As a cutting-edge entrepreneur, best-selling author, and dynamic speaker, Dr. John C. Maxwell has cultivated an extensive following among the most highly respected and influential business leaders across the globe. Reaching more than 350,000 people a year through speaking engagements alone, and over a million through resources, Dr. Maxwell is committed to developing leaders of excellence and integrity by providing the finest resources and training for personal and professional growth.

His philosophy that “everything rises and falls on leadership” motivates every endeavor to help individuals reach their highest potential, both in the home office and abroad through conferences, books, and audio and video resources. His passion has quickly caught on, and he has communicated his leadership principles to Fortune 500 companies, the United States Military Academy at West Point, and sports organizations such as the NCAA, the NBA, and the NFL. 

Author of more than 30 books with more than 7 million copies sold, he works diligently to make leadership tools easily accessible and convenient for the busy business leader. Both a Time Warner and Thomas Nelson author, some of Maxwell's hottest titles include Thinking for a Change, Running With the Giants, Leadership 101, Attitude 101, The 21 Most Powerful Minutes in a Leader's Day, Failing Forward: Turning Your Failures into Stepping Stones for Success, The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, and The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Many of his titles have landed on the best-seller list in noted publications such as the New York Times, BusinessWeek, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and CBA Marketplace. His book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership surpassed the 1,000,000 shipped/sold mark early in 2003.

He resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Margaret.

Marcus Buckingham is a best-selling author and expert on outstanding leadership and management practices. During his 17 years with The Gallup Organization, Marcus Buckingham helped lead their research into the world’s best managers, leaders and workplaces.

Buckingham has taken his broad experience in management practices and employee retention and put it into two best-selling books: First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Best Managers Do Differently (Simon and Schuster) and Now, Discover Your Strengths (The Free Press). His new book, The One Thing You Need To Know (The Free Press) is due out in March 2005.

Buckingham’s presentations take the key points of these books, combined with plenty of great examples from a wide variety of organizations, to show audiences how they can learn from the world’s best managers and leaders.

A wonderful resource for leaders, managers, and educators, Buckingham challenges conventional wisdom and shows the link between engaged employees and productivity, profit, customer satisfaction, and the rate of turnover. Buckingham graduated from Cambridge University in 1987 with a master’s degree in Social and Political Science.  

Winning seasons, superb graduation rates, and a basketball team that is as close as family are all attributes that reflect on the Hall of Fame head coach of the Duke Blue Devils, Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K recently completed his 24 th season at the helm of the program he has guided to three national championships and 10 Final Four appearances in the last 19 years, including five straight appearances from 1988-1992.

Krzyzewski's record as Duke's all-time winningest coach offers ample evidence of his success: 621 total wins, 202 weeks ranked in the top 10, 78 weeks ranked No. 1, 19 seasons with 20+ wins in the past 21 years, and an NCAA-record eight 30-win seasons. Coach K is one of only four coaches in NCAA history to earn three or more NCAA titles and is the winningest active coach in NCAA Tournament play with a stunning 64-17 record. His 64 tournament wins rank second all-time in NCAA history.

Coach K's amazing accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. In all, Coach K has been named the National Coach of the Year 12 times, in eight different seasons. He was named Coach of the Decade for the 1990's by the NABC and was the second recipient of the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award.

Off the court, Coach K is active in several organizations and has written three books, including the New York Times best-seller Leading with the Heart.

* via video conference  

Patrick Lencioni is the founder and president of The Table Group, Inc., a specialized management-consulting firm focused on organizational health. Since establishing the firm in 1997, Pat has become one of the nations leading experts on executive team development.

Pat has a passion for organizations and teams, which he shares through his writing, speaking and consulting. He is the author of four business fiction books including The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, which has been featured on The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-seller lists . Pat's latest book, Death by Meeting , is following suit with appearances on both the USA Today and BusinessWeek lists. His earlier books include The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive and The Five Temptations of a CEO. Pat's work has been featured in numerous publications such as Fast Company, Inc, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Drucker Foundation's Leader to Leader and The Harvard Business Review.

When Pat's not writing, he is interacting with consulting clients and speaking to large organizations. His time spent out in the field provides an endless source of learning and is critical to the development of his original theories. A partial list of clients include: Visa, Sam's Club, New York Life, Microsoft, Amazon, Young Presidents' Organization, and The U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Prior to founding The Table Group, Pat worked at Bain & Company, Oracle Corporation and Sybase, where he was vice president of organizational development. He also served on the National Board of Directors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America from 2000-2003.

