MARSHALL — The Lyon and Murray County CEO Program is preparing for its annual Trade Show, set for Wednesday, April 30, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Tyler Golf Club. The event is open to the public and will feature 18 high school juniors and seniors who have spent the past year developing their own businesses.

The CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) program, now in its third year, brings together students from Marshall High School, Tracy Area High School, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (RTR), and Murray County Central (MCC). Throughout the year, students learn leadership, communication, and business-building skills by visiting area businesses, completing industry tours, and launching real businesses—two as a class and one individually.

Facilitator Shanda Walker emphasized the value of the experience: “These students have been putting in a lot of work all year, meeting every weekday morning at 7:30 a.m., traveling to different locations. They deserve to be celebrated by the community they’ve worked so hard to learn from and support.”

The trade show will highlight a wide variety of businesses, from product creation to service industries:

  • Ada Moua (Tracy Area High School) — BloomKraft (floral and craft designs)

  • Adam Hippe (Tracy Area High School) — Hippe’s Woodworking and Epoxy (custom cutting boards, coasters)

  • Andrew Holm (MCC) — Holm Engraving (laser engraving projects)

  • Ben Brandl (Marshall) — Cutting Edge Lawn Service

  • Braelyn Wing (Marshall) — Legacy Pointing Labs (breeding and training Labrador Retrievers)

  • Dawson DeCamp (Marshall) — Inside Out Car Detailing

  • Easton Larsen (Marshall) and Kason Dybdahl (RTR) — Pristine Panes Window Cleaning

  • Elijah Determan (RTR) — Mobile Mayhem (mobile rage room) and Determan Gutter Armor

  • Grace Rokeh (Marshall) — Inner Grace Jewelry (handmade jewelry and quilts)

  • Gabriel Gleis (MCC) — Gabriel Gleis Handyman Services

  • Jade Williams (RTR) — Inflatafun Rentals (inflatable rentals for events)

  • Jenna Kremin (RTR) — 3 Wooden Crosses (handcrafted wooden art)

  • McCoy Guenther (Marshall) — Guenther Cleaning Services (commercial and residential cleaning)

  • Olivia Lange (RTR) — Front Porch Pantry (dry baking mixes)

  • Sam Deutz (Marshall) — Heritage Feeder Pigs (hog breeding and raising)

  • Seth Cowell (RTR) — Cowell Old Car Removal (removing and reselling junk vehicles)

  • Sydney Seiler (RTR) — Sydney Seiler’s Babysitting and house cleaning services

In addition to business booths, the event will feature a live and silent auction led by CEO program alum Braxton Seifert. Proceeds will benefit the CEO Alumni Pipeline, providing funding for former participants to grow or launch future ventures. Guests can also enjoy shrimp sponsored by Itero, snacks provided by Hy-Vee, and beverages while visiting with the student business owners.

The evening will kick off early with a special recognition hour for parents, mentors, and supporters before opening to the public at 5:00 p.m. The live auction will begin at 6:30 p.m., with a hand-crafted picnic basket package created by students as a centerpiece item.

Student entrepreneur Braelyn Wing encouraged others to take the leap. “Don’t let your fears stop you. I was hesitant at first, but joining the CEO program has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone and opened up opportunities I never imagined.”

Walker hopes to see a strong turnout to support these young professionals. More information about the CEO program can be found at lyonandmurraycountyceo.com.