Excellence in American Entrepreneurship

A few weeks ago, the CEO of the biotech I’m involved with and I were filmed for a clip in a video promoting the Bard Center for Entrepreneurship due to my status as a Bard Center student and our success  in their business plan competition this past summer. As we were being filmed, they kept reminding us to try to talk directly to the camera lens even though the interviewer was sitting next to it. The promotional video was unveiled this evening at the inaugural Excellence in American Entrepreneurship Award ceremony. I was relieved to see that many of the other interviewees seemed to have the same difficulty staying focused on the camera. Only the narrator (a local news reporter) and Denver Mayor Hickenlooper seemed able to do this with ease.

This year the winner was Roger Staubach. As someone who  does not follow professional sports, his success/fame as a football star was not really of interest to me. However, his speech, while filled with some football references, focused more on the importance of his mentors, listening well, focusing on the customers and teamwork in the success of his company. Several autographed Dallas Cowboys’ footballs were auctioned off. The winners were able to go out for a pass thrown by Roger. He has clearly retained the ability to perfectly place the ball.

Colorado Governor Bill Owens presented the award and gave an introductory speech. I did not expect to enjoy his speech as I do not tend to agree with his views on several major issues.  However, I have to admit that he was one of the best public speakers I have ever heard. I was left wanting for him to have spoken longer . I wish that more public speakers left me with that feeling.