Keynote Speakers
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John FoleyFormer Lead Solo Pilot – Blue Angels John Foley has spent nearly a decade sharing practical and inspirational messages on High Performance with audiences around the world. The former lead solo pilot for the famed Blue Angels flight-demonstration squadron is among the most sought after conference speakers, presenting keynote messages at more than 100 events a year. He is the founder and CEO of CenterPoint Companies, which provides in-depth training on the How of High Performance. And he is the founder of the Glad To Be Here® Foundation, which administers a giving-forward program that partners with clients to make donations to worthy charities. |
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Josh LinknerCEO and Managing Partner – Detroit Venture Partners Josh Linkner is on a mission to make the world more creative. His book, Disciplined Dreaming: A Proven System to Drive Breakthrough Creativity, was named one of the top 10 business books of 2011. In addition, Josh is actively rebuilding urban areas through technology and entrepreneurship. He has been honored as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, the Detroit News Michiganian of the Year and a President Barack Obama Champion of Change. Josh is also a Berkley-trained professional jazz guitarist performing regularly in jazz clubs throughout the United States. |
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Mark CarsonPresident & Co-founder – Fat Brain Toys Mark Carson is the President and Co-founder of Fat Brain Toys, a Nebraska-based, multi-channel toy company. A self-taught designer, web developer and marketer, Mark – with his wife Karen – has built Fat Brain Toys into one of the nation’s largest independent toy retailers. Mark has served as CTO for NetShops and was involved in the web development for GiftCertificates.com. In 2011, Fat Brain Toys was named to the Hot 100 list by Internet Retailer Magazine and was nominated for Toy of the Year by the Toy Industry Association. |
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Alexander BlassPresident & CEO – Alexander Blass International Wharton- and Oxford-educated, Alexander Blass is an internationally acclaimed American entrepreneur and innovator. He is the grand prize winner of the Daily Record’s Top Innovator of the Year Award, which credited him with “revolutionizing charitable giving” in 2007 for inventing person-to-person giving technology on the Internet. He presently serves as CEO of Alexander Blass International, an executive consulting and training firm. Previously, Alexander was a venture capitalist, strategy consultant, senior government executive and software developer. A proud first-generation American, Alexander is the son of a Holocaust survivor who instilled in him the sanctity of life and importance of making a difference in the world. |
