Entrepreneur, philanthropist, author and motivational speaker Chris Gardner will make a special appearance in Indianapolis at the 2008 Airport Business Diversity Conference, which will take place at the Marriott Hotel Downtown from May 31 to June 3.
Gardner will serve as the keynote speaker on Tuesday, June 3 at 9:30 a.m.
The highly acclaimed conference is one of the largest aviation-related events in the United States that allows minority and women owned enterprises to connect with key decision makers in the multi-billion dollar aviation industry. The event is co-sponsored by the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Gardner is currently owner and CEO of Gardner International Holdings, and is founder of multi-million dollar brokerage firm Gardner Rich & Co.
Many have been inspired by how he overcame the challenges of raising a son in poverty while trying to establish himself as a stockbroker during the early ‘80s. Those experiences have been chronicled in his best selling book The Pursuit of Happyness, as well as a popular movie featuring actor Will Smith as Gardner.
The Recorder recently had a chance to speak with Gardner about his experiences and what he plans to share during his visit to Indianapolis:
How is everything going for you?
Gardner: Well I just got some pictures here today that just made my face hurt from grinning so much. Pictures of my daughter’s (Jacintha’s) graduation ceremony at Hampton. She became the first person in the history of my family to graduate from college. I was invited to give the commencement address and got an honorary doctorate, so you tell me how it’s going (laughing). How many cats you know can say that? The board of trustees wanted somebody else, but the kids said no, we want Jacintha’s father. So that was cool.
What do you plan to share at the conference?
I think I’m gonna’ speak on something very universal; the whole concept of breaking cycles. That involves the whole fact of wherever you were born does not have to become where you are at. I think that would be a big part of the message.
Also, we have this program called a Hug a Reader. Anyone who has read my book will get a bear hug when I see them.
Many people have been inspired by your journey from poverty to wealth. How does that make you feel?
You know what I found out? That book wasn’t even really about me. Yes, it talked about the story of my life, but it’s the book of us. It’s about all of us who had every opportunity to become the negative stuff that was right in our face — whether it was alcoholism, child abuse, drug abuse, fear or domestic violence — but chose to go the other way.
When you do something like that book you’ve got to go to some places in your head that you don’t necessarily want to go to. You find out you had all these little boxes in your head marked “Do Not Disturb.” When you pull the lid off of one box you find out it’s connected to another one and another one. You just keep going. But I’m so happy I did it because I found out it’s not just about me.
What has been the most rewarding experience for you?
Having people come up to me and say, “If you can do that, I can be successful too.” If that is the biggest thing that comes out of this whole experience for me, then that’s beautiful. It’s nice to be in a space where what I have done that has inspired others to dream, dare and do. That’s bigger than me, man.
Dr. Maya Angelou put it real good when she told me once, “Boy this ain’t even about you.’ When Dr. Angelou tells you something like that, there’s only one thing to say: ‘Yes maam.’
For more information about the 2008 Airport Diversity Conference, visit www.amac-org.com.
