[vendtalk] BLAST announces the empowering, passionate message of Mike Hingson, now to speak at BLAST 09.

[Kevan Worley]

When blind vendors, blind business owners, and state rehab agency personnel
ponder the difficult question about financing the continuing education
conference in Indianapolis, April 1-4, consider that last week we added the
prestigious training from the Catamount Institute. The week before we added
training from Sam's/Wal-Mart. The month before, education on the Disney Way.

 

Now we are proud to announce the addition of Mike Hingson to our stellar
lineup of educators and motivators you will find only at the most reasonably
priced training experience in the nation. 

 

As was the case with many Americans, Michael Hingson's life changed
dramatically on September 11, 2001. He and his Guide Dog "Roselle" were
among those working in the World Trade Center that day, experiencing the
terrorist attacks first hand. Through a remarkable demonstration of trust
and teamwork, Michael and Roselle escaped from the 78th floor of Tower One
moments before it collapsed.  

 

As a World Trade Center survivor and Guide Dog user, Michael was thrust into
the International limelight.  He and Roselle have since become well-known
representatives of the strength of the human/animal bond, as well as the
life-affirming power of trust and teamwork highlighted in many media
interviews and public presentations.

 

As an internationally acclaimed public speaker, Michael has traveled the
world speaking on topics such as Trust and Teamwork, Turning the Tables on
Terrorism and Developing One's Personal Inner Strength and Heroism to
overcome whatever challenges we face. Michael's blindness, business savvy,
and well researched understandings of Randolph-Sheppard will make him a
natural to help us face our future with commitment, trust and sacrifice. He
will be speaking on the topic "Turning Randolph-Sheppard Right Side Up". His
story will give us all courage to face change. You will be on the edge of
your seat.

 

Having traveled with Guide Dogs for 44 years, Michael embodies the lifelong
partnerships created by Guide Dogs for the Blind and those they serve, and
is uniquely qualified to speak about overcoming challenges.

 

Prior to forming The Michael Hingson Group, Michael's career spanned nearly
30 years in senior sales and management for high tech, innovative companies.
Most recently, Michael worked as the National Public Affairs Director for
Guide Dogs for the Blind, promoting the human-animal bond and teaching
audiences how to achieve personal success in a changing and diverse world. 

 

An Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, Michael earned his master's
degree in physics from the University of California at Irvine and is a
lifetime member of the Physics Honors Society, Sigma Pi Sigma.  Michael is
an authority on Assistive Technology and an advocate for empowering peoples
with varying abilities.  He teaches organizations how to move from a
corporate culture of "diversity" to "inclusion" which draws upon our
strengths rather than our differences. 

 

He was recently named one of the top 10 educational speakers in the United
States by the Innovators Speakers Network.

 

In November 2008, Michael was appointed a National Ambassador for the
Braille Literacy Campaign of the National Federation of the Blind.

 

Michael and his wife Karen live in the San Francisco Bay Area with three
yellow Labs: hero dog "Roselle" now retired, Africa his seventh guide dog,
Africa's mother Fantasia (a breeder dog for Guide Dogs for the Blind) and
Sherlock - the only feline in the pack. 

 

Register now! Don't miss another extraordinary BLAST! Call 866-543-6808 or
<http://www.blindmerchants.org/> www.blindmerchants.org. 

 

 

At Your Service, 

Kevan Worley

President

National Association of Blind Merchants

(866) 543-6808