Ken Kragen

Known for finding creative ways to accomplish the impossible, Ken Kragen makes things happen. A sought after entertainment producer and charity event planner, he turns stumbling blocks into stepping stones and is sharing his secrets with audiences nationwide.

Kragen's latest multimedia lecture shares previously untold stories and video footage from some of the historic events he has masterminded, including We Are The World, Hands Across America and Net Aid. Drawing on his experiences with such amazing undertakings, he presents lessons learned with a dramatic flair and characteristic humor, sharing simple rules that can be applied to your own corporate and personal marketing objectives.

A master salesman, marketer and creative thinker, Kragen has lectured at and consulted for many major companies, including Cisco Systems, IBM, NY Life Insurance and Interface Carpeting. The best-selling author of Life is a Contact Sport, he has taught marketing and career courses at UCLA, USC, Harvard, the University of Tennessee and many other colleges and universities.

A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, with a masters degree from Harvard Business School, Kragen's career achievements are far-reaching and range from the management of superstars like Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Olivia Newton John, Burt Reynolds, the Bee Gees, the Smothers Brothers, Trisha Yearwood, Travis Tritt and many others, to producing hundreds of hours of successful television programs and films.

Kragen is the recipient of many awards and honors, including: the United Nations Peace Medal; two MTV Awards; an American Music Award; several Emmy nominations; EBONY's American Black Achievement Award; the Conference of Personal Managers' Manager of the Year Award; and the International Visitors Council's International Citizen of the Year Award. He is also the only individual ever elected President of both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.