Find top-notch keynoters, trainers, workshop leaders at National Speakers Association, Illinois Chapter, also professional development organization for new and experienced presenters.Find top-notch keynoters, trainers, workshop leaders at National Speakers Association, Illinois Chapter, also professional development organization for new and experienced presenters.Find top-notch keynoters, trainers, workshop leaders at National Speakers Association, Illinois Chapter, also professional development organization for new and experienced presenters.

FABULOUS FRIDAY on May 9th!
"Five Decision that will Make or Break Your Career..." by Frank Bucaro & Howard Putnam - click here for details.

Spring is here. And that can only mean one thing... Politics. At least it seems that way if you've been watching cable news. The big debate is this: Do words matter?

As professional speakers we know the answer: Of course!

And to prove the point, our Director of Programming, Merit Gest, has arranged another stellar program for May 9, 2008, "FIVE DECISIONS THAT WILL MAKE OR BREAK YOUR CAREER AND YOUR BUSINESS, featuring Frank Bucaro and Howard Putnam.

Frank inspired us with his sharp, direct thoughts on professional speaking earlier this year. Howard Putnam, the former CEO of Southwest Airlines, is enjoying another successful career as a professional speaker. Our May meeting will be his first presentation to a local NSA chapter. I've heard Howard speak at a national event, and he and Frank were at the top of my wish list of speakers for our Chapter this year. The combination of Frank and Howard is destined to be challenging, inspiring and funny. Don't miss it!

Space is limited and going fast, so sign up now.

Welcome to the new 2007-2008 new year for NSA Illinois. We started the year by attending the amazing, surprising and extraordinary NSA Annual Convention in San Diego. Many of you, our members, were there, so you know what I mean when I say the convention shattered expectations. For those of you who weren't, I urge you to attend in the coming year. The range and depth of the offerings and education are unlike anything you'll find elsewhere. We laughed, cried, chanted, danced, discovered how to heal the world one soul at a time, and learned how to transform our speaking businesses for the new millennium.

Your new NSA Chapter leadership was well represented and worked hard to cultivate our plans for the coming year. At the meeting were Merit Gest, Director of Programming; John Walsh, Director of Special Events; Sharan Tash, Chair of the Membership Committee; and Mikki Williams, Director at Large. We had time to discuss new ideas for the coming year and seek the guidance of our past Chapter Presidents, Rick Jackle, Cyndi Maxey, Kevin O'Connor and Pat McWard. I thank them all for the ideas and insights they shared for us to incorporate in the coming year.

Incoming NSA National president, Mark LeBlanc, introduced his new theme for the year with much fanfare and energy. The introduction of his theme – NSA Rocks – invited us to consider what we can learn from rock stars. Mark's on stage transformation from blue-suited business speaker to black leather jacketed rocker conveyed the feel that a new era is on its way. For some reason, I thought of John F. Kennedy telling the world that "the torch has passed to a new generation." For Kennedy it was a new generation born in the twentieth century. For us, it’s a generation of speakers coming of age in a global, multi-media, Internet world. The challenges and opportunities should excite us all.

Mark LeBlanc's theme also inspires my theme for our NSA Chapter – BREAK ON THROUGH. The phrase is a song title from the first record album I bought in the sixties (remember record albums?) - the inaugural recording by The Doors. The song has stayed with me as a musical motto for over forty years. "Break on through" is a message we all need when we confront obstacles and barriers in our lives. And it’s a motto that applies to all who overcome the fear of public speaking, take the platform in front of a crowd of strangers, and dare to change the world with the spoken word. My hope for the coming year is all of you will find inspiration in the programs and activities of our Chapter to "Break On Through" to new levels of speaking challenge and success.

A principal way to "break on through" is through participation. Last year, Al pursued the mission of "member benefits" with great success. My mission for the coming year is PARTICIPATION. Those of you who have been active in our Chapter or with other professional organizations already know the benefits that accrue from participation. There is a place for all of you to be involved in YOUR chapter. We need help with programs, special events, Candidate U, marketing, membership, public outreach, and much much more. Sign up for a committee. Call me with your ideas. Let us know what you would like to do. Again I'm reminded of JFK – ask what you can do for your chapter. I challenge you all to commit to some type of active participation in the chapter this year. Your rewards will be tremendous.

One of our "break through" ideas is the creation of a Public Outreach Committee, led by Tom Lee. Our goal is to increase awareness of our chapter as the place to go for experts on a wide range of topics. The world needs to know this. To achieve this goal, we need volunteers to meet with local media, associations and businesses to insure our chapter and our members are top of mind when they need experts and speakers. For more information on how you can be involved with this new project, please contact Tom Lee, Cheryl Kuba or me directly.

In taking on the honor of serving you as President of your Chapter, I want to express my gratitude to those who have helped me "Break On Through" from my comfort zone as an attorney to participate in the business of speaking.

My long time friend and former neighbor, Cyndi Maxey, invited me as a guest to her first meeting as President of our chapter in September 2003 and urged me on ("Mark, you should be a member"). Kevin O'Connor gave me a chance as a presenter at a Meet the Pros afternoon, helping me realize that my message had value outside the legal community. Al Lautenslager surprised me at lunch in 2006 when he asked if I'd consider the role of president elect, and has since served as a wonderful role model and voice of encouragement. Pat McWard and Cheryl Kuba drafted me to do a teleseminar on plagiarism, fair use and copyright infringement in 2006. Linda Swindling, the immediate past National Secretary of NSA, provided invaluable help and support as my mentor for a presentation to CSPs at the NSA National Workshop in February 2006. Mikki Williams met me at that workshop and has since been my indispensable speaking coach and business advisor, the constant catalyst for new breakthroughs. My assistant, Nancy Chapman, keeps me on course in my office and provides those needed words of encouragement - "you can do this." Sue and Jerry Black made me welcome from the start and now provide the background support that takes the fear out of being President. Finally, I am indebted to the Board Members and Committee Chairs who have agreed to serve during my term. I am grateful to them all. Any mistakes I make as president will be mine alone; but whatever success I may have I will owe to them.

As the year proceeds, I am eager to meet and speak with all of you. I am also happy to hear from you. Give me a call or grab my arm at a meeting. I look forward to hearing from you.