Land of Lincoln CEO gives update on progress

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[February 26, 2015]  LINCOLN - The Land of Lincoln CEO program is right on track to kick off its inaugural session in the Fall of 2015 says organizers.

Back in October an announcement was made about the Effingham-born program being brought to Logan County to launch a class to cultivate young entrepreneurs in high school—the Land of Lincoln Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (LLCEO) program will bring together 20 to 25 high school seniors from around the county to learn about business development and start their own businesses.

To-date the organizers of the LLCEO program have made great strides in the efforts to make this program a reality for Logan County Students. The original group to begin these efforts, April Doolin & Patrick Doolin of Integrity Data; Andi Hake, Logan County Alliance and Bob Bagby with LTEC have solidified the inaugural board of directors to include themselves along with Todd Hamm, Mt Pulaski School District; June Harnacke, New Holland Banking Center; Sara Sisk, Lincoln Community High School; Clyde Reynolds, Keystone Risk Management and Todd Nobbe, Nobbe Eyecare. In addition to these voting members of the board the group unanimously voted to create three ex-officio seats on the board. One seat will go to each higher learning institution in Lincoln (Lincoln Christian University, Lincoln College and Heartland Community College).

Some members of the board of directors have visited some of the Logan County Schools to present this new concept to current juniors, hoping these students will consider this class when signing up for their classes next fall. The board is still working on scheduling presentations at a few more schools that serve Logan County high school students. The applications have been sent to school counselors from each high school (Lincoln Community High School, Mt. Pulaski High School, Hartsburg-Emden High School, Illini Central and Olympia High). The deadline for the applications to be submitted by interested students is March 11, 2015. The LLCEO board of directors is in the process of putting together a selection committee to choose the students that will make up the first ever LLCEO class. The application process is blind, meaning those on the selection committee do not know the students’ names or which school they attend. The board feels that the blind application process makes it fair and equitable for every student wishing to be a part of this cutting edge program.

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Finding the right person to lead the LLCEO program is crucial to its success and longevity. The board is currently seeking applicants for the facilitator position. The perfect person to fill this position is an entrepreneurial thinker, dedicated to students, naturally curious, an excited learner, adaptable, an outstanding communicator, must be able to interface with the business community, and comfortable working in a technology-rich environment. “The right facilitator is key to the success of the program. We are excited to offer this position in Logan County.”, says April Doolin, President of the LLCEO Board of Directors. “Individuals with a teaching certificate are eligible for the job as well as those with strong business experience may qualify for a provisional certificate. This opens up the possibility for a retired businessperson or those with a business background. It is a fantastic opportunity to broaden the vision of our young people and improve the future of our community. Our hope is that the network of business contacts developed by the students over the course of the year will draw them back to Logan County in the future. I feel that the facilitator position is an opportunity to have a huge impact on the future success of not only the students but Logan County as well” added Doolin. The deadline for cover letters and resumes for those interested in the facilitator position is February 28, 2015.

For more information of the Land of Lincoln CEO program, student applications, or facilitator application process, please contact the Logan County Alliance at 217-735-2385 or andi.hake@lincolnillinois.com.

[Andi Hake, Logan County Alliance of behalf of the Land of Lincoln CEO Board of Directors]

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