Since coming to Richland county I have been amazed at the opportunities that exist within our community. I don’t think our young graduates fully understand all career choices that Richland County has to offer. I believe the CEO Program will educate our young adults on the businesses and career opportunities that exist while better preparing them to make a positive impact as an employee or small business owner.

I graduated from Northern Illinois University with a major in Finance.  I began my banking career as an Associate Bank Examiner and then went on to work for a family owned banking group in the Chicago area.  I held various positions for over 19 years within the bank group.  Before leaving the Chicago area, I held the position of EVP Senior Loan Officer and was a member of the Board of Directors.  Since arriving in Olney and becoming President and CEO of TrustBank, I have enjoyed the people and opportunities in Richland County.   I am blessed with a wonderful wife Rhonda and three amazing children.

I want to see CEO become a successful program in Richland County so the seniors can see the opportunities right here in our community. I think it is important to give them an opportunity to see the local businesses from the inside. Many of our local businesses reach to many places in the world and you just don’t see that from their sign on their building. They don’t have to ‘move to the City’ to get worldly experience. I think it will be just as beneficial to the businesses to build relationships with students and together they can build the future of Richland County.

I am a 1990 graduate of East Richland High School and a 1993 graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Business.  I am a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Illinois and a member of the Illinois CPA Society and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.  I have worked at Illinois Gas Company since September of 2002 and worked at Pacific Cycle (formerly Brunswick Bicycles and Roadmaster) for 8 ½ prior to joining Illinois Gas.  I am an active member of St Joseph Catholic Church in Olney. I have served on various committees in the community and am a past member of the Richland Memorial Hospital Board of Directors. My husband Mike and I reside in Olney with our two very active children, Evan and Claire. In my very limited spare time, I enjoy walking, kayaking and yard work.

Richland County CEO will give students the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the various businesses/industries available throughout Richland County while also providing them with real-world experiences through meaningful interactions with successful business leaders within the community. As a result of these experiences, students will be better equipped with the skills and knowledge to effectively operate their own business.

Chad is in his 2nd year as principal at Richland County High School after serving as principal at Richland County Middle School during the 2014-15 school year.  He spent 10 years as assistant principal at Richland County High School as well as serving as the athletic director for six years.  Prior to moving into administration, he was a teacher at RCHS for 10 years.  During that time, he taught physical education, mathematics, and implemented the Jobs for Illinois Graduates program while also serving as an assistant coach for the boys' basketball team and coaching the girls' track team.  He is proud to say that he has spent his entire career in education in the Richland County district.  Mr. LeCrone has a wife, Kris, who is a Family Nurse Practitioner and two children, Brock and Taylor.

For students with an entrepreneurial interest, or other business inclination, there is no experience better equipped to help them learn the ropes of building interpersonal connections, personal brand, and starting and growing a business. Our students and community benefit greatly from the ingenuity they do and will bring to our community in the many years to come.

Tynan is an Idaho native and completed his B.S. in Healthcare Administration at Idaho State and Master of Health Administration at Penn State. He has been in Illinois since 2017 where he held multiple roles within Carle Health in the Champaign-Urbana Area. In 2020, Tynan and his family were given the opportunity to move to the land of lakes and white squirrels and instantly fell in love with Olney and the surrounding communities. Tynan now works as Director of Business Development and Operations for Carle Richland Memorial Hospital. His wife Lyttia (Tia) owns TerraSage^SM Salon in Olney which has been open since June 1, 2021.

I accepted an invitation to join the Board when I learned how successful the CEO Program had been for Jasper County. I have always been a strong advocate for retaining the talent that Richland County produces. I believe the CEO Program will expose young, talented people to so much more of what Richland County has to offer than they would otherwise see in a classroom. I am hopeful that these opportunities will encourage them to return to Richland County, and either build upon what is already here or create something that they see is missing.

I was born and raised in Richland County.  I attended the University of Illinois, graduating from what is now known as the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, and, three years later, from the University of Illinois College of Law.  I practiced law in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis for a couple years before starting my practice in Olney in 2003.  My wife, Jennifer, and I live in rural Richland County with our two very young daughters.  In addition to spending time with my family, I enjoy tending to our surrounding acreage and recycling scrap metal.   

I graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 1981 with a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology and received my MBA from EIU in 2001.  I started my career at AMF/Roadmaster where for 20 years I held various positions ranging from Supervisor, Plant Manager and Director of Purchasing.  Since 2002 I have worked for US Weight dba Escalade Sports as Director of Operations and have concurrently been co-owner of ASL Solutions, a startup rotational molding company.  I am an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church and the Rotary Club of Olney.  My wife Jane and I have been married for 30 years and we have 3 daughters and 2 granddaughters.

I am very excited to see the Richland County CEO Program get started. I have heard a number of good comments come out of neighboring Counties and am glad to see it happen in Richland County. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for Richland County students and businesses alike. Education in a “school” setting is needed, but I feel some education in a business atmosphere will be equally rewarding for these individuals that are selected for the program.

I began my school years in Lawrenceville Illinois. I moved to Olney in 1974 and graduated from East Richland High School. After that I graduated from Olney Central College with an associate’s degree. I then received a bachelor’s degree from McKendree University. I started working for the First National Bank in Olney in February of 1981. I have served on numerous committees and Boards and am currently involved with, R.C.D.C., Illinois Workforce Innovation area 23 Board, Trinity Lutheran Church Council, Olney Elks P.E.R. Association, and the Richland County CEO Program. I have been married to my wife, Cindy, for the past 33 years.

The Richland County CEO Program has proved to be a successful initiative, and it is a program I am proud to be involved with. The young people who complete the program are able to take away advice from our most valuable asset—our local business leaders. These students are set apart from their peers and are going into secondary education and the workforce with a set of soft skills most young people develop later in adulthood. The experience is invaluable, and the program would not be possible without the many generous investors.

I was born and raised in Richland County and am proud to be raising my family here! It has been extremely important to me to give back to the community which supported me through my youth.  As the Executive Director at the Richland County Development Corporation, I am fortunate to serve on the CEO Board of Directors.  While this position has brought me back to the board, I am thankful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity. My first tenure on the CEO Board allowed me to help see this program through conception and to become a reality.   I graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, option in Public Relations and University of Illinois-Springfield with a Master of Arts in Social Service Administration. I live in Olney with my husband Rob and our three children Nora, Grant and Alexander. I am involved in the Olney Rotary Club, a member of the St. Joseph School Board, the Richland County 708 Board, Project Community Board of Directors, and the Richland County 4-H Foundation Board of Directors.

In the short time that I have been involved with the Richland County CEO Program I have been very impressed by the synergy and collaboration between the program and the local business community. This innovative program allows students to gain knowledge outside of a traditional classroom setting and develop business skills to utilize in the future. I am so excited to be part of a program that is building the foundation for the next generation of leaders in our community!

Sara is a graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy and is currently the Director of Pharmacy at Carle Richland Memorial Hospital. She is the chairperson of the Richland County Addiction Prevention Coalition and an active member of the Illinois Pharmacist Association Board of Directors. Sara resides in Effingham and enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, listening to podcasts, kayaking, and gardening.