Chloe Quinn

The Marian chapter of Future Business Leaders of America club, monitored by Mr. Craig Panning, offers members the opportunity to set their futures up for success. 

Panning said, “FBLA is one of the largest student-run organizations in the United States.” It focuses on business education and providing members the opportunity to be involved in their community. 

Fourteen members, and Panning, traveled to Kearney, Nebraska to compete in the State FBLA competition on April 11-13. Members were to complete objective tests or have their projects judged by the FBLA state judges. Marian’s members competed with others from across Nebraska. 

Panning’s hopes for the members competing at State were not only to do well at the competition, but to learn from the opportunities provided. “Contrary to popular belief, it’s not all about the competition,” Panning said. 

There were incredible networking opportunities for Marian girls to communicate with colleges and businesses. Members saw how FBLA set up past members for success in their careers. 

Panning recognizes the importance of FBLA in someone’s life because “even if you’re not going into a business profession, a lot of the skills that you learn can apply to any job,” he said.  

He works to maximize the skills FBLA gives its members, so they can apply it anywhere outside of the club. 

These values include “leadership skills, problem solving skills and hard work which are all things that can be utilized anywhere.”

As Panning works to instill business skills in members, he provides philanthropic and environmental opportunities to the Marian chapter. This year, FBLA has put on the breakfast food drive and volunteered at the Christian Outreach Program of Elkhorn and the Open Door Mission of Omaha. 

In the coming years, Panning’s goals are to set up more job shadows, business speakers, and business tours, and to see the continued growth of Marian’s coffee shop, the Blue Brew. 

Panning’s personal favorite part of FBLA is “seeing the members develop over time. It’s always fun seeing somebody as an underclassman develop their skills through their senior year.”