What do you stand for? And let’s be clear here. The question isn’t: What would you like to stand for? What do you actually stand for? What do you represent? Or to ask it more bluntly: when you die, what will people remember you for? For twenty years now, Brad Meltzer has written best-selling thriller novels. And non-fiction. And comics books. And starred and produced his own TV shows. Indeed, it is tough to find anyone being so successful in so many different mediums of the popular culture. But why does Brad Meltzer thrive in all these different professions? Yes, it’s because he puts out quality (President Bill Clinton was one of his earliest fans). And yes, it’s because he fills his books with incredible research (President George HW Bush recently told USA Today, “All of Brad’s books are a fascinating read. He is a master storyteller who keeps all of us on the edge of our seats.”) But still, of all the fiction authors out there, why did the HISTORY Channel decide to give Meltzer a TV show—and why do nearly two million viewers tune in for each show—making him one of America’s most accessible historians? Because people know EXACTLY what Brad Meltzer stands for. “I believe ordinary people change the world,” Meltzer says. And that is Brad Meltzer’s core belief. He doesn’t care where you went to school. Or how much money you make. That’s nonsense to him. Brad Meltzer believes in regular people and their ability to effect change in this world. And it is that core belief that runs through every one of his projects.

Mike Abrashoff is at the center of a tale of amazing organizational transformation. He took command of the near-worst ship in the Pacific Fleet; within twelve months it became the best ship in the entire Navy – using the same crew. How underperformers turned into overachievers makes for an inspiring presentation filled with practical lessons about learning to lead differently and new ways to create a high-performance culture of trust.

A best-selling author on generations and global aging, Neil Howe explains how falling birthrates and rising life spans will cause the world's population to grow older in the next 30 years. He illustrates how this phenomenon will affect business, especially in the workplace and in their communications with consumers.

Hamish Taylor has an award winning record of driving innovation and change in a number of very different environments and is one of the world’s leading experts in Innovation/Change, Customer Focus/Brand Management and Performance. He was trained in brand management at Procter & Gamble, became head of Brands at British Airways, before becoming CEO of Eurostar and CEO of Sainsbury's Bank. In each case, he left behind a record of significant growth/turnarround triggered by a willingness to challenge industry/organisation norms and place the customer at the core of all activities.

A passionate, humorous, and tireless motivator and speaker, Guber has dedicated himself to coaching current and future leaders about the importance of telling purposeful stories to propel their business success. Peter Guber is among the most successful executives and entrepreneurs in the entertainment and communications industries. Peter Guber is Chairman and CEO of the multimedia Mandalay Entertainment Group. Prior to Mandalay, Guber was Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Chairman and CEO of Polygram Entertainment, Co-Founder of Casablanca Record & Filmworks and President of Columbia Pictures. Guber produced or executive produced (personally or through his companies) films that garnered five Best Picture Academy Award nominations (winning for Rain Man) and box office hits that include The Color Purple, Midnight Express, Batman, Flashdance, and The Kids Are All Right.

Ambassador Ken Adelman is the former arms control director for President Ronald Reagan and the author of Reagan at Reykjavik: Forty-Eight Hours that Ended the Cold War. He offers a dramatic, first-hand look into the president’s character and leadership, showing executives what they can learn from the president during one of his finest and most challenging moments. With its cliffhanger plot, powerful personalities, and sweeping significance, this summit was the key turning point in the Cold War, and Adelman is a superb storyteller as he provides an honest and up-close portrait of Reagan.

Jessica Cox has famously eliminated the words “I can’t” from her vocabulary. Despite being born without arms due to a birth defect, she has never allowed that to be a limiting factor. While Jessica suffered from self-esteem issues and physical challenges, she managed to overcome and achieve by graduating from college, learning to swim, drive a car, surf, scuba dive, and fly an airplane, becoming a Tae Kwon-Do State Champion, and living independently using her feet in ways others who take their hands for granted can only imagine. Jessica holds the title of the first person without arms to get a black belt in ATA Martial Arts and the Guinness World Record for the first pilot to fly with her feet. Her keynote speech focuses on turning “impossible” into “accomplishment.” As a person who has never viewed herself as a victim of her condition, Jessica shares humorous stories of struggles and success living in a “two-handed” world. She provides critical insight on how best to approach a challenge, redefining the concept of innovative thinking. She helps people reconnect with their own inner strengths and aptitudes.

As a best-selling author, business change agent and marketing expert, Jeffrey Hayzlett led the turnaround of one of the most iconic brands in the world as the Chief Marketing Officer of Kodak with some of the most innovative approaches to marketing. Mr. Hayzlett is the author of the best-selling book “The Mirror Test”, named to Inc. Magazine’s 2010 Best Business Books list, and speaks frequently around the world on business growth, communications, and marketing.

Dr. Benn Steil is senior fellow and director of international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. He is also the founding editor of International Finance, a scholarly economics journal, the lead writer of the Council’s Geo-Graphics economics blog, and creator of three web-based interactives tracking Sovereign Risk, Global Monetary Policy, and Central Bank Currency Swaps. Dr. Steil has written and spoken widely on international finance, monetary policy, financial markets, and economic and diplomatic history. He is also the author of the critically-acclaimed book, The Marshall Plan: Dawn of the Cold War, as well as the previous book, The Battle of Bretton Woods: John Maynard Keynes, Harry Dexter White, and the Making of a New World Order.

Victoria was 11 years old when she came down with a rare viral disease, Transverse Myelitis, with which she battled for five years including four years in a vegetative coma. The disease left her without the use of her legs for nearly a decade. A lifelong swimmer and athlete, Victoria never gave up her childhood dream of competing in the Olympics Games. In June of 2010 she returned to the pool for the first time since her illness and in the spring of 2012 she qualified for the London Paralympic Games in four events. There she won a Gold Medal, and three Silver Medals. Despite missing five years of school during her illness, Victoria graduated on-time with her triplet brothers, from Exeter High School (New Hampshire) in June of 2013. Victoria is now an on-air TV personality with ESPN reporting for numerous programs including X-Games, Invictus Games, The ESPY Awards, espnW, Frozen Four, Special Olympics World Games and Sportscenter.

Lonnie Mayne is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, author and executive performance advisor to many of the top brands and most influential leaders in business and community today. He is a former technology and turnaround executive who has developed and advanced the concept of Red Shoes Living into one of the most innovative themes of our times.