He's a husband, father, son, and active member of the Topeka, KS community. He's a cancer survivor who knows what it is like to stare down lifes most difficult moments and struggle to find hope. He rides his motorcycle to the lake on his weekends so he can build human connections with the people he loves. Rod accidentally got into the insurance industry out of college. Despite 27 years of effort, he hasn't found a way out. Now he is the co-founder and CEO of a fast-growing insurance firm that works every day to support the needs of K-12 educators. In every setting, Rod spends his time encouraging people to focus on the power of grace, love, generosity and the need for human based connections in our increasingly digital and divisive world.

 

His keynote has inspired thousands of Kansas educators over the years. Through stories of his own journey and insight into the life of his wife, a career-long teacher, Rod will make you laugh, cry, think, and dream all in the course of an hour or less. He offers a credible reminder that the world shines brighter if we all focus on finding the best in each eachother. He reminds us that above all else, human connections matter.

• It matters when you are buying a car

• It matters when you are raising kids

• It matters with co-workers

• It certainly matters when faced with your own mortality

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The ability to show grace and connect with the people around us is a gift offered free of charge. There is nothing easier to obtain and share than a generous world-view that puts people first. We're all happier when we make others happy, so why we do make grace filled transactions so hard and full of contingencies? If you are looking for answers to those questions that inspire an audience and give them the boost they need to set and achieve their goals, Rod will do the job. Not through stories of Herculean feats or messages that feel foreign and unachievable. Rod inspires through every day actions that make life just a little bit better, and so can you.