“Congratulations to the second place winner of the CEO National Pitch competition – Alex Remsey from the Union County CEO Program! We love this 30-second pitch about his business, Alto Archery Targets.” 

This was how the email from the Midland Institute of Entrepreneurship began.

The National Pitch Competition served as an opportunity for CEO students to showcase themselves and their businesses on a national level. 

“Our 3 winners were selected from 74 submissions from 31 programs for their unique positioning and clear communication of their business concept,” the email continued.  

The judges for this contest were Maxine Clark, founder of Build-a-Bear Workshop; and Doug Villhard, entrepreneur and professor at Washington University in St. Louis.  

Alex, a 2020 Cobden High School senior, was awarded $500; books by Maxine Clark, Kristen Hadeed and Craig Lindvahl; and a gift certificate to Dan Chancellor’s Climb So iLL, an indoor rock-climbing facility near St. Louis.

The competition was open to all of the 700 CEO students in 229 schools forming 56 programs in seven states.  

Of the 74 video entries, Julia Lasley, a 2020 Anna-Jonesboro Community High School senior and owner of the fitness blog Train with Jules, came just a little short of being a finalist.  

Union County CEO Board chair Casey Stout said, “We are so proud of these students who went above and beyond the requirements of the CEO class.”

Alex’s winning pitch, as well as all 12 of the 2020 class’s commercials can be seen on the Union County CEO page on Facebook.

The Pitch Competition was new to CEO this year.  Due to the current shelter in place orders, Midland Institute of Entrepreneurship, of which Union County CEO is a chapter program, was unable to plan its annual trade show to be held at the National Midland Institute Conference in Champaign, where students submit applications and are selected to present their goods and service in a trade show format. 

The Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship started as a class in Effingham in 2008.  

The program has grown immensely throughout the Midwest, expanding every year.  It is seen as the gold standard in leadership and entrepreneurship training for high school students.  

Alex Remsey’s Business: Alto Archery Targets

Here’s the description of Alex Remsey’s Union County CEO program business:

Located in deep Southern Illinois, Alto Archery Targets is committed to providing quality archery targets for avid outdoorsmen and archery fanatics who share the same passion for archery as our dedicated team! 

Alex Remsey started Alto Archery Targets as a way to offer high quality targets to Union County but also to start a business that followed his passion for archery. 

After practicing with different materials, and problem solving how to assemble, Alex came up with his final product. 

If you enjoy bow hunting or archery, go to Alex’s Facebook Page, Alto Archery Targets, and check out his pictures and videos of his target in use.