For Ted Petersen, every piece of life is based in fundamentals.

This concept is what he stressed upon the audience at the Kankakee County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership and Lunch on Thursday at Olivet Nazarene University.

The Momence native and Momence High School graduate — who would continue onto Eastern Illinois University and eventually the National Football League — said that, just as on a football team, it’s important for an organization to have character, not characters.

“I don’t know what business you guys are in, but I do know that there’s fundamentals to everything in life,” Petersen said. “… Fundamental truths that if you study them and apply them, you will be blessed — your business will prosper.”

Petersen, who lives in Momence and is the corporate community liaison for Van Drunen Farms, shared stories of his days on the field — both as a player and a coach.

While attending EIU to study physical education, he served as co-captain of the Panthers football team and was selected First Team Associated Press All American.

In 1977, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round and played offensive tackle for the Steelers from 1977-1984, including wins in Super Bowl XIII and XIV.

He’d spend the next two seasons with the Cleveland Browns and the Indianapolis Colts and finished his career back with the Steelers in 1987.

With the Steelers, on a team with 10 Hall of Fame players and one Hall of Fame coach, Petersen was “just glad to be there.”

After his career in the NFL, he would go on to become a football coach and a physical education teacher, where he would teach students and athletes that “you can work to win.”

This is a concept, he said, that businesses and organizations can live by, too, which aligns with how chamber president Kelsey Post described the event in her initial remarks: “It’s networking, learning and growth within our communities.”

Post also spoke about the chamber’s goal of developing a new strategic plan and part of that goal is to gather input from area businesses.

She encouraged those in attendance and those involved in the county’s business community to take part in a strategic plan survey. The chamber is also gearing up for its annual Chamber Classic Golf Outing on Aug. 2 at Kankakee Elks Country Club.

For more information on both the survey and the golf outing, go to <a href="https://www.kankakeecountychamber.com" target="_blank">kankakeecountychamber.com</a>.