Kevin Sweeney
Decorated combat pilot, business executive and speaker who focuses on teamwork, leadership and having confidence under pressure.
Topic Categories:
- Lt. Colonel Command pilot in the United States Air Force (23 years)
- Flew combat missions in two wars, Vietnam & Desert Storm
- Only pilot to land a plane with both engines ripped off the left wing during a Desert Storm combat mission – AT NIGHT
- Recipient of United States Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, a medal awarded to fewer than 1% of pilots
- Speaks about how to have confidence under pressure and lead when the “heat is on.”
- First team all-conference collegiate athlete, after initially being cut from another team
- Author of 2 books
- Current volunteer president of the 501(c)3 charity, Honoring Our Wounded Military, that has raised over $1 million within last 5 years
- Former Fortune 50 Business Executive
*Fee ranges are presented as a guideline only. Speaker fees are subject to change without notice. For an exact quote, please contact your Speaker Exchange Agency representative.
Successful Corporate Executive
For more than a quarter of a century Kevin has been a successful Business Executive at an elite Fortune 50 Company. He has also been a Director at an industry leading software company. Kevin’s experience in sales and operations will give you and your team unique experiences for your success. Kevin will teach you how to compete and how to put yourself and your team in position to differentiate yourselves from the competition and win in the market place. From his leadership experiences you will learn how to have confidence under pressure and how to demonstrate decisive and effective leadership.
Kevin SweeneyDistinguished Combat Pilot
Kevin’s real life story describes a combat mission during which the two engines on his left wing were totally ripped off in mid-air, in the darkness of night, while at maximum weight and on a combat mission. It is a compelling story illustrating how your team can overcome any obstacle facing them. He transforms the lessons his team learned into business examples for the benefit of your team.
USAF Distinguished Flying Cross
For their incredible aeronautical feat Kevin and his team were awarded the United States Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross. Kevin understands the value of being a great teammate before, during, and after the event when the Heat is On. Kevin is not just a leader of great teams, he truly understands teams. He will pass those words of wisdom to your team.
Author
Kevin is the author of two captivating books: Pressure Cooker Confidence, How to Lead When the Heat Is On and Conversations with the Colonel, Lessons in Life, Leadership, and Wisdom.
These books provide insights into the steps of proper preparation. You will learn how to develop a winning attitude. And you will learn the leadership tools required to give both you and your team a laser beam focus on the objective and the confidence needed to make you both successful.
University Instructor
Kevin brings in-depth business knowledge to the stage for you to receive just as he delivered to his students as an adjunct instructor in the School of Business at Washburn University. He is up-to-date on the latest trends in technology and business acumen. He has also been invited and has appeared as a guest lecturer in schools of business in other universities.
Collegiate Athlete
You will benefit from the knowledge and drive that Kevin shares from his experience as an all-conference, all-district collegiate basketball player. As a member of the team that beat the national number 1 team during the US small college tournament, and Captain the next year, he learned many lessons that he shares. These lessons will increase your odds for success and triumph in your life.
Education
He received both a Bachelor in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degrees from Washburn University. Kevin also received a Masters in Business Administration from the University of North Dakota.
Keynote Speaker
Imagine getting the opportunity to sit in your living room and have a conversation with this gentleman who has been a leader of thousands of men and women. A man who successfully battled the physical loss of both engines on the left wing of his airplane during a night combat mission in Desert Storm! A man who led his college basketball team to it’s highest ranking in history. A man who has achieved insurmountable success as a sales leader and corporate executive. Well…imagine no more.
Kevin Sweeney, “The Colonel” is a keynote speaker who loves to share his knowledge on:
Confidence Under Pressure
Decisive Leadership
Cohesive Teamwork
Precise Communications
Laser Beam Focus
Imagine getting the opportunity to sit in your living room and have a conversation with The Colonel-a man who battled the physical loss of both engines on the left wing of his airplane during a night combat mission in Desert Storm and won; a man who has achieved insurmountable success as a sales leader and corporate executive and led his college basketball team to its highest ranking in history. Well… imagine no more. Conversations with the Colonel puts you and your team front and center, up close and personal, with Lt. Colonel Kevin J. Sweeney. The Colonel discusses an authentic, ethical and realistic view of the attributes needed for successful performance under pressure.
Pressure Cooker Confidence enables you to say I can, I will, I expect, and I DID IT when the heat is on.
In this presentation Lt Colonel Kevin Sweeney will show you how to:
- Put you and your team in position to excel under pressure.
- Demonstrate the value of decisive leadership for your customers, clients, and colleagues.
- Become the teammate your customers, clients, and colleagues covet.
The Colonel’s flagship presentation is built around his dramatic life and death flight during a night combat mission in Desert Storm when both of the engines on his left wing came completely off the airplane. Kevin will mentally position you in the cockpit with him to personally live through the incredible experience and challenges he and his team, his aircrew, faced on that flight.
At the completion of Lt Colonel Kevin Sweeney’s presentation you will understand:
- Why the hard work you do beforehand matters more than the work you do when the pressure is on.
- How to deliver peak performance when the heat is on.
- How to ignore the immaterial and focus on the right thing, at the right time, and in the right order.
- How to overcome those everyday challenges and make them opportunities for success.
True and effective leadership is not based upon rank or position. True and effective leadership is a critical and earned gift from the people you lead.
In this presentation Lt. Colonel Kevin Sweeney will show you how to:
•Identify personal attributes of great leaders
•Become the teammate that makes you a great leader
•Discover integrity characteristics that great leaders demonstrate
•Differentiate between good and great leaders – whether the leader is a C-level Executive or a 4 star General.
Leadership in Challenging Times is a thought provoking and insightful presentation from someone personally experienced in both military and corporate leadership traits.
In addition to his renowned keynotes, Kevin can moderate an interactive breakout session for your event in which the group explores the reasons behind why aircrews are so effective in their mission execution and mission performance no matter what happens. Aircrews seem to excel at their highest level when they are under pressure, delivering a very high mission success rate.
Kevin will answer the question as to why aircrews are so effective and known for performing under pressure and why they respond to emergencies so well. The session will examine this performance model and understand how it can easily be applied to achieve noted professional and personal success that we all strive to attain.
Imagine getting the opportunity to sit in your living room and have a conversation with The Colonel-a man who battled the physical loss of both engines on the left wing of his airplane during a night combat mission in Desert Storm and won; a man who has achieved insurmountable success as a sales leader and corporate executive and led his college basketball team to its highest ranking in history. Well… imagine no more. Conversations with the Colonel puts you and your team front and center, up close and personal, with Lt. Colonel Kevin J. Sweeney. The Colonel discusses an authentic, ethical and realistic view of the attributes needed for successful performance under pressure.
Want to bring Kevin Sweeney to your next event? Please tell us a little about your event, and we will get back to you shortly!