Adams County CEO

Adams County CEO Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities is a year-long course designed to utilize partnerships that provide an overview of business development and processes.

Our local business community partners with area schools to create project-based experiences.

✨ Saturday Spotlight! ✨Our next member of the Adams County CEO Class of 2027! 🌟My name is Alexus Cannady. I go to Quincy...
09/19/2026

✨ Saturday Spotlight! ✨
Our next member of the Adams County CEO Class of 2027! 🌟

My name is Alexus Cannady. I go to Quincy Senior High School and am in the class of 2027. I am fascinated with anything health- and biology-related. I enjoy spending time with my family doing car shows, hunting, and fishing. Being able to help people around me and making what they thought was impossible is my dream. Once I graduate, I will be attending Blessing Rieman College for their bachelor’s in science and nursing, specifically in respiratory care. I joined CEO to learn about a field I have always known. I joined to push myself in so many ways to become the best I know I can be. Joining CEO will hopefully allow me to see that I can do things I never imagined before and show future generations that we can all redefine possibilities.

✨ Saturday Spotlight! ✨Over the next few weeks we will be taking time to meet the amazing member of the Adams County CEO...
09/19/2026

✨ Saturday Spotlight! ✨
Over the next few weeks we will be taking time to meet the amazing member of the Adams County CEO Class of 2027! 🌟

Hi, I’m Abel Berhorst, a student-athlete at Quincy Notre Dame who enjoys football, basketball, working out, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Sports have taught me the value of hard work, discipline, teamwork, and commitment. After high school, I plan to explore opportunities in business and real estate, with the goal of one day creating something of my own.

I joined CEO to learn more about entrepreneurship, leadership, and what it takes to turn ideas into successful businesses. I’m excited to gain real-world experience, meet motivated leaders, and develop skills that will help me build my future.

A transmission shop might not be the first place you think of when you think about entrepreneurship, but that’s exactly ...
09/16/2026

A transmission shop might not be the first place you think of when you think about entrepreneurship, but that’s exactly why we wanted the Class of 2027 to see it.

We had the opportunity to tour The Tr**ny Clinic with Robert Cannady, one of the first mechanic shop tours our CEO program has taken. Robert gave the class a look at the operation, how he built the business, and the amount of work that happens behind the scenes to make it successful.

He was also very open about the cost of entrepreneurship and the value of time, money, and opportunity when you’re young. Robert challenged the students to think about how easily those things can be wasted through partying, negative social circles, too many video games, or simply not being intentional with their time. He talked about hustling while you’re young and able to create more options for the life you want later.

He also shared the reality that building a business rarely fits neatly inside a 40-hour work week. There are early mornings, late nights, weekends, sacrifices, and a whole lot of work nobody sees.

For a class only a few weeks into its own entrepreneurial journey, hearing that perspective firsthand was incredibly valuable. They have big ideas for what they want to accomplish this year, but there is a lot of work between an idea and actually making it happen.

What a fantastic and unique tour for our students. Thank you, Robert, for opening your doors, sharing your experience, and investing in the Class of 2027!

What does it look like when a business leans into change instead of simply trying to survive it?The Class of 2027 got a ...
09/14/2026

What does it look like when a business leans into change instead of simply trying to survive it?

The Class of 2027 got a firsthand look during our visit to Nutrition HQ with Tyler Hall. Tyler shared how Nutrition HQ came to be, how the business has grown, and answered questions from the class about franchising and different paths businesses can take as they scale.

He also reinforced something we’ve already talked about as a class, the importance of communication and staying on top of email. Tyler shared how Nutrition HQ adapted during the pandemic and ultimately experienced one of its biggest jumps in sales and service, while continuing to build around their mission of community, kindness, and wellness.

A lot of the class tried out the InBody scanner to learn more about what it measures, and we sampled some new Alani Nu drinks along the way.

Business isn’t static. Markets change, customers change, circumstances change, and learning how to adapt while continuing to grow is part of the work.

Thank you, Tyler and Nutrition HQ, for hosting and investing in the Class of 2027!

🎉 Welcome, Class of 2027! 🎉Adams County CEO is excited to welcome 20 high school seniors from Central, Payson-Seymour, Q...
09/14/2026

🎉 Welcome, Class of 2027! 🎉

Adams County CEO is excited to welcome 20 high school seniors from Central, Payson-Seymour, Quincy Notre Dame, Quincy Senior, and Unity High Schools!

