," she said gazing at the beautiful photos of the state that grace her office walls.

Growing up in a modern split-level home that her mother designed, Kitty understands the challenges of being successful as a young student.

"From the outside, my family looked terribly successful," she remembers. "No one understood how hard my mother had to work to keep us healthy, and my mother was too proud to complain or let anyone know."

Being terribly tall and weighing about 60 pounds, according to Kitty, did not contribute to her sense of herself, and when she made the big decision to play sports and stop taking the piano lessons she'd been taking since she was four, her mother quickly helped her rationalize away the desire to play basketball in favor of continuing her musical education.

"She never had to spank me, she just gave me what we called 'The Jane Wyman' look…." Kitty recalls.

Kitty began her college experience studying music at Concordia College in Minnesota but, after one year, transferred to Montana State in Bozeman as a communications major.

It was there that Kitty added three advisors to her mentor list: Ray Weisenborn, her advisor at MSU; Dr. Jim McCrosky, the department chair at West Virginia University where she completed her Masters; and Dr. Ray Falcione, who was her PhD advisor at the University of Maryland.

"They all pushed me, just as my mother had, to achieve greater things and to always give back and take care of my community."

As Kitty Saylor turns the page and opens the next era in her career, both Loudoun County and Montana State University will benefit enormously from her beliefs that "…leadership has its own rewards."

"You might not think you have enough time or enough money to really make a difference," she insisted, "but you do. And the return on your investment of care and commitment will rank with the best returns you'll ever receive on any investment you make."