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“THE BEST BOSS EVER”

With decades of C-Suite leadership experience for companies including
Universal Studios, Tickets.com, and, most recently, Hookit,
Carl Thomas has been referred to by many as “The Best Boss Ever.”
A proven C-Suite Executive, he attributes much of his success
to his ability to “see around corners.”

Over the course of his career, he executive produced dozens of televised sporting
events for various national syndications and signed wide ranging sponsorship,
marketing, and promotional agreements with global brand icons such as
Bud Light, Coca-Cola, AT&T, Discover Card, McLaren F1, and the Ford Motor Company.

A pioneer in the triathlon community, Carl Thomas led Speedo Swimwear
into sponsorship and ownership of the US Triathlon Series in 1981,
before purchasing the USTS from Speedo to found CAT Sports, Inc, in 1984.
Carl co-founded both USA Triathlon (USAT) and the International Triathlon Union (ITU),
serving as an Executive Board Member and the first Treasurer of the latter.

A 2010 inductee into the USAT Hall of Fame and a 2017 inductee into the ITU Hall of Fame,
Thomas remains active in many aspects of sports as a seasoned
Executive and Senior Advisor, Board Member, Keynote Speaker, and Podcast Host.

EXPERIENCE

global brands look to carl for his expertise

A top C-Suite Growth and Strategic Marketing Executive,
Carl has more than 30 years of management experience for several internationally
renowned corporations. He has served in various leadership positions,
directing and executing strategic sales, sponsorship, marketing,
and operations while becoming a trusted partner for global brand icons.

Carl’s ability to “see around corners” always enabled us to focus on what was
important so that we could not just achieve, but excel beyond our goals.
- Ferris Thompson, Senior Strategist, Intitute for Change and Transition

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speaking topic #1

THE BEST BOSS EVER

In this keynote, Carl shares the most poignant lessons from his considerable list of
accomplishments and his expertise on what makes for an excellent employer—as well as the five
unteachable, inherent qualities we all possess that can be honed to make us trusted leaders.

Carl’s conversational, approachable, humble, humorous, and most importantly, experienced
speeches and podcasts are an important part of taking your individual leadership,
and the leadership of your organization to the next level.

Using his decades of experience to educate you and your team,
Carl is a champion of those underrepresented voices in the workplace.
He discusses how disagreements and differing viewpoints should be talked through
and debated making professional relationships and trust in leadership stronger. These differences are a hallmark of a diverse and healthy culture—
Carl will instruct you in how to make your teams, companies,
and organizations places where everyone wins.

“Carl made it seem like we were in a game and we played to win together.
He listened to our partners and knew what they wanted.”
- Wendy Winks, VP Marketing & Communications, Idyllwild Arts Academy

speaking topic #2

OLD SCHOOL
MEETS NEW SCHOOL

Carl Thomas’ decades of experience, coupled with his thirst to learn and grow,
makes him the ultimate voice to speak about “old school” meeting “new school”.

His most recent executive endeavor as Chief Revenue & Global Business Development Officer
for the San Diego based digital platform Hookit led to a successful $16M Series C private equity
backed investment. This was only made possible by the 25+ years of senior management
experience that he brought to this young, cutting-edge company.
His “old school” knowledge base coupled with “new school” technology
helped to disrupt the global media measurement industry.

Carl has paired his “old school” sensibilities, leadership, and growth initiatives
with some of the most forward-thinking companies ranging from start-ups
to multi billion dollar public firms to create decades of success.
In this keynote, Carl explains how true leadership
requires adapting to new developments.

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speaking topic #3

THE OLYMPIC
TRIATHLON STORY

As Vice President of Speedo Swimwear in 1982, Carl had an idea… an accessible triathlon event
distance that would grow the sport and lead to “hundreds of thousands of athletes” competing
at the International Standard distance before it debuted as a full-fledged Olympic sport
in Sydney, AUS 2000. That successful 18 year journey was amplified In 1984,
when Carl took the successful U.S. Triathlon Series (USTS) to his newly founded company
CAT Sports Inc. From crafting groundbreaking sponsorship agreements with
Bud Light, Coca Cola, and AT&T, to creating network television events for ESPN, NBC Sports,
ABC Sports, International licensing and global syndication,
his steadfast vision of a full-fledged Olympic Sport never wavered.

Carl is a widely acclaimed pioneer in the global triathlon community and is a
Hall of Fame inductee at both USA Triathlon and the International Federation
serving as an Executive Board Member and the first treasurer of the
International Triathlon Union, now World Triathlon.
In this keynote, Carl speaks about his early athletic experience,

his vision and growth of the Triathlon Series, and how his successful mission to make triathlon an Olympic sport shaped his career.

“Carl is an inspirational visionary, leader, connector, friend and most
importantly, mentor… He is a true professional in every sense of the word.”
- Annie Adams, VP Partnerships, Hookit