I was at the donor open house for the Community Education Building’s (CEB) new Youth Development Center (YDC) in Wilmington.
After more than a decade of supporting CEB, seeing the YDC finished — 40,000 sq ft of gymnasium, theater, early learning, and workforce space — was something.
The CEB, which started as a repurposed bank building, now serves 1,500+ students K through college. The YDC extends that reach into after-school programs, early childhood, and the broader neighborhood.
The room was full of business leaders who’ve made this a priority alongside running their companies. That’s not charity. That’s leadership.
As a Vistage Chair, I get to work with CEOs and executives who think this way — people who take the long view on their businesses and their communities.

