Riedel Foundation grant to support Hannibal Area CEO program - hannibal

Riedel Foundation grant to support Hannibal Area CEO program

Published 3:48 pm Tuesday, September 22, 2026

HANNIBAL — A $5,000 grant from the Riedel Foundation will help strengthen the Hannibal Area CEO program, an entrepreneurship initiative for high school seniors run through the Hannibal Area Career and Technical Center.

The program immerses students in the local business environment, giving them hands-on experience with area businesses, leadership opportunities, and the chance to launch their own ventures. Participants meet off campus each school day from 7:30 to 9 a.m., dress in business-casual attire, and work directly with business owners and community leaders.

The program’s facilitator is Kendel Locke, a 2022 graduate of Hannibal High School who owns Hula Bowls restaurants in Hannibal, Webster Groves, and Quincy, Illinois, as well as 30Hot Studio, a heated fitness studio in Quincy.

“The CEO program helps students discover the assets of our community and understand the opportunities available to them, whether they choose to stay in Hannibal or return after college,” Locke said. “They learn to communicate professionally, network confidently, and think like entrepreneurs.”

Riedel Foundation Administrator Sarah Deien recently met with the class and led a walking tour of downtown Hannibal, sharing the city’s history, the role tourism plays in its economy, and the value of community involvement.

“The CEO program fits the mission of the Riedel Foundation,” Deien said. “By supporting the class, we are investing in our youth, helping establish the next generation of business leaders and promoting the importance of giving back to the community.”

Each year, students visit more than 40 local businesses and interact with more than 50 professionals, gaining firsthand exposure to problem-solving, goal-setting, and the skills needed to succeed in business. Throughout the year, students also develop group and individual business ventures, which they present to the community at a public trade show.

Now in its fourth year, the program currently serves five students from Hannibal Public Schools. Organizers said funding from the Riedel Foundation, along with community donations, is helping stabilize and grow the program as it becomes more established.