SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY

Frank Sinatra once said, as we all know, “If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.” After graduating college in 1979, my best friend and I tested that very theory and ventured to New York in hopes of becoming “stars.” Alan’s acting career took off almost immediately while I soldiered on, managing comedy clubs and performing as a magician on occasion. At that time, in the early 80’s, for me, Frank’s words were still a pipedream.

After trying my hand at numerous jobs, I settled in the world of finance in the mid 80’s. In 1993, I was offered an opportunity to work with the Templeton Group, led by the legendary money manager Sir John Templeton. In 1995 I was promoted to his National Spokesman and continued in that role for many years. In 2004, I left, what is now, Franklin Templeton, and journeyed out on my own. For the past 14 years, I have built a career as a speaker, writer, and consultant having associated with some of the best minds in the world.

Today, with a couple of decades under my belt, I have had the honor of presenting on the world’s stages, keynoting two mainstage appearances for MDRT and one just recently for GAMA/LAMP. I’ve always followed the Steve Martin rule, which is: “Be so good they have to like you.” Keeping to this theme has not only offered me the opportunities to speak to such recognizable names as IBM and Furman University but also to respected organizations like NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA.

I discovered early in my career that people learn more if they are laughing so even though my presentations are filled with humor, I take my job quite seriously. I love receiving the emails and letters that often follow afterwards and one of my favorites is from a gentleman who wrote and said, “I can listen to two people all day- one is Frank Sinatra and the other is Mark Zinder.”

Maybe Mr. Sinatra was right after all.