The Union County CEO program recently hosted its annual Meet the Mentors breakfast. 

This year’s early morning event again took place at St. Anne’s Church in Anna.

An important element of the CEO program is for the students to learn to communicate well with the individuals around them, both verbally and non-verbally.  

Over the course of the school year, Union County CEO students have an opportunity to practice this communication not only through interactions with more than business and community leaders within Union County, but also through the mentor program that the CEO program encourages.

Mentor and community leader Larry Carter explained in a news release about the purpose of the mentor program:

“The CEO mentorship program is designed where a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps guide a less experienced person to achieve a goal.   

“As a mentor, it is important to enable the mentee to develop their own skills and strategies so they are capable of finding their own solutions.”

Carter added that along the way, the mentors are challenged to listen to, and understand, the needs of the students.

As a part of CEO, each student is paired with a mentor from the local community to foster a relationship in which they communicate, receive advice and network with the generations before them.  

All mentors and students will meet as a group once a month at 7:30 a.m. and as mentor and protégé pairs at business meetings and other times.

Glenda Boone of US Bank reflected on being a mentor for three years.  

“It is rewarding working with these young men and women and seeing them change as they go through the program.  It’s neat to see them grow professionally as well as personally.  I really enjoy being involved in the program.”

CEO Team 2019’s mentors include Jonathan Bevis, Cook Portable Warehouses; Glenda Boone, US Bank;  Larry Carter, retired businessman; Stephanie Cox, A-J National Bank; Greg George, Anna State Bank; Lance Meisenheimer, Union County clerk elect; Bryan and Mary Kay Miller, Jus10’s Yogurt Shoppe; Casey Stout, US Bank; and Mary Ann Stout, former educator and business owner.

CEO, short for Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities, is an experiential learning-based entrepreneurship course that seeks to build a comprehensive educational experience for high school students in only 50 programs across the United States. 

The program seeks to foster the growth of young people who are able to demonstrate out-of-the box thinking, who are equipped to communicate well and to be problem-solving, teamwork oriented and self-motivated.   

One of the long-term goals of the program is to lead the students to roles as leaders not only in business but also in their community.

For more information about the Union County CEO program, or to follow the ongoing story of the 2018-2019 class, visit UnionCountyCEO.org or Union County CEO on Facebook. 

All Union County high school counselors are CEO Board members and have information for students.