Every revolution has a leader—to awaken the spirit, to champion the cause, to lead the charge! Business visionary, entrepreneur, best-selling author and Chairman of E-Myth Worldwide Michael Gerber has been leading a Small Business Revolution before anyone knew there was one! He called it The E-Myth Revolution, and over the past two decades, he has indelibly touched hundreds of thousands of small business owners throughout the world with his brilliantly insightful, original E-Myth message.

Michael Gerber has taken his methodology and message on the road, addressing business audiences throughout North America, the Pacific Rim, Europe and beyond about how to start their own personal revolution. Since the 1970, he has served as a keynote speaker, telling his compelling story to a variety of corporations, organizations, professional associations, franchises and independent business owners.

His book, The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It, (HarperBusiness), is licensed in 16 languages and has gone into its tenth printing. Selling over a million copies, The E-Myth Revisited has been named one of the top business best sellers.

Michael Gerber's firm, E-Myth Worldwide, brings low-cost, high-impact consulting to the small business owner and is the pioneer in long distance "telecoaching." His vision has expanded to another level with The E-Myth Certification Program for independent consultants. Michael Gerber's efforts, his message—his very life's work has been to empower business owners to gain more freedom, more money, more time, and more life.

Most college football fans will remember the 2003 football season as the year in which Bobby Bowden's 342nd career win made him the all-time winningest coach in Division I-A history.

Bowden's record at Florida State is a gaudy 269-67-4. Eighteen times in 28 years his Seminoles have won 10 or more games in a season. The 2004 Orange Bowl marked the Seminoles' 25th bowl game since his arrival, including a string of 22 in a row and 18 “New Year's Day” trips, and the fifth BCS Bowl game for FSU in the six-year existence of the national championship arrangement. Florida State set an NCAA record as the only school ever to finish among the AP top five for 14 consecutive seasons, and the 2001 Orange Bowl was the Seminoles' third straight national title game and fifth in eight years. No team in college football history can match the run.

He has developed the most consistently successful program in the history of college football. FSU won more games in the decade of the 1990s than any other program.

Sure, Coach Bowden is proud of his two national championships, his place among the all-time greats, and a football program that is the model for the entire country. But he has always pointed to the fact that there are more important things in life. Bowden's faith and family have always been most important to him.

Jackie Freiberg and her husband, Kevin, are authors of a compelling new book called GUTS! Companies that Blow the Doors Off Business-as-Usual. GUTS! follows the Freibergs' award-winning, national best-seller, NUTS! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success. NUTS! has sold over 500,000 copies worldwide.

Jackie inspires audiences to get GUTSY by sharing first-hand business experiences, insights and strategies. Since the publication of GUTS! & NUTS!, Jackie has become a connoisseur and advisor to REALLY COOL companies—nationally admired organizations where people WANT to work and CHOOSE to stay, such as SAS Institute, USAA, Southwest Airlines, Synovus Financial, Ernst & Young, and TD Industries.

Jackie is also co-founder of the Family Business Institute at the University of San Diego where she was one of the creative forces behind the development of practical, research-based educational programs for closely-held family businesses.

She earned a doctorate in educational leadership at the University of San Diego.

Besides juggling the multiple priorities of speaking and consulting, Jackie is the Freiberg family anchor. She is the chief choreographer coordinating the schedules of three very active children—Taylor Grace, Aubrey, and Dylan.

Brian Tracy is one of America's leading authorities on the development of human potential and personal effectiveness. He addresses more than 250,000 men and women each year on the subjects of personal and professional development, including the executives and staff of IBM, Deloitte & Touche, McDonnell Douglas and The Million Dollar Round Table.

Brian is the Chairman of Brian Tracy International, a human resource company based in San Diego, California, with affiliates throughout America and in 31 countries worldwide. Brian has traveled and worked in 90 countries on six continents and speaks four languages.

Brian Tracy has produced more than 300 audio and video learning programs covering the entire spectrum of human and corporate performance. These programs, researched and developed for more than 25 years, are some of the most effective learning tools in the world. He has conducted high-level consulting assignments with several billion-dollar corporations in strategic planning and organizational development.

He is married with four children and lives on a golf course in San Diego.  He is active in community affairs and serves on the board of two non-profit organizations. 

After three years heading up the Georgia Bulldogs program, Mark Richt has made it clear that winning with consistency will be a standard for years to come. In three seasons, his Georgia teams have won two SEC Eastern Division titles, one SEC championship, and his 32-8 record is fifth best in the country since 2001.

Before taking the reins at Georgia, Richt spent 14 seasons as the Quarterbacks' coach at Florida State University. He sent five FSU quarterbacks into the NFL between 1987 and 2000, and coached two Heisman Trophy Winners, Charlie Ward and Chris Weinke. As offensive coordinator, he developed offenses that were among the most prolific in college football history while becoming one of the country's most respected coaches.

