Event honors 20 under 40, features Mattoon pro motorcycle racer

However, the 2021 Mattoon High School graduate surrounds himself off the track with a support network of family and friends as he continues a prize-winning career with Extension Racing that he started at age 15.

"I think what allows me to do that is having good people around me," Daniels said during a speech at the 2024 Community Leaders Breakfast on Thursday. "Your inner circle is everything. The people who are around you, those people can help you when you are down or by giving a piece of advice."

One of the missions of the breakfast, which marked its 20th anniversary this year, is to use its accompanying 20 under 40 program to spotlight the community's support network of young leaders who have excelled in their careers and in volunteer service.

The Community Leaders Breakfast and 20 Under 40 were revived in 2023 by the students in the Coles County ClassE entrepreneurship course. These students look to each year's group of honorees as mentors in the community.

"They make a difference in the community. They get involved and say 'yes' when asked to help with a cause," said ClassE student Isabella Smith, a senior at Mattoon High School. "They are leading by example."

The 2024 honorees are Mahmoud Al-Odeh, Jessi Bergfeld, Heather Heicher, Kasey Considine, Karen Cook-Foster, Mike Cook, Gunner Davis, Coleman Engelkes, Cody Gass, Alex Gowin, Miles Clapp, Tyler Heleine, Anna Hemrich, Kendra Jerdan, Jacob Johnson, Amber May, Megan McElwee, Blake Pierce, Chantel Thompson, Michelle Wilson, and Aaron Zumbahlen.

During the breakfast on Thursday in the Apostolic Center, ClassE also presented surprise awards to three community members for their support of this entrepreneurship course.

Awards went to Gilbert, Metzger & Madigan partner CPA Joyce Madigan for being on the ClassE board since its inception and to Lake Land College Math & Science/Geography/Earth Science Division Chair Mike Rudibaugh for helping the students with geographic information systems.

The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Eastern Illinois University's director, Amy Patrick was honored for her work with ClassE. This class and the SBDC are based in Elevate at the Cross County Mall. The 2024 ClassE Trade Show featuring student businesses is set for 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, at the mall.

Flat track racer Daniels praised the students' entrepreneurial spirt. He said sponsorships of many businesses, including some as big as Monster Energy, make it possible for him to race. Sponsor logos covered much of the helmet and protective jump suit that he displayed at the breakfast.

"It is kind of like you are a moving, racing billboard for a lot of these companies," Daniels said.

Asked about his advice for the ClassE students, Daniels said "first impressions are everything." The Mattoon native said he has gotten sponsorships by trying to always be respectful to those he meets during his travels to races throughout the country. 

"You never know when the next person you meet might want to help you or your future business," Daniels said. "Always give people the time of day and always make sure to stop and shake their hands and introduce yourself, because for me it might be my next sponsors, but for you it might be the next investors in your company."