Dear CEO community,

I want to start by thanking the community of Richland County, all the CEO investors, board members, mentors, my personal mentor, Colby Shawver, and my class’s facilitator, Sheri Gray. None of this is possible without all of your amazing support, passion, and time for this program.
I joined this program after seeing the effect on what this program did to both my siblings, Alex and Abigail. I came into the program wanting to turn into a person that I dream of becoming. The confidence, leadership skills, networking, and social interactions were all of the attributes I strived to achieve after my time with the program. Those all became true, but much more than I expected.
I will never forget the many lessons, relationships, and valuable insights I received during the micro business, class business, individual business, business tours, and mentor lunch days. The hands-on experiences and real-life situations have grown me into a person that I didn’t think was possible. I feel as though every situation that is now thrown my way can be handled. This is just another testimony to the CEO program.
I’m going to miss the tours, relationships with my classmates, guest speakers who gave exceptional advice, and the late nights working to get the next big task accomplished. My work ethic, discipline, and passion have been instilled in me after my time with the program.
To the incoming CEO students, I encourage you to listen often, communicate often, and always seek every opportunity you are given. I promise you won’t regret it one bit.
Even though my time with the program has concluded, the next chapter is now beginning. I began the year with an empty toolbox. But now it’s filled to the brim. All of my success in the future will be tied back to this program, and everything that it has blessed me with. I won’t forget any of it.

Sincerely,
Ayden Nealis
CEO, Class of 2026