American Hero Ambassador "Sully" Sullenberger to Deliver Keynote Address
ERIE – The Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA) announced today that its 118th Annual Event featuring American hero Ambassador “Sully” Sullenberger is officially sold out. The event starts at 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at the Bayfront Convention Center, 1 Sassafras Pier. All media are invited to attend.
Sullenberger, who is this year's keynote speaker, is an American fighter pilot, diplomat and airline pilot best known for the “Miracle on the Hudson,” when he landed US Airways Flight 1549 in New York’s frigid Hudson River in January 2009 after both engines were disabled by a bird strike. All 155 people on board survived. "Our membership is excited to hear from Ambassador Sullenberger,” says MBA President and Chief Executive Officer Lori Joint. “He is a highly sought-after speaker, and we can't wait to learn more about his credo of 'leadership by personal example,' as well as his life lessons which prepared him for that heroic landing.”
Sullenberger has been dedicated to the pursuit of safety his entire adult life. Throughout his more than 40-year career, Sullenberger has been an active and ardent safety advocate. After logging more than 20,000 hours of flight time, he became internationally renowned on January 15, 2009, when he, as captain, and his First Officer Jeff Skiles safely guided US Airways Flight 1549 to the emergency water landing in the Hudson River. The Airbus A320’s two engines had lost thrust following a bird strike.
Sullenberger, Skiles and their crew received international acclaim for their actions that day, including the passage of a Congressional resolution recognizing their bravery. Sullenberger was ranked second in TIME's "Top 100 Most Influential Heroes and Icons of 2009” and was awarded the French Legion of Honour.
Sullenberger is the No. 1 New York Times best-selling author of Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters and also wrote Making a Difference: Stories of Vision and Courage from America's Leaders. Clint Eastwood directed the major motion picture about Sullenberger’s life, titled “SULLY,” based on Highest Duty. The film was released to critical acclaim in September 2016 and garnered four Broadcast Film Critics nominations and one Academy Award nomination. Highest Duty was republished that year as SULLY: My Search for What Really Matters.
Sullenberger recently served as the U.S. Ambassador and Representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations Specialized Agency, in Montréal, Québec, Canada. He was nominated to the position by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2021. He served in the post in 2022.
In addition to the Sullenberger's keynote address, "National Anthem Girl" Janine Stange will perform the "Star-Spangled Banner" at this year's Annual Event. Stange is best known for singing the National Anthem in all 50 states. Her performance is sponsored by Bonnell's Truck & RV.
A sellout each year, the MBA’s Annual Event is the tri-state region’s premier business networking event, featuring the nation’s most prominent figures in business, politics and journalism. Among the most recent speakers are innovation expert George Blankenship (2022), Ret. Navy Admiral William McRaven (2021), American businesswoman Kat Cole (2019), “Shark Tank” stars Damon John (2018) and Robert Herjavec (2016), and legendary coach Lou Holtz (2017). The event was not held in 2020 due to COVID restrictions.
Annual Event sponsors include Ridg-U-Rak, UPMC Health Plan, Logistics Plus, PNC, Howard Industries, MacDonald Illig, Greenleaf Corporation, Parker LORD Corporation, McInnes Rolled Rings, Bonnell's Truck & RV, Insurance Management Company and Widget Financial.
Contact: Tammy Polanski 814/833-3200, 800/815-2660 or tpolanski@mbausa.org
For more information, visit mbausa.org.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in these presentations reflect the views and opinions of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Manufacturer & Business Association or any of its officers and directors.
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The Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA), founded in 1905, represents more than 3,000 member companies with approximately 120,000 employees in 54 counties across the Commonwealth. The MBA is dedicated to helping employers face challenges by delivering services that lower the cost of doing business, ease the burden of compliance and increase productivity for its members. For more information, visit www.mbausa.org.
