South Central Reporter

Jason Plummer, the state senator for Illinois District 55, expressed his appreciation for participating in this year's CEO Fish Tank competition and commended the students involved. He shared his thoughts in a Facebook post on April 4.

"I appreciated the opportunity to help out at the annual Edwardsville CEO Fish Tank competition earlier this week," said Plummer, according to Facebook. "Once again the students were very impressive and they had some excellent business ideas. I'm constantly impressed with the CEO programs across the region, and we are proud to sponsor many of them. Thank you to everyone involved, especially these great young leaders!"

The Edwardsville CEO program provides students with an opportunity to learn about starting a business while developing essential skills such as communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. Participants are given the chance to build a network of experts and business leaders who can support their entrepreneurial efforts. Each class within the program collaborates to create a business by developing an idea, writing a business plan, securing funding, and gaining experience in project management, money management, and marketing.

Screenshot of State Senator Jason Plummer's April 4 Facebook post | State Senator Jason Plummer's Facebook page

According to Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7, in 2024, students from Edwardsville High School involved in the CEO program began planning and executing their business idea during the first semester of the school year. They launched "Jumpstart to Joy," a holiday event at the YMCA. Following this event, they pitched their business idea to several judges at the annual "Fish Tank" competition. The official launch of their business took place at a trade show event on April 28, where they were responsible for producing their product as well as setting up their booth and pitching their product to visitors.

The Edwardsville CEO Fish Tank event occurred on April 2 at the Outlet at Edison’s Entertainment Complex. Prior to this event, students attended workshops led by Doug Villhard, Academic Director for Entrepreneurship at Washington University's Olin School of Business. During these workshops, participants learned about identifying customer problems, differentiating themselves from competitors, seeking feedback, and more. Additionally, they were taught how to create a three-minute pitch deck and received feedback on their presentations.

Plummer has served as the State Senator for the 54th Senate District in the Illinois General Assembly since his election in 2018. In his role, he focuses on representing Southern Illinois and advocating as what he describes as a strong and independent conservative voice for those he believes have been overlooked by politicians in Springfield.