Harper Hams owner Brian Harper gave students a tour of country ham factory.

This week the Hickman County Leadership Class did a lot of fun things learning about business in Hickman County. We couldn't believe how much a business needs to be successful.

Our first stop was Peerless Premier Appliance Company. Peerless has been manufacturing the stoves in Clinton since 2004. They sell stoves to many businesses- Lowes, for example. Some stoves work on natural gas. Some are electric. Some have a battery starter for when the power goes out. They come in different sizes and colors.

It is a long process to make a stove. There are hundreds of steps from beginning of the assembly line to putting the stove in a box and getting it ready to put on a truck.

Our second stop was Harpers Hams. When we arrived we were greeted right away by Mr. Brian Harper, the owner. He had a smile the whole time. He had a great presentation ready for us. Then he gave us some protective clothes. We toured the facility and learned a lot of things about making country ham.

Our final stop was First Community Bank. We heard from loan officer, Greg Gunter, about keeping good credit scores, how to take out loans and set up checking and savings accounts. Mr. Gunther warned us about scams and identity theft.

There will most likely never be any other time in our lives we could see all the amazing things or experiences that leadership helps us see and learn. Some students are interested in running their own business and this day gave them a start on learning how to do it.