GULF SHORES, AL - Students from the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) at Gulf Shores High School were introduced to six local CEO's at a roundtable forum held at Columbia Southern University on  Jan. 21

The CEO's joining the students were Dr. Jason Dyken from Dyken Wealth Management Strategies;  Mr. Geoff Gaberino from Gulf Shores Vacation Rentals; Mrs. Sheila Hodges from SH Enterprises; Mr. David Lee from New Kent Consulting; Mr. Robert Mayes from Columbia Southern University; and Dr. E. Gaylon McCollough from The McCollough Institute.

All of the CEOs volunteering their one-on-one time with the students discussed their roles, companies, backgrounds, and offered helpful business and networking advice to the students. The CEOs also shared how they got their start in business to the next generation of CEOs.

The students would like to thank the CEO's for their valuable time and insights. They would also like to  thank Columbia Southern University for providing an exceptional venue for the event.

As part of the YEA! program, students are introduced to all facets of the business world including, but not limited to, advertising, insurance agents, graphic designers and web developers.

During the course of the nine-month program, more than 20 local businesses become involved with YEA! at various levels. Students work in close cooperation with local business leaders, community leaders and educators who use their personal experiences to demonstrate how to transform their ideas into tangible enterprises that create economic and social value for a better world.

ABOUT YEA

The Coastal Alabama Business Chamber's Gulf Shores High School Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a groundbreaking and exciting year long class that transforms high  school students into real, confident entrepreneurs. Throughout the class, students develop business ideas, write business plans, conduct market research, pitch their plans to a panel of investors, and actually launch and run their own real, legal, fully formed companies and social movements. Founded in 2004 at the University of Rochester with support from the Kauffman Foundation, the Young Entrepreneurs Academy today serves thousands of students in communities across America. For more information about the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, please visit www.yeausa.org