Seven members of the Tyrone Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter attended the Regional Leadership Conference (RLC) on January 9, 2026, at South Hills Business School in State College.
The event brought together student leaders from across the region to compete in business-related events, attend workshops, and hear from inspiring guest speakers.
Several Tyrone students competed in their events, while others automatically advanced to the State Leadership Conference (SLC), which will be held in April in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Having seven students qualify for the State Leadership Conference is an impressive accomplishment for the chapter.
The students who attended were Tyke Beck, Paige Carper, Piper Myers, Carlie Nowlin, Aubrey Biter, Jackson Murphy, and Caydence Dickson.
At the regional level, the top three students in objective testing events and the top two in presentation events earn the chance to compete at states.
First-year member and junior Aubrey Biter expressed excitement about her success at regionals.
“It was awesome to be able to go to regionals as a first-year member. Placing second and being able to move on to the state level was something I didn’t expect, but it feels amazing. I am so glad for this opportunity,” said Biter.
The FBLA program provides students with opportunities to develop their leadership, communication, and networking skills while gaining real-world experience in business and marketing.
In addition to competitions, members heard from keynote speakers who shared advice on building successful careers and adapting to an evolving business world.
One of the featured speakers, Jack Zerby, discussed the growing influence of artificial intelligence and how innovation can be used to improve lives and speed up business development. He also emphasized the importance of networking and building meaningful professional connections.
Junior Jackson Murphy appreciated the energy and insight from the presentation.
“Mr. Zerby was super inspirational because he showed us an opportunity to take that could lead to a lot of success in the future,” said Murphy.
Another speaker, William Gendron, focused on the power of personal branding. He explained how anyone can craft a personal brand that reflects their goals and values and how that brand can evolve as new opportunities arise.
Overall, the conference offered Tyrone FBLA members an inspiring and educational experience as they prepare to showcase their skills on the state stage this spring.
