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Steve Gardner After graduating from the University of Kansas with a degree in Psychology in 1991, Steve was hired by Nancy Lauterbach, Founder of FIVE STAR Speakers & Trainers. Steve followed in his father’s footsteps, as he was a pioneer in the speaking industry, and posthumously received the Council of Peers Award of Excellence (CPAE – the Speakers Hall of Fame) by the National Speakers Association. From 1991-1994 Steve was the top salesperson for FIVE STAR where he primarily booked keynote speakers for his corporate and association clientele. In 1994, Steve took a three-year hiatus from FIVE STAR and moved to Phoenix, AZ where he was the Director and Producer of a series of senior level executive conferences on the subject of Innovative Thinking and Branding. The conferences took place in Scottsdale, AZ, Cape Town, South Africa and Lima, Peru. In 1997 upon Steve’s return to FIVE STAR, he quickly re-established himself as the top salesperson in the company. His focus changed from booking keynotes as he had in the early 90’s toward more training oriented programs. Steve has spoken at several industry events since 2002. He is a member of the Executive Committee for the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, Professional Business & Financial Network, an organization dedicated to helping athletes transition to their post-playing careers, and OT Magazine. He has also been an advisor to 1-800-AMERICA, and served on boards for the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and The Lee Clinic. Personal interests |
Who inspires you? My wife and kids. Seeing pure joy in my kids eyes and deep love in my wife’s eyes are the best inspiration I have. And I know a couple professional speakers who are pretty inspirational, too! When you were a kid, what did you want to do when you grew up? Either be a professional baseball player or own a speakers bureau. 1 out of 2 ain't bad! Where did you grow up? Overland Park, KS – my parents still live in the same house I grew up in. Where did you go to school? Dorothy Moody (Dorky Moody, as us brilliant kids called it!), Nallwood Jr. High, Shawnee Mission South , The University of Kansas…go Jayhawks…where I got a degree in Psychology. What is your favorite television show? The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Spongebob Squarepants, & Danny Phantom (did I mention I have 4 little kids? I don’t get much TV time!) What is your favorite color? Puce Favorite board game? Scrabble, because one day I might actually beat my wife at it…but I doubt it! What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend? Having "Dads Playgroup" every Saturday with my kids. What has been your best client experience? Far too many of them to count…and I don’t want to alienate any of my great clients by not including them! (You would think I’ve got a future in politics.) What is your favorite part of working at Five Star? Knowing the incredible impact we have on the world. We are giving people new strategies, tactics and perspectives that are enabling them to be more successful, productive and positive. That’s a pretty cool thing! Your office is on fire, what do you rescue? Pictures of my family, autographed balls (I could throw them to safety!), and surprisingly I’d leave my white board behind. What keeps you going? The love of my wife and kids, the desire to build a great company and to help others attain higher levels of success than they thought possible. And above all, my purpose is to serve others by using the talents God blessed me with, in a way that honors Him. What are your hobbies? Occasional bike rider, play Gamecube with my kids, softball, bowling What are your worst fears? That anything would ever happen to my children. What is your favorite drink? Naked Juice. Blue Machine or Green Machine (they look disgusting, and even the ingredients make you nervous on the greenie, but they are so good). What is your favorite food? A great steak, New Orleans style barbecue shrimp, and a nice glass of wine to wash it down. What is your favorite quote? "Because I said so" is wildly underrated as a response to your kids. It is satisfying to say and somehow completely meaningless! Glass half-full or half-empty? Not only is it half-full, but I think I see two of them. What is your favorite daily thing to do? Walk through the door and hear the screams of "Daddy’s home!" I know that won’t last forever so I’m enjoying it now. Favorite vacation spot? Vail, CO in the summer or Orlando, FL in the winter…yes, we like visiting during the offseason. Favorite cooking ingredient? Whichever one my wife is using…she’s an awesome cook! What one item would you purchase from a vending machine? Bottled water. |
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Steve Gardner |
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