Craig Whelden selected as keynote speaker for STMA Conference

Sports Turf Management Association (STMA) selected Craig Whelden, retired major general with the U.S. Army to present the keynote address at the STMA Annual Conference. He will speak about “Inspired Leadership in Challenging Times” on Wed., Jan. 19, at 11 a.m. at the Savannah Convention Center. Lunch and STMA’s Annual Meeting will follow. The presentation is sponsored by World Class Athletic Surfaces.

Whelden’s leadership journey began as an Eagle Scout at 14. Thirty years later, he was the youngest general in the United States Army. Combined with another 9 years as a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) with the U.S. Marine Corps, he has led thousands of soldiers, sailors, Marines, and civilians. In 2011, he was inducted into the Purdue University Tri-Service ROTC Hall of Fame. In March 2019, he published Leadership: The Art of Inspiring People to Be Their Best, winning four national book awards and a No. 1 international bestseller spot on Amazon. Whelden is now a Global Fortune 500 Speaker and lives in Bluffton, S.C.

In Leadership: The Art of Inspiring People to Be Their Best, Whelden passes on decades of leadership and life lessons — good and bad — told in a compelling and sometimes very personal way.

His presentation will focus on:

• Why communication skills are so critical
• Outlining organizational vision, operating style, and personal quirks – early on
• Why delegation and accountability are so important
• The value (and risks) of goal setting and leaving a legacy
• The importance of trust and balance in your life