DECA’s Emerging Leader Series

Daniel Francis founded Missouri-based mail presort company St. Louis Presort, Inc. in 1991. Through his mail presort company Mr. Francis has received a number of awards, including the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. As an established businessman and entrepreneur, Daniel Francis has had many speaking engagements at the Distributive Education Clubs of America.

Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is a youth organization for Canadian and American college and high school students interested in marketing, business, and entrepreneurship. DECA was established in 1946. Since then, the organization has impacted over ten million students. DECA uses a variety of programs at both college and high school levels to encourage and groom students for business. Among its many high school programs is the Emerging Leader Series.

DECA holds the development of emerging leaders very highly. Hence the organization's Emerging Leader Series provides an extensive leadership program for its members. It grooms members to occupy leadership positions in college and, ultimately, their chosen careers. The series is also aligned with 21st-century skills of communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, innovation, and creativity.

Crownland Investments LLC - Property

An accomplished entrepreneur, Daniel Francis has founded numerous businesses in Missouri. As a business owner, he takes on responsibilities such as hiring, marketing, promotion sales, business growth, and development. In 2009, Daniel Francis founded Crownland Investments, LLC, in Missouri.

Initially, the company started investing in property following the 2008-2009 economic crash but has since expanded to other investments. One such investment is overstocked agriculture equipment, which the company buys and sells to those who need it. The company has also purchased agricultural products, supporting people who can’t afford - or don't want - to buy in bulk. For instance, the company will buy an entire field of hay and sell to those who only need a few bales.

Crownland Investments diversity of investments has played a great role in its continued growth. It is thriving even through the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, the company continues to broker and barter business between companies that have had a hard time during the pandemic.

Tips for High-Altitude Hiking

Businessman Daniel Francis has owned and operated a number of companies in Colorado and Missouri. In addition to his entrepreneurship in Missouri and at home in Denver, Daniel Francis enjoys hiking in his spare time.

Hiking can be a leisurely walk through the woods or a strenuous physical activity, depending on the terrain and the person. Some of the tallest peaks in the United States are in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Known as “fourteeners,” there are 58 peaks in Colorado with a top elevation above 14,000 feet. This altitude level can take a toll on even the most experienced hikers without the right preparation.

For a high-altitude hike, it is best to hydrate the night before, the morning of, and during the hike. High-altitude air contains less oxygen, which causes rapid breathing and moisture loss. Another tip is to pack and wear multiple layers of clothing. Temperatures on a fourteener can range from 30-80 degrees Fahrenheit, especially if starting in the cool weather of the early morning and hiking through the middle of the day.

Deca Provide Real World Application

An entrepreneur from St. Louis, Missouri, Daniel Francis has founded and owned several ventures over the course of his nearly 30-year career. Outside his role at Crownland Investments, also based in Missouri, Daniel Francis was a member of DECA, or Distributive Education Clubs of America, an organization that prepares high school and college students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management.

Among the group’s many activities, DECA builds partnerships with businesses and organizations to carry out its mission of making business interesting to students. The organizations that comprise these partnerships come from all areas of business, as well as associations, colleges, universities, and foundations.

The organizations that partner with DECA form the National Advisory Board (NAB). Together with this board, DECA is able to enhance the work done in the classroom by integrating real-world experiences into the curriculum. At the same time, the NAB is able to reach out to 5,800 classrooms and close to 225,000 high school and college students studying in one of the above fields. Cornell University, George Mason University, Hilton, Marriott International, National Geographic, and many other high profile organizations have partnered with DECA.