During the 2002 season, Richt was a consensus choice for the SEC Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year Award. He is a 1982 graduate of the University of Miami .

Dr. Gary Bradt, a preeminent expert on change and leadership, is a dynamic speaker who inspires audiences worldwide by showing them how to win against all odds. Bradt's dynamic style brings to life all of the tenets of the phenomenal best-seller Who Moved My Cheese?. Clients like IBM, Kodak, FedEx, General Motors, Sam's Club and Walt Disney have asked him to share his unique and penetrating insights into what it takes to succeed in today's rapidly changing business world.

He has spent over 17 years consulting with the nation's senior business leaders, advising them on how to get better results through better leadership. Consulting clients have included Coca Cola, DuPont, Gateway, Abbott Labs and Ernst & Young, among many others.

Dr. Bradt attended The College of William and Mary as an undergraduate before transferring to Duquesne University where he obtained his BA degree in Psychology. He earned his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Hahnemann University.

General Charles C. Krulak is Chief Administrative Officer of MBNA America and a Vice Chairman of MBNA America Bank, N.A.. He is responsible for Mergers and Acquisitions and also oversees Corporate Affairs, Personnel, Compensation and Benefits and Education and Career Development.

Most recently, General Krulak served as CEO of MBNA Europe from January 2000 to April 2004.

Prior to joining MBNA, General Krulak served 35 years in the U.S. Marines Corps where he achieved the position of Commandant. He commanded a platoon and two rifle companies during two tours of duty in Vietnam, and then held a variety of command and staff positions, including Deputy Director of the White House Military Office and Commander of Marine Forces Pacific.

During his military service, General Krulak was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” and two gold stars, the Purple Heart with gold star, the Meritorious Service Medal, and many other decorations and medals.

General Krulak is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and has a master's degree in Labor Relations from George Washington University.

Mark Sanborn's newest book, The Fred Factor, is a Wall Street Journal & Business Week best-seller. Sanborn is known internationally as "the high content speaker who motivates." He presents 90-100 programs every year on leadership, team building, customer service and mastering change. He is President of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea lab dedicated to developing leaders in business and in life.

Mark's client list includes Exxon, Airtouch Cellular, BMW Financial, Mortons of Chicago, New York Life, Price Costco, ServiceMaster, and Hewlett Packard. Presentations magazine featured Mark in 1995 as one of five "Masters of the Microphone." Mark holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation and is one of the youngest speakers ever inducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the exclusive Speakers Roundtable, a group of 20 of the top speakers in the world.

Mark also is the author or coauthor of nine books, including Teambuilt: Making Teamwork Work, Sanborn On Success, Best Practices In Customer Service, and Meditations for the Road Warrior. He has created and appeared in 20 videos and numerous audio training programs. He is a founding professor of MentorU.com, an internet-based knowledge transfer company.

Setting the standard for both elegance and market brand identification, Horst Schulze revolutionized the hotel industry with the visionary rebirth of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

As President and Chief Operating Officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Horst Schulze ushered in a new world of elegance and personal service. A man of rare ability and vision, he created legions of loyal customers by raising the bar for customer service expectations to previously unimagined levels.

Under his direction, The Ritz-Carlton won an unprecedented second Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Schulze himself was named “Corporate Hotelier of the World” by HOTELS magazine and was awarded the Ishikawa Medal for his contributions to the quality movement. In 2002, The International Hotel, Sales and Marketing Association awarded him with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Currently Chairman, President and CEO of The West Paces Hotel Group, Schulze is developing a new standard in luxury hotels and creating an unmatched tier of customer service and loyalty. A charismatic leader and entrepreneur with an intimate understanding of market demands, Schulze knows how to inspire customer-based success—in every industry and at every level.

Herb Baum is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Dial Corporation, which is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dial is a $1.4 billion consumer goods division of Henkel KGAa (located in Dusseldorf, Germany) and markets such well-known brands as Dial soaps, Purex laundry detergents, Renuzit air fresheners and Armour Star canned meats.

Prior to joining Dial in August 2000, Mr. Baum was President and Chief Operating Officer of Hasbro, Inc., with over $4 billion in annual revenues and an impressive blue-chip portfolio of familiar and popular toy/game brand names, and a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys, games, interactive software, puzzles and infant products. From 1993 to 1999, Mr. Baum was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Quaker State Corporation. During his tenure, the company's sales more than doubled and operating earnings grew seven-fold. Under his leadership, Quaker State made eight acquisitions and introduced many innovative consumer products, including the world's first motor oil in a clear plastic bottle.

