2010 Annual Report Luncheon

Louisville Hyatt Regency

Regency Ballroom

320 West Jefferson

December 3, 2010

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Keynote Speaker

Bonnie St. John

TV and radio show host 

Bonnie St. John’s motto is: "Winners Get Up Faster." We all stumble or fall, but St. John‘s remarkable success in the face of physical adversity has taught her that the key to winning is not just bouncing back from obstacles, but doing so faster than your competition.

St. John’s unique life experience has taken her to world-class levels: sports, academia, politics and business—despite a litany of potentially devastating obstacles. Growing up in a family of modest means, St. John had her right leg amputated at the age of five years old. Against tremendous odds, she used her imagination and determination to push past countless limitations to pursue a passion for competitive skiing that resulted in a silver and two bronze medals in downhill skiing at the 1984 Paralympics in Innsbruck, Austria. This amazing feat made her the first African-American ever to win medals in a Winter Olympic event. Former President George W. Bush honored St. John at the White House for this historic achievement.

St. John has been featured on many television shows and publications including The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Morning News, CNN, Montel Williams, The Discovery Channel, The New York Times, People magazine and Essence magazine. NBC Nightly News called St. John "One of the five most inspiring women in America."

“Bonnie epitomizes the American dream of outstanding professional success,” said Ben Richmond, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Louisville Urban League.  “Everyone from seasoned business leaders to young professionals should take away something helpful from the luncheon as Bonnie shares the keys to her success,” he added.

“BB&T is proud to sponsor this wonderful event, highlighting the achievements of this fine community organization and accomplished individuals such as Bonnie St. John,” said Mike Carpenter, Area Executive BB&T Louisville Region.  “One of the tenets of our corporate mission is to make the communities in which we work better places to live, and we believe that through supporting groups like the Louisville Urban League, we are fulfilling that mission."