Bridget Schneider is CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional with Level Four® Wealth Management in Lincoln. Her focus is retirement planning and she has several years of experience advising small business owners regarding retirement plan benefit options. In addition to a focus on the future retirement needs of families and individuals, she assists with income distribution planning during retirement, estate planning, and insurance needs. She is a University of Illinois graduate and lives in rural Logan County. Bridget’s interest in the Land of Lincoln CEO stems from a desire to help the youth in our community succeed financially.

Cathy Wilhite has over 25 years’ experience in the nonprofit industry. She has served as the CEO of several different organizations, at local, state and federal level and has been the director of development for an agency offering advocacy, support, job training and work force development. As a business owner, she consulted on a variety of issues pertaining to workforce development and sustainability as they relate to domestic policy in the business community.

Her extensive experience in developing and implementing strategic planning and fund development as strategies to build support for small business agendas in local communities has allowed her to develop and execute lobbying strategy to pressure local, state and federal officials to promote a pro-business agenda. She has long been involved in strengthening communities by developing community partnerships on a local and global basis. She is skilled in the ability to manage through influence, being able to work with a variety of disparate stakeholders, while working in a consensus driven environment advocating for business at all times. . She also has a background of successful leadership experience with Fortune 500 companies.

Cathy has deep roots in Logan County; her family has lived here for over 35 years. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois with degrees in Animal Science, Ag Economics and Physics. She also has an MBA from John Hopkins, Carey Business School in Entrepreneurship.

April Doolin is the Managing Partner at Integrity Holdings. She has been an active part of binging CEO to Lincoln from the beginning. April feels that the CEO program is a unique opportunity to give local students hands-on experience in business while providing them with a support network of experienced business people in their own community. She resides in Lincoln with her husband, Patrick, and their four children.

Patrick Doolin is CEO of Integrity Data, a software company specializing in payroll and HR solutions. He was born and raised in Lincoln and is active in many local organizations working to improve the quality of life in his community. Patrick has been part of bringing CEO to Logan County from the beginning. “CEO is experiential learning versus textbook or lecture learning. It provides real-life, hands-on experiences for future entrepreneurs to learn how business functions in the real world.”

Robert Bagby is beginning his seventh year as superintendent of Lincoln Community High School. He is a graduate of Western Illinois University with a BA in Physical Education and English, earning his MA in Education Administration from the U of I, and finally a Certificate of Advanced Studies from Western Illinois University. While teaching, he served as a Head Football Coach for 13 years, taking three different schools to the play-offs. Robert is excited about what CEO offers students.

I am a school counselor at Lincoln Community High School and serve as the secretary for the CEO Board of Directors. I have spent over half my years in education working as a business teacher in local high schools. This in combination with my experience as a school counselor provides me the opportunity to see how the CEO class can benefit our students and community. Hands on experiences have a profound effect on student learning, which makes for an awesome experience for our students!

A New Yorker by birth, a Hawkeye by adoption and a Lincolnite by choice: Clyde brings his own perspective to life in the heartland. Clyde moved to Lincoln in 1977. In 1986 he and his wife started Keystone Risk Management. “A lot of great people live in Lincoln, but job opportunities are limited. The CEO program offers students a chance to look at an alternate future of entrepreneurship where they are the creators of economic opportunities for themselves and their employees. It’s a win-win!

Kristi Powell is the Associate Director of the Heartland Community College Lincoln Center and has worked for Heartland for the past 20 years. Kristi lives in Lincoln with her husband, Deron and is the mother of four children. Over the years, Kristi has been on the Chamber of Commerce Board, the Tourism Board and various committees targeting Leadership, Workforce Development and Education in Logan County. Kristi is passionate about creating opportunities for the students of her community.

Lisa Steve is beginning her third year as a school counselor and volleyball coach for Olympia High School. Lisa graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Ashford University in 2010 and her M.S. in Counseling from Eastern Illinois University in 2013. Lisa was asked to serve on the board for CEO after Olympia High School decided to join the Land of Lincoln CEO program and offer this unique learning experience to students. Lisa is anxious to see the students develop as the LLCEO year gets started

Dr Nobbe is the owner of Nobbe Eye Care Center / Vision Source has been providing eye health care to Lincoln and Logan County since 1994. He enjoys having his business in the community where he grew up. He is a graduate of SIU with a BS in Biological Science, and a graduate of Illinois College of Optometry with a BS in Visual Science and Doctor of Optometry. Dr Nobbe joined the CEO board to help local students learn how to operate a small business and develop their entrepreneurial spirit.