CEO Summit peaks next week
Local students develop business conference to build professional skills for the community
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Running a business isn’t a static process. The best business leaders are constantly learning, adapting, and developing new strategies for success. The participants in the Kokomo CEO program have created a unique opportunity for professional development and growth with the CEO Summit, which takes place Jan. 25.
As Carson Parrott, a senior at Kokomo High School and Kokomo CEO participant, explained, the CEO Summit will help those in attendance reach a new level of expertise by sharing invaluable business knowledge and techniques.
“The CEO Summit is a leadership conference designed to build knowledge and gain expertise in business for people currently in business, for people starting a business, and even for people who have retired from their business,” said Parrott.
There will be something in the CEO Summit for everyone, however, according to Kokomo CEO participant Andrew Ryan.
“I would say the summit isn’t just about business development,” said Ryan. “It’s about personal development, too. We have speakers who will talk about personal branding and about bettering yourself. You will learn new skills that aren’t just for people in business. It is tailored toward people in business, but it also can help with your personal development.”
Parrott’s task was to find four speakers for the event, and he is excited for people to hear from the professionals he lined up to speak.
“I think I found speakers to hit four different points about business; four things you can learn to create a successful business, a successful team, and a successful environment in the place you work,” said Parrott.
The speakers at the event include personal branding expert Derek Laliberte, national chair of 9/11 Families United Terry Strada, former Indiana Mr. Basketball and president of TBL David Magley, and workplace strategist and author Jeff Butler.
Kylie Irwin, a Kokomo CEO participant from Western High School, attended last year’s CEO Summit and felt it was time well spent.
“I think it was a great environment to be in for a day,” said Irwin. “It brought a lot of people in the community together, and I pulled a lot of great motivational information from it.”
Kokomo CEO participant Ava Williamson also gained a lot from last year’s summit and hopes to grow professionally with this year’s iteration.
“I feel like I branched out a lot and met a lot of other community business leaders,” said Williamson. “I got to talk to them about their businesses, which was really cool. The speakers were really motivational.”
The 2023 CEO Summit will take place on Wed., Jan. 25, from 1–5 p.m. at Crossroads Community Church South, 4254 S, CR 00 EW. Tickets are $39 for participants; $19 for students. To purchase tickets and register for this event, visit www.ceosummit.us.
Coming tomorrow: What is Kokomo CEO?