Over the next year, students will get hands-on experience in entrepreneurship, leadership, and business development through local business tours, community leaders, guest speakers, team projects, and real-world entrepreneurial experiences.

We can’t wait to see what this class learns, creates, and accomplishes! Learn more about Adams County CEO: adamscountyceo.com.

Today the class welcomed Quincy Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Larry Gray for a great conversation about leadership.D...
09/12/2026

Today the class welcomed Quincy Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Larry Gray for a great conversation about leadership.

Dr. Gray shared his journey in education, what brought him to Quincy, why he wanted to become a superintendent, and, maybe most importantly to a room full of high school students, how the district actually decides when to call a snow day.

The conversation covered leadership at the district level, but also what personal leadership looks like for our students as they think about their own futures. The class asked some incredible questions, and Dr. Gray answered each with thoughtfulness, wisdom, and plenty of perspective from his own experiences.

Thank you, Dr. Gray, for spending the morning with the Class of 2027 and investing in our students!

Today we took the class to The Relish Jar for a great conversation with Kayla and Travis about marketing, branding, cons...
09/10/2026

Today we took the class to The Relish Jar for a great conversation with Kayla and Travis about marketing, branding, consistency, authenticity in the age of AI, and the importance of nurturing relationships.

They also talked about customer feedback, how important it is to ask for it, listen to it, and receive it well. Building a business means being willing to hear from the people you serve and using that feedback to get better.

The class got to dig into how businesses build a recognizable brand, communicate consistently, develop real relationships with their customers, and use new tools without losing the authentic voice behind the business.

With our Class Business coming later this fall and individual businesses ahead in the spring, they’ll have plenty of opportunities to put all of this into practice.

Thank you, Kayla and Travis, for hosting us and investing in the Class of 2027!

Today we welcomed Tad Luebbehusen from Emberwood to the Adams County CEO classroom.Tad challenged the Class of 2027 to t...
09/08/2026

Today we welcomed Tad Luebbehusen from Emberwood to the Adams County CEO classroom.

Tad challenged the Class of 2027 to think about best effort, social momentum, defining and continually evaluating their why, and the “entrepreneurial backpack” we all carry with us.

One of my favorite exercises focused on the people who speak into our lives. Students identified their Head, those who provide wisdom and truth, Heart, those who provide love and grounding, and Horizon, those who challenge them to look ahead and expand their vision.

Who influences you? Are your habits aligned with where you want to go? Who keeps you grounded while challenging you to grow?

We don’t succeed alone, and being intentional about the people around us is a huge part of leadership, entrepreneurship, and life.

Thank you, Tad, for investing in our students!

We wrapped up week two by welcoming Payne Schoen from Payne Schoen Consulting to debrief the Class of 2027 on their DISC...
09/04/2026

We wrapped up week two by welcoming Payne Schoen from Payne Schoen Consulting to debrief the Class of 2027 on their DISC assessments.

We use DISC early in the CEO year to help students better understand how they communicate, learn, lead, make decisions, and interact with the people around them. Just as importantly, they begin learning how to recognize those differences in each other and adjust the way they communicate as a team.

Communication is a huge piece of this program because it is a huge piece of business. You can have a great idea, product, or strategy, but at some point you have to communicate it. You have to sell an idea, listen to a customer, work through disagreement, lead a team, ask good questions, and build relationships with people who may think and communicate very differently than you do.

Over the next several months, these students are going to do all of those things. Understanding themselves and the 19 other people sitting around the table is a pretty great place to start.

Thank you, Payne, for investing in our students and helping us close out a great second week!

Today was day three of the Name Badge Business, but before we got there, we spent a large part of class digging into Thi...
09/03/2026

Today was day three of the Name Badge Business, but before we got there, we spent a large part of class digging into Things You Wish You Knew Yesterday by CEO founder Craig Lindvahl.

We started with the first chapter, “Take It All In,” and had a great conversation about what it means to learn from everyone and every situation we find ourselves in. We talked about being curious, paying attention, asking better questions, and what it takes to become a lifelong learner.

That mindset is a huge part of entrepreneurship. Every conversation, business tour, speaker, success, mistake, and experience throughout this year is an opportunity to learn something, but only if we’re paying attention.

From there, it was back to work on the Name Badge Business as the class continues putting those ideas into practice and building their first venture together.

Week two and we’re already covering a lot of ground.

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Quincy, IL
62301

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