Vol. 41, No. 30
April 12, 2007
CONTACT: JIM MORRIS |
Missouri FBLA: Second-largest and still growing
Missouri Business Student Conference
Reflects Changes in Business World
Nearly 2,700 Missouri high school students and teachers will assemble next week in Columbia, April 15-17, for the 48th Annual Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference. The conference begins Sunday afternoon at the Holiday Inn Select.
The conference theme is “Missouri FBLA: Success Is Our business.” It features more than 40 business-related events for students to test their skills in statewide competition. FBLA is a national organization for high school students preparing for careers in business and related fields.
To reflect changes in the business world and to encourage students to develop skills in emerging areas, new competitive event categories this year include e-business and digital video production.
“This is an exciting time for Missouri FBLA members,” said Leslie Kerns, new interim director of business, marketing, and cooperative education for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
“Missouri has been the second-largest state FBLA chapter in the nation for the past three years,” she said, noting the steady growth and interest in business education across the state.
Missouri FBLA now has a record number of 15,442 student members. For the third consecutive year, Missouri has earned an award for being the second-largest state chapter in the nation. Georgia has the largest FBLA membership.
Missouri FBLA has grown to include 403 chapters in high schools across the state, 20 of which were established during the current school year.
Competitive events at this year’s conference include: job interview, Web site development, global business, entrepreneurship, parliamentary procedure, public and impromptu speaking, economics, accounting, business communications and computer applications.
Students who are the top qualifiers in written, interview, performance and skill events will compete at the FBLA National Leadership conference in Chicago, June 28-July 1.
An executive of an international insurance and financial services organization will be one of the featured speakers at the conference. Missouri native David L. Herzog is the senior vice president, comptroller and chief accounting officer of American International Group, also known as AIG. He was involved in Missouri FBLA when he was in high school in the Affton School District (St. Louis County).
Eddie Slowikowski, a motivational speaker from Darien, Ill., will be the keynote speaker for the first general session Monday evening. Newly elected 2007-08 state officers will be installed Tuesday morning followed by the annual awards ceremony.
Missouri FBLA members are active in community service projects. This year, the chapters raised funds for the March of Dimes and Camp Quality, a non-profit organization that provides camping and outdoor activities for children with cancer.
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For more information, contact: Leslie Kerns, State FBLA Advisor, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (573-751-3926). At the conference site, contact 573-445-8531.