Prior to being Chairman of Quaker State, Mr. Baum spent 15 years at Campbell Soup Company where he held many positions including Executive Vice President of the Corporation and President of Campbell North and South America. At Campbell, Baum spearheaded the introduction of Prego Spaghetti Sauce, the company's first major new product introduction which today is the nation's second most popular brand. In addition, the company's famous advertising campaign “Soup is Good Food” was launched when he led Campbell's US soup business.

Mr. Baum is a 1958 graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a Finance major.

He is past Chairman of the Boards of: The Advertising Council, the National Food Processing Association, the Association of National Advertisers and the National Hispanic University.

Mr. Baum is a Director of: The Dial Corporation, Action Performance, PepsiAmericas, Meredith Corporation and America West Airlines.

His professional awards include the American Marketing Association's 1992 Charles Coolidge Parlin Award for outstanding contributions to marketing (previously awarded to Michael Porter and Peter Drucker). He also received the AMA's Edison award along with Frank Perdue and (posthumously) Robert Woodruff, the founder of Coca-Cola. Mr. Baum was elected to the Sales and Marketing Executives International Hall of Fame in May 1998.

Gloria Johnson Goins was born and raised in Miami, Florida. In 1985, Mrs. Johnson Goins graduated with honors from Stanford University with a degree in Psychology. Upon her graduation from Stanford, Mrs. Johnson Goins attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School where she served as an Editor of the Law Review. Upon her graduation from law school in 1988, Mrs. Johnson Goins began her career in her hometown of Miami in a private law firm where she represented various corporate and governmental clients on complex commercial litigation matters. In May 2000, Mrs. Johnson Goins received her MBA from Mercer University, where she served as a member of the Dean's Advisory Committee.

In 1992, Mrs. Johnson Goins joined the Legal Department of BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc, which had been one of her private practice clients. After her arrival at BellSouth in 1992, Mrs. Johnson Goins handled matters for BellSouth in a variety of practice areas, including employment and labor law, general litigation, and state and federal regulatory matters. In 1996, Mrs. Johnson Goins co-authored an article on the Family and Medical Leave Act, which was published in the October 1996 issue of the Georgia Bar Journal.

From 1997-2000, Mrs. Johnson Goins was a General Attorney with BellSouth Cellular Corp., where she was the equivalent of a partner in a law firm, and had responsibility for general and employment litigation, real estate matters, and compliance with federal regulatory requirements. Mrs. Johnson Goins was also an active member of the BellSouth Legal Department's Diversity Committee, which works to promote diversity within and outside of BellSouth.

From 2000 to 2002, Mrs. Johnson Goins served as the Vice President of Diversity of Cingular Wireless. Cingular Wireless is the second largest wireless communications company with 40,000 employees throughout the United States. Under Mrs. Johnson Goins’ leadership, Cingular’s diversity organization has received national recognition from Diversity Best Practices, Next Step Magazine, and the Disability Rights Advocates.

Mrs. Johnson Goins is currently the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for The Home Depot with responsibility for creating and implementing company-wide diversity and inclusion initiatives for the world’s second largest retailer. In this role, Mrs. Johnson Goins is charged with leveraging diversity and inclusion to enable The Home Depot to become the Retailer of Choice, Employer of Choice, Neighbor of Choice and Investment of Choice.

Mrs. Johnson Goins is a member of the Florida and Georgia Bars, the National Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Additionally, Mrs. Johnson Goins is very active in numerous professional and civic organizations that include the United Way of America, the NAACP, the Boy Scouts, Leadership Atlanta, the Atlanta Ballet and the Georgia Council on Child Abuse.    

Todd Duncan is the Wall Street Journal, Businessweek and Barnes & Noble best selling author of High Trust Selling and one of America’s most sought after motivational speakers and sales trainers. Audiences praise his authentic, balanced approach to success because he speaks from a platform of triumph and regret. Since overcoming his family’s traumatic car accident, a two-year drug addiction and the financial collapse of his company, Duncan has quickly become a friend and mentor to salespeople around the globe who are seeking to achieve success in the chaotic sales world without sacrificing the things they value most.

From his own experience and with the help of his mentors, Duncan has learned how to preserve his own values amidst the pursuit of a satisfying sales career and create a roadmap toward a balanced, generous and abundant life. He is the chairman of INJOY/Maximum Impact, an international leadership and sales training and personal development company located in Atlanta, GA that is dedicated to helping business leaders and salespeople succeed both professionally and in life.

Since Todd’s first book, The Power To Be Your Best, he has written five more including the National best seller High Trust Selling: Make More Money in Less Time with Less Stress, Killing the Sale: The 10 Fatal Mistakes Salespeople Make and How to Avoid Them, and Time Traps: Proven Solutions for Swamped Salespeople.

Duncan and his wife, Sheryl have two sons and live in La Jolla, California.