Article Title: Jefferson County CEO Students Showcase Businesses  

Publication: Mount Vernon Sentinel 

Author: Josh Jones

There is plethora of young talent in Jefferson County and several of those students have decided to showcase their own talents through the virtual Jefferson County CEO Tade Show. 

Emily Sinnett is a senior Mount Vernon Township High School and she explained her business. 

“My business is named Hush Publications. I am doing an online and print magazine. The print focuses on young individuals in our area doing creative/business things, just making moves that high school and college students wouldn’t usually,” Sinnett said. “The online focuses on some of the same things but it also ties in regular fashion and lifestyle aspects.” 

Sinnett said her inspiration came from a show called “The Bold Type” and she just fell in love with the magazine and publication process. 

“I have always been a creative design type person and I knew it would kind of tie all my interests together really well,” Sinnett said. 

Her mentor is Kay Zibby-Damron, who has been a big help, she said. 

Sinnett said that she wants to showcase really young and driven individuals in the community. 

“The CEO program has probably been one of the most influential things I have done in high school, we are actually out doing things.”  Sinnett said. “I got to run two whole events and that was probably the most fun I have had my entire life.” 

Reagan Newell is senior at Waltonville High School. He said his plan is to sell his honey and beeswax under his business called The Bee Merchant. “I am a beekeeper and I have been keeping bees for the past two years. Last year I harvested my honey and some beeswax and I decided for the spring semester in 2020, I would be able to base my business around that, because I already have so much experience and I already have a passion for keeping bees,” Newell said. 

Newell said that he is selling a high quality natural product with nothing cut into it. He said he has always enjoyed keeping beers and sees himself continuing his interest beyond CEO. 

Newell’s said that his mentor, Dan Knox, has been great for business advice during the program. He said that the CEO has been a blessing. 

“It is something interesting, something where I can be competitive and really push myself to do things where I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do under my own power,” Newell said. 

“It has really been a way for me to enhance my networking skills and the network I already have.” 

Jacob Frick is a senior at Waltonville High School and his business is called Neck Flare and is focused on bringing interesting and wacky neck ties to the community. 

“It is a tie company. I see folks walking around all the time with boring ties and I just want to change that,” Frick said. “Because whenever I see really crazy, wacky interesting looking tie on somebody I think I want to be like that guy. I want to give people the opportunity to express themselves with a flashy, ridiculous neck tie. We are taking neck wear to the next level.” 

Frick said that he comes up with design concepts while a friend draws them. He said his hope is to continue the business after the CEO program. Frick said once the business gets off the ground he wants to donate a portion of his proceeds to the St. Louis Children’s Hospital, which helped him when he battled cancer. 

“Those doctors, they are great up there and in six months I was pretty much cleared up,” Frick said. 

Frick said that his mentor, Larry Lyday, has been a big help during the program and he commented on the CEO program as a whole. 

“CEO is a really cool opportunity, I am super proud I get to be a part of this program,” Frick said.