President of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship, Donnie Wilson, began his career as a serial entrepreneur in 1977, at only 17 years old. While he originally focused on building equipment for the gas and oil industries, Donnie was later presented with an opportunity to scale his ventures internationally.

In 1989, an oil spill Carmi, Illinois swamplands would serve as the catalyst for Donnie’s venture into the world of oil spill recovery and pollution control. It was here where Donnie found inspiration for a more efficient kind of oil skimmer – one that caught the attention of an entire industry.

In 1990, Donnie founded the global manufacturing business, Elastec, Inc. a company that would go global just three years later by putting down roots in Russia, followed by Estonia, Turkey, India and China.

With Donnie’s innovative spirit-- and the acquisition of another business, American Marine -- Elastec, Inc. has, since, grown large enough to serve over 140 countries around the world and has also earned the title of ‘largest manufacturer of oil pollution control equipment in the United States.’ Over the years, Elastec company has been at the scene of many major oil spills, such as the explosion of Transocean’s Deepwater Horizon rig, in the Gulf of Mexico, in April of 2010.

In recent years, Donnie began dedicating much of his time to advising and mentoring young entrepreneurs, like our CEO students. In fact, Donnie originally became part of the CEO family when he served on the board of the White County CEO program in the fall of 2015. From the beginning, it was clear that Donnie’s passion for entrepreneurship education was unparalleled. The following spring, Donnie was invited to join the Midland Institute Board of Directors and in December 2016, he accepted the position of President of Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship.

Donnie is driven by a passion for entrepreneurship and an enthusiasm that stems from his own entrepreneurial experience. He has seen first-hand the changes that CEO brings to young people and the promise it holds for communities across the United States. It is his drive, his vision and his enthusiasm that guide the Midland Institute Team and the expansion of the CEO Program nationwide.  

“35 Year Journey From Teenage Magician / Entrepreneur To Empowering Young Entrepreneurs Nationwide With The CEO Program”

At the age of six, Chris Egelston became interested in the art of magic. He turned that hobby into an entrepreneurial journey when he performed his first paid professional Magic Show as a 15-year old. Turning his passion into profits led Chris to becoming an ardent and lifelong student of not just magic but also sales, marketing, motivation and other personal and professional development topics.

Chris quickly moved from being a pure Entertainer to becoming a Keynote Speaker and Corporate Trainer who uses his skills as a Corporate Entertainer (magician / mentalist) to make his presentations impactful and memorable. His engaging and interactive programs have audiences laughing and learning at the same time. Some of his presentations include Success Magic and the Magic of Customer Experience.

Along the way, Chris developed a strong passion for teaching high school and college students key life and business success skills. And when Chris first heard about the CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) Program in 2014, he immediately had two thoughts: “I wish I had thought of that” and “I wish I had that program when I was in high school.” Chris began visiting several CEO Classes each year sharing success secrets he’s learned over his lifetime along with some amazing magic.

In 2019, Chris’s passion for helping the next generation collided with an opportunity to join the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship as their Community Engagement Specialist. In this role, he speaks to audiences around the country about the CEO Program and helps communities that want to embrace this experience for their next generation build their own local programs. He also presents his keynote, “Engaging, Educating and Empowering Emerging Entrepreneurs,” for audiences at Economic Development, Community Foundation, Electric Cooperative, and Education Conferences around the country.

And Chris continues his now side hustle, as an entertainer at banquets, conferences, meetings, parties, receptions and more with his Magicomedy Show, Strolling Magic, Close-Up Magic Show and Emcee / M.C. – Magician of Ceremonies.

Chris earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and his M.B.A. from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He currently resides in Carterville, Illinois with his wife Robin.

