Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship

Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship CEO is a revolutionary concept in entrepreneurship education. The CEO program is much more than a textbook course.

Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship partners with communities throughout the United States to establish and maintain quality CEO programs. Entrepreneurship education seeks to prepare people, especially youth, to be responsible, enterprising individuals who become entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial thinkers and contribute to economic development and sustainable communities. Rather, students are im

mersed in real life learning experiences with the opportunity to take risks, manage the results, and learn from the outcomes. The First CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) class, began in Effingham in the fall of 2008. The Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship was established in 2010 by Midland States Bank for the purpose of bringing the CEO program to interested communities, helping them to create networks of business people connecting to students. Thus far the Institute has taken the CEO program to communities in seven states; Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Utah growing to 70+ this coming fall. The mission of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship states: “we believe that entrepreneurship is much more about a mindset than it is a body of business knowledge, much more about a new way to view the world than a collection of business concepts.”

The tools that the institute uses to accomplish its purpose and mission include; guiding Communities through the process of establishing the network of business and community leaders needed to begin a CEO Class. Once the program is established the institute provides ongoing training, materials, curriculum content, resources, facilitators mentoring, and support for the local CEO boards. Many of the materials and operating documents are available through password protected areas of the website. We are continually looking for new ways to strengthen and support our CEO communities. The CEO Connect network is the next step in that development and with your help we can expand the network of human resources in each CEO Community by connecting them to all of the current and future CEO Communities. Together with the help of the Mary Heath Foundation we can make this next step now.

Board members from six CEO programs across Minnesota came together in Marshall for the first Regional Board Retreat in M...
06/15/2026

Board members from six CEO programs across Minnesota came together in Marshall for the first Regional Board Retreat in Minnesota.

For one day, they got to step out of their individual communities and into a room full of people who understand exactly what they do. They talked about what's going well, where they're facing challenges, and how to keep growing the kind of leadership that changes students' lives back home.

Representing the retreat were board members from 59 Corridor CEO, Cottonwood Jackson CEO, Lyon and Murray County CEO, West Central MN CEO, Southwest Minnesota CEO, and Minnesota River Valley CEO.

Behind every strong CEO experience is a board of dedicated community members who believe in what's possible for young people in their region. This retreat is how they keep growing too.

The day was facilitated by Katie Baustian (Minnesota Regional Support) and Kris Noble (Board Support and Growth Specialist). Regional Support serves as the connector between the national CEO organization, local program boards, and facilitators, and days like this are exactly what that looks like in action.

Thank you to everyone who made the trip to Marshall and invested in a day of learning and connection.

06/11/2026

Watch Alabama CEO students turn $1 into thousands in just 1 week.

1 to 100 is the new documentary from the CEO program, following real students starting real businesses.

No simulations. No pretend money. Just high schoolers, their hometowns, and the question every founder eventually has to answer: who will be better because of what I'm doing today?

Watch the full film at 1to100film.com starting June 22 at 7pm CST.

Featuring students from:
Decatur Morgan CEO and Madison AL CEO

Premiering on 1to100film.com.

Learn more about CEO at DiscoverCEO.com

A special moment at the CEO Facilitator Retreat 2026 as we recognized facilitators who reached their 5-year milestone.Th...
06/10/2026

A special moment at the CEO Facilitator Retreat 2026 as we recognized facilitators who reached their 5-year milestone.

These dedicated educators and mentors have helped students develop entrepreneurial mindsets, build confidence and turn ideas into action. Their commitment has created lasting impact in classrooms, communities and the lives of countless young people.

Thank you for investing your time, talents and leadership into the next generation. We are grateful for all you do and proud to celebrate this milestone with you.

06/09/2026

A strong talent pipeline doesn't begin after graduation. It begins when young people are trusted with meaningful opportunities to learn by doing.

In this video, Shannon Allen of Innovate Alabama highlights the value of giving students real-world entrepreneurial experiences. By building businesses, engaging with local business leaders, and solving real challenges, students develop the skills, work ethic, and mindset that employers, entrepreneurs, and communities need.

For communities focused on economic growth, workforce development, and entrepreneurship, supporting experiences like these is an investment in long-term local success.

See what's possible when a community invests in its young people. The 1 to 100 documentary premieres June 22 at 6:00 PM. Visit 1to100film.com to learn more and receive updates.

06/05/2026

From side hustle to storefront.

This month, we’re spotlighting Alex Eckhardt, Adams County CEO Class of 2021 and founder of Q-Town Kicks, a sneaker resale business he built from the ground up.

What began as a passion project evolved into a brick-and-mortar storefront in Quincy, Illinois, all while Alex was earning his college degree. When the next chapter called, he made the intentional decision to transition back to an online model, positioning Q-Town Kicks for continued growth on his own terms.

Alex’s story is a reminder that entrepreneurial success isn’t linear. Sometimes it means expanding. Sometimes it means adapting. Both require vision and courage.

We are proud to celebrate alumni who continue to build, evolve, and lead with an entrepreneurial mindset.

National Pitch Competition Participants Program Recognition Awards 🏆
06/04/2026

National Pitch Competition Participants Program Recognition Awards 🏆

06/04/2026

We appreciate the hard work each facilitator poured into their programs to make this year’s National Pitch Competition possible.

Bring CEO to your community: DiscoverCEO.com

06/04/2026

Today marked the third and final day of the 2026 CEO Facilitator Retreat in Kankakee, bringing together facilitators from across programs who have completed their first year.

This year’s theme, River of Ideas, reminded us that leadership is strengthened when we share perspectives, learn from one another and remain open to new possibilities. Throughout the retreat, ideas flowed freely, connections deepened and participants left with renewed inspiration to serve their communities.

The day included recognition of facilitators reaching five- and 10-year program milestones, recipients of the Good Neighbor Award and participants in the National Pitch Competition. Their commitment to leadership, collaboration and community impact reflects the very best of the CEO program.

We also had the privilege of hearing from Dr. Michael Boyd, president of Kankakee Community College, whose keynote encouraged us to continue investing in people and leading with purpose.

A special thank you to Angelina Gear and the Visit Kankakee team for their hospitality and partnership throughout the retreat.

As we head home, we carry with us new ideas, stronger relationships and a shared commitment to helping others succeed. The river continues to flow.

Bring CEO to your community:
DiscoverCEO.com

06/02/2026

Day two of our Facilitator Retreat is in full swing, and the River of Ideas is flowing strong.

This morning, John Keigher kicked things off with an inspiring message that encouraged facilitators to keep growing, learning, and leading with purpose. From there, facilitators dove into breakout sessions, sharing ideas and learning from one another’s experiences.

We’re also excited to welcome keynote speaker Doug Villhard, who is helping facilitators explore practical ways to integrate AI into their work and create more time for what matters most: students, relationships, and community impact.

A group of facilitators also spent time at Hedgeapple Arts today, experiencing another example of creativity, entrepreneurship, and community investment in action.

The conversations, connections, and shared learning happening this week will continue creating ripple effects in communities across the network.

Learn how to bring CEO to your community.
DiscoverCEO.com

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1201 Network Centre Drive
Effingham, IL
62401

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