Dave Rodney is the only person in the history of this country to summit Mt. Everest twice, and his accomplishments are inspiring to many (especially since he was born on the flatlands of North America, has survived four knee surgeries, and has broken his back in four places!).
Dave is not just a climber, speaker, and writer; he has also earned a number of degrees, worked in 3rd world countries, served as an educator & administrator in three countries.
His still photography, videography, & written work have been utilized around the world (including National Geographic; Oprah; North American, European and African National Broadcast Companies; North American Corporations; North American and European books and texts), & he has been interviewed across the globe--but what he is most proud of are the rewards he has gained from service with charitable, educational, civic and corporate organizations!
His moving, multi-disciplined, multi-media presentations will empower you to scale your "mountains" with integrity; and you will walk away from the event feeling refreshed, renewed, and re-invigorated!)
Presentation Topics
- "Turn Your Stumbling Blocks Into Stepping Stones!"
When we travel towards goals which are truly worth striving for, we are often faced with a myriad of situations we will either consider problems that threaten our dreams, or challenges which will enhance our development--depending on our attitude. David believes that often "we are not granted the grandeur of the next mountain-top vista until we have first trudged through the gullet of the tumultuous valley below."
In this gripping multi-media presentation (which includes life and death accounts of rescues on the highest mountains in the world), you will appreciate why Dave maintains that with proper preparation and strategies, our pilgrimage may be easier than we might first imagine; in the words of Lao Tzu, "the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!"
- "Humor in the Himalayas" or "Altitude with an Attitude!"
Expeditions are depicted as nothing less than serious endeavors; but when humans are exposed to only one-third the usual amount of oxygen, they say and do some pretty hilarious things! In this session, you will chuckle at cartoons demonstrating comedy above the clouds; hear side-splitting stories on the effects of elevation; witness crazy antics and accents at altitude; and observe outrageous outtakes rescued from the documentary editing room floor. After the jokes, wit and repartee, you will ask "are these climbers, or clowns?", and "how did they ever get to the top of the world and back?!”.
After running into personal and professional walls back home, Dave rediscovered laughter-at basecamp. He learned there is a "mountain of entertainment on Everest" (perhaps as a result of having too many people too close to each other for too long!). Venture with him to the lighter side of climbing…it will be a session you'll never forget!
- “Reaching New Heights Personally and Professionally” or…“Higher Learning: An Everest Education via the World-Wide Web”
Technology, Dreams - How can we program both excitement and relaxation into our jobs? After doing masters work related to the subject, David has discovered some answers which he will share with you in this session. He has incorporated mountaineering into his workplace; and will invite you along to explore some of his favourite areas around the world. This event will feature David’s “Adventure Everest On-Line ‘97” the first international / interactive, internet / e-mail, Business/Education project of its kind, which was based on (and at!) the highest mountain on earth. David will outline the history, curriculum, and system, which linked the world’s highest base camp to classrooms around the globe in 1997, during his team’s attempt to reach the roof of the world…and share the secrets of the strategies utilized during the communication of his own successful 1999 ascent of the mountain. Finally, he will offer ideas for future projects that will inspire you on your own personal and professional journey!
Testimonials
"Dave is incredibly motivating. The phrase that stood out for me the most were the 'nine false summits'. I'm going to carry that with me for a long, long time: the notion that in life, in all of our journeys and all of our challenges, there are going to be false summits along the way. But even when that happens, we've got to keep on climbing and continue to go higher, wisely. From a corporate standpoint, all of us face trials similar to what David faced in ascending the mountain: we deal with administrative, team, and other business challenges daily. All of us face difficulties all of the time; and if we can learn from David's strategizing, we will be successful-just as David is!"
Hewlett Packard
"Your presentation was the best keynote we have ever booked! All of us were sitting on the edge of our seats...your stories, slides and video brought your adventure to life in a way I might never have imagined: the impact and emotion of actually made it feel as if I had been to the top of the world! Now I can say I've been there through your eyes, soul and emotion. Thank you for sharing special moments in your life with us, and relating them so well to our own personal and professional "Everests". Your presentation is something I will never forget."
National Bottled Water Association
"Thank you for your presentation to our sales team! You were totally in synch with my goals, and the message was perfect for the group. It helped people realize their potential and what they can do if they simply put their minds to it. It allowed people the right to "THINK BIG" and not seem like they were silly to do so. Your presentation was communicated in a very down to earth manner that helped to put our lives into perspective. I had many positive comments come back to me about both the quality of the material and the presentation itself. We find an opportunity for you to present to our senior management team!"
HJ Heinz Company