Kris was with the Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce since 2014 and served as the Executive Director from 2015-2024. Her responsibilities included implementing the Strategic Plan as developed by the Board of Directors. She was responsible for overseeing 2 staff and over 200 volunteers to develop objectives and implement action to accomplish the Strategic Priorities. Kris used her background in community development and building relationships to promote workforce development strategies between education/students and businesses/employers, advocate for the business community, and fulfill the mission of the SVACC. In 2023 she led the Chamber in receiving a 5 Star Accreditation Status awarded through the United States Chamber of Commerce. In January 2024 She received her (Institute of Organization Management) IOM through the United States Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to the Chamber world, Kris worked as an Adolescent Therapist for LSSI. In addition, for over 35 years, Kris has worked as a consultant in community wellness with an emphasis on positive youth development, community engagement, and strategic planning. She has collaborated with school districts, not-for-profit organizations, service clubs, businesses, preschools, and faith communities on how to make environments more youth friendly and improving youth/adult relationships and partnerships. Kris graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Kris’ family includes her life partner Max, and two sons: Seiler and Elliot.She enjoys all things sports related- Football, Volleyball, and Softball, baking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

What Anna loves most about CEO, is being a part of opportunity creation for young adults. Anna is excited to participate in a movement to help these young people become more confident and believe in themselves. This opportunity is what drives her daily in her role at the Midland Institute.

Anna serves as the Operations Leader for the Midland Institute, enthusiastically transferring her past experience and taking on her new role in implementing and supporting systems that help CEO programs succeed. Anna values practicing an intuitive approach as she implements and develops operations at the Midland Institute.

Anna graduated from The University of Alabama in 2017 with her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Sales. From there, she spent four years working in many different industries, including Sales and Property Management, and living in various locations in the US. Anna received her MBA from LSUS in Entrepreneurship and Small Business. She is an avid traveler and dog lover who is originally from the Effingham, IL area.

An opportunity to travel with Effingham County CEO’s first class was Kristy Sayers introduction to the CEO program. As a Business Educator, the trip provided a unique look into the development of a student driven program and further sparked her passion for creating realistic experiences for students. After six years, the Effingham CEO program expanded to two classes and Kristy joined as an additional facilitator in the fall of 2015. The transformation and growth of the students from August to May was a highlight of facilitating the program.   

As a Program Developer, Kristy brings five years experience as a facilitator in Effingham County CEO and twenty years as a high school Business Educator to the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship Team.  Kristy is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelors of science in Business Education and a Master of Science in Educational Administration. 

Kristy believes communities with CEO programs provide student development opportunities which in turn gives students a head start towards college and career. Additionally, the future economic development potential is increased when students have an awareness of what their hometown can offer. Kristy looks forward to working with CEO facilitators and community boards to expand the vision of the program. 

Janae is a 2009 alum of the very first CEO class, facilitated by her hero and mentor, Mr. L. His gift was more than teaching entrepreneurship, he had a way of empowering young adults to think outside the box and made sure every student knew their ideas and their voice mattered. That experience continues to shape how Janae shows up for CEO programs today.

Originally from Effingham County, Janae now lives in Terre Haute, Indiana. She’s a graphic designer by trade, with a strong heart for customer service and user experience. Her role blends design, systems, and support to help CEO programs thrive, from creative assets to behind-the-scenes logistics.

Janae brings experience, expertise, and a deep belief in the mission of CEO. She’s here to make sure facilitators feel supported, students feel seen, and every program has what it needs to grow.

Melanie Smith is currently starting her 5th year as facilitator for Union County CEO and is excited to join the Midland team as a Program Cultivator. She and her husband have two daughters who are alumni of the UCCEO program and they have also had a rental business for over 30 years. She feels these different perspectives of CEO as well as her desire to work with people, will be helpful in her role as cultivator.

Abby Tolley is an Effingham County native and a 2013 CEO alumnus, so she knows firsthand the transformative power of the CEO program. It was CEO that sparked her interest in the science and art of learning and what launched her into a career path centered around learning, leadership, and designing impactful experiences.

Abby brings experience and expertise in articulating messages, understanding perspectives of various audiences, and strategically planning and managing experiences and programs. Her formal education is in adult learning and organizational change. She began her career at a strategic consulting, marketing and communications agency and was most recently a learning analyst for Vivayic, a custom learning solutions company. At Vivayic, Abby worked closely with clients to develop and fine-tune educational content, ensuring it resonated with diverse learner audiences. This expertise in understanding stakeholder perspectives and tailoring content for specific outcomes directly informs Abby’s approach to communication, where strategic planning and careful message crafting play a central role in driving engagement and inspiring action.