Alumni Stories
Our alumni leave with real-world business experience, meaningful local connections, and the confidence that comes from building something of their own. These stories show where that experience has taken them.
Stoll's Woodworking
Like a lot of kids her age, 2016 Daviess County CEO student, Amelia Rodriguez, always assumed that she’d have to leave her small, home community to do what she wanted to do - be an interior designer. But CEO opened her eyes to the community…and showed her how she could create the perfect job right where she lived. Inspired by what she learned in CEO, she created her dream job at Stoll's Woodworking, located right in her home community of Daviess County.
Vayda Jane Bridal
2013 Effingham County CEO Alum, Shelby Hinterscher, thought that growing up and getting a corporate job was the only path for her…until CEO. Her time in the Effingham CEO Program showed her that she was capable of so much more - and then it gave her the tools to go do it.
Farmers State Bank
Abby Lashmett, Morgan-Scott CEO Alumni of 2015, always planned to move away from her rural western Illinois hometown, attend the University of Illinois, and then move to a "big city" to start her career. As you saw in her story, her year in the Morgan-Scott IL CEO Program helped change her post-college destination.
The XCHNG
Michael Brummer, Effingham County IL CEO Alum 2010, was away from his home town for several years. Bringing back ideas he saw in the cities he's lived in, he bought a downtown building to redevelop into the XCHNG. More than just a co-working space, Michael sees "The Exchange" as a place to develop the ideas to keep propelling his community into the future.
Jars of Hope
Karis Hortin is tackling a worldwide problem in a very tasteful way, with a smile just as big as her heart. With Jars of Hope, the 2018 Mount Carmel CEO Alumnus creates convenient pre-made, jar-preserved meals that will help make a difference in orphan’s lives by donating 100% of her profit to the very orphanage in Ethiopia that she once called home. An obvious leader among a generation of philanthropy-minded young people, Karis aims to support kids in need just like herself.
Ghost Simulator
2019 Edwardsville CEO Alumnus, Adam Walters, has been fascinated with the world of video games since he was a kid. With his business creation, “BloxByte Games,” this self-proclaimed shy kid took his passion for gaming and stepped outside his box to create a whole new world for himself – and millions of others. With his video game “Ghost Simulator,” Adam managed a team of four other people to create a gaming experience that exploded in popularity– staying #1 on the Roblox platform for a week and generating more than $50,000 in the first week. It’s clear that this is just the beginning for Adam as he continues to build new worlds for curious gamers all over the world just like himself.
Dragonwood
2017 Kokomo CEO Alumnus, Abigail Gerig, savors selling premium products. Her business, Dragonwood, focuses on tapping trees and raising bees to create a line of pure and natural products that include maple syrups, sugars, candies, and both creamed and raw honey. Nature nurturers with a bit of biologist, at Dragonwood, they craft and cultivate exceptional product that satisfies the sweet tooth of their customers near and far.
Q Town Kicks
For Adams County CEO alumni Alex Eckhardt, the dream was simple: a sneaker store in his hometown. Q Town Kicks is where that dream lives now, stocked with the niche, hard to find pairs you won't come across anywhere else. The connections Alex made through CEO still show up for him today, and so does the belief the program gave him that anything is achievable. Q Town Kicks is proof of what Adams County invested in, and what Alex is giving back.
Seeing It My Way
Jersey County CEO alumni Nadia Bowker can't imagine her junior year without CEO. As a visually impaired student, she wasn't sure how the class would go. What she found surprised her. People were ready to figure things out right alongside her. By the end of the year, Nadia realized she was far more outgoing and sure of herself than she ever expected. Her advice for the next student? Take the leap, and don't look back.
Flatland Foam Solutions
For Prairieland CEO alumni Levi Zbinden, the motivation was always freedom, the kind money can't buy. His work ethic came from being a farm kid. His knowledge came from living and breathing his industry every single day. CEO gave him the last piece: the confidence to believe he could build something big while he was still young. He did. Flatland Foam Solutions reached seven figures in its very first year, built on quality work and word that traveled fast. Seeing established business owners believe in the younger generation was the moment it clicked. For Levi, the sky's the limit.
Revive Coffee & Roasting Company
Ashley Leman had dreamed of a coffee shop since she was a teenager, and the younger version of her couldn't believe where she'd land. Today, Woodford County CEO alumni Ashley roasts fresh small batch coffee six pounds at a time, watching over every bean that comes through. Ashley will be the first to say that Revive Coffee & Roasting Company wouldn't exist without CEO. The program gave her the ideas, the courage, and the people behind her to get going.
Uribe Detailing
Little Egypt CEO alum Esai Uribe used to think a business was some giant corporation you had to be a genius to run. CEO showed him something different. You try, you learn, and you do it better next time. He found a passion for detailing and built Uribe Detailing into something that funded his entire college degree. Without the program, he says, he might have chased the wrong path and racked up debt without ever learning what he was capable of. The most rewarding part? The strangers who saw his value and trusted his work. CEO taught Esai to be comfortable in his own skin and to think bigger, and it shaped the whole course of his life.