Bill Strickland

      Bill Strickland's simple message - give people the tools they need, treat them with respect, and they will perform miraculous deeds - is as simple as it is profound. From a sleeping bag on the second floor of a dilapidated building, he built one of the most extraordinary organizations in America, employing and training thousands. His work has brought him a MacArthur Genius grant, a Grammy award, an invitation to lecture at Harvard University, and a seat on the board of the National Endowment for the Arts.
      A compelling and powerful storyteller, he mesmerizes audiences, and brings them to their feet in appreciation. His simple message of leadership through believing in people and treating them with respect strikes a universal chord. Let Bill teach and inspire you to see the real person, and harness the power of believing in people.
      Our Speaker: In an era that has witnessed the crashing demise of the star CEO, Bill Strickland, President of Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and the Bidwell Training Center, restores our faith in ethical, accountable and visionary leadership. With little more than immense willpower and an undying belief in the goodness of human beings, he turned a near bankrupt community training center in Pittsburgh into one of the most successful organizations in America. New centers have been built in Cincinnati and San Francisco, and more are planned.
      Along Bill Strickland's remarkable journey he has received a MacArthur Genius grant, lectured at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and served on the Board of the National Endowment for the Arts. But his accomplishments as a leader and humanitarian are reflected not in awards or accolades, but in the thousands of people who have raised themselves out of poverty and into the world of full-time employment, through the very organization that Strickland built.