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Michael Hingson, blind since birth, was born in Chicago to sighted parents who believed in raising their son with a can-do attitude. Treated like all other children in his family, Michael rode a bike did advanced math in his head, and learn to read and write – Braile that is! Michael’s family relocated to the warm Palmdale area of California when he was five years old. It is here that Hingson had his first adventure with Guide Dogs for the Blind and received his first guide dog. He later went to college receiving a Masters Degree in Physics from the University of California at Irvine. Michael then enjoyed a nearly-30 year career working for high tech companies spending most of his time in management roles. Michael Hingson’s life changed dramatically on September 11, 2001 when he and his guide dog, Roselle, escaped from the 78th floor of Tower One in the World Trade Center moments before it collapsed. Soon after, Michael and Roselle were thrust into the international limelight where Michael began to share his unique survival story and 9-11 lessons of trust, courage, heroism, and teamwork. Currently Michael has nearly 40 years experience with a career in high tech computer sales and management, he has served as The National Public Affairs Director for one of the largest Blind Nonprofit organizations in the nation: Guide Dogs for the Blind; He serves as the vice president of the National Association of Guide Dog Users; Michael holds seats on other agency boards including the Marin Senior Coordinating Council where he has just completed his term as president; Michael is The National Ambassador for the Braille Literacy Campaign of the NFB. He is the Founder of the Roselle’s Dream Foundation - helping the blind obtain the technology they need to not only excel in school and at work, but to live out their dreams! He is the author of the #1 New York Times Best Seller: “Thunder dog –The True Story of a Blind Man, his Guide Dog & the Triumph of Trust” – selling over 2.5 million copies Worldwide. NEW to the presses this year is his 2nd book “Running with Roselle”- Is the first of its kind- A story for our youth shedding light on one of Americas Darkest Days. Aside from his talents and advocacies, Mr. Hingson has traveled the Globe from Japan to New Zealand, the Netherlands to his hometown, Chicago. Speaking to some of the worlds most elite: from former President, George W. Bush to Larry King, to Fortune 500 clubs and Universities Nationwide. After sharing his story of survival on hundreds of TV and Radio programs, Michael is now an Expert hired by many of today’s major corporations and organizations. Consulting on the importance of Teamwork and Trust, Moving From Diversity to Inclusion, as well as offering Adaptive Technology Training – spearheading innovation for ALL! - Thus bringing organizations to the forefront of the ever-changing competitive modern world. Currently Michael lives in Southern California with his wife, Karen, Africa, Michael’s seventh guide dog, and Fantasia, Africa’s mother and a retired breeder dog for Guide Dogs for the Blind. More information on Mr. Hingson is available on his website at www.michaelhingson.com.
Topics
Teamwork, Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Diversity and Inclusion, What Is Blindness (for youth), How Guide Dogs Work (for youth), Dealing With Unexpected Life Changes
Speeches
Michael Hingson uses his personal experiences of 30 years in high technology sales and management, more than 50 years with guide dog partners, and his survival of the twin towers terrorist attacks on 9/11, to address the issue of building a team based on trust. He captivates his audiences with stories and lessons about how he has created successful and high functioning teams wherever he goes. “The power of trust and teamwork is all around us if we but learn how to harness it and use its strengths wisely” Mike says. Mike’s audiences discover first-hand how he lived through the terrorist attacks by forming teams to keep everyone around him focused and to successfully work toward the common goal of escape from Tower One. Mike’s thoughtful insights inspire his audiences to change the way they think about the way they live, work and relate to each other. Listeners learn about skills and methods Mike uses daily to create teams and how Trust and Teamwork enriches his life as well as the lives of those around him.
Meet Africa, a seven-year-old Labrador retriever guide dog who travels the world with her partner, Michael Hingson, talking about Trust, Teamwork, and Life. Yes, you will meet Michael Hingson as well. He will tell you and your audience about working with guide dogs and the many lessons he has learned from them. In fact, Mr. Hingson will tell you very honestly that "I have learned more about team building and management from working with seven guide dogs that I have learned from Brian Tracy, Ken Blanchard, and all the other experts combined". Mr. Hingson will share and discuss the 10 lessons of "Guide Dog Wisdom" presented in his number one New York Times best-selling book, "Thunder Dog" and he will show your audience how to apply these same lessons in their own lives. He will use his story of survival and escape from the World Trade Center with his former guide dog, “Roselle”, on 9/11, 2001 as a backdrop to show how each of us can become a better team player and team builder. Audiences take from Mike's talks lessons and ideas they can immediately apply in their work and home environments to make life more fun and build stronger and richer relationships with the people around them. Mike says, "there's a lot to be said for thinking more like a Labrador". "Don't knock it till you have tried it." Mike promises that you will be enthralled and captivated and won't miss a minute of his speech unlike Africa who has heard it all before and will probably sleep through most of it.
During Michael Hingson's more than 35 years in sales and senior management positions he was confronted many times by ethical choices concerning doing what was best for the customer and doing what would maximize profits for his companies, including companies he owned personally. In this talk Mike discusses ethics and how our basic life principles should always be the guiding light that determines our actions. Your audience will learn how Michael Hingson developed the strength to sometimes make unpopular decisions in the eyes of company bosses and how and why those same choices propelled Mike into those same senior positions later in his career. Your audience will learn how they to can make decisions based on their own basic ethical principles and they will learn how and why those decisions can be the most important and best ones they ever make.
Videos
Disabilities
I have formed Roselle's Dream Foundation to raise funds to assist blind students and employees to purchase technology otherwise unavailable to them. Many Braille Notetakers and other assistive devices are unaffordable to individuals especially when state and National funding is so low. The goal of the Foundation is to raise funds in order to provide half the purchase price of any technologies individuals cannot otherwise purchase in total.
Donate to my CauseValue to Sponsor
Other Value:Speaker can educate on Trust and Teamwork, Leadership, Ethics, and Change to sponsor's employees and at events where Sponsor may wish Speaker to speak.
Sponsorship Opportunity
Mike Hingson has a speaking opportunity at Manassas Park School district for June 8-10. The district has no funds to pay a speaker. The high school principal is arranging an event for Mr. Hingson to speak to all grades over two days. Mr. Hingson is the contact.
View Speaker Directory → Contact Michael Hingson