MIT Gathering of Titans Program Kicks-Off Speaker Search

Prestigious Entrepreneurial Program begins its 6th Annual Event in 2010

BOSTON, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Gathering of Titans ("GOT"), a very unique assembly of leading entrepreneurs, held at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Endicott House ("MIT") each spring, is selecting leading speakers to address their special, CEOs-ONLY audience. GOT is thought by many to be one of the most coveted speaking venues for thought leaders and business titans.

GOT is an offshoot of the three-year curriculum Birthing of Giants program ("BOG") which was started by a partnership between Inc. magazine, MIT, and the Entrepreneur's Organization (EO) in 1989. BOG sought out the brightest and most aggressive entrepreneurs from around the world, and provided them with a forum to build relationships, share insights, and learn from legendary thought leaders. After ten years, it had become a highly-respected and powerful network of influential business people.

In 2004, that year's graduating BOG class created The Gathering of Titans graduate program. "We saw our businesses and our relationships grow so much because of this annual gathering in Boston," says Randy Cohen, CEO of Ticketcity.com, author of the just-released book, "Ticket to the Limit," and member of the inaugural GOT class. "We knew there was an opportunity to make something great even better, so we created GOT. The result has been even stronger friendships and the ability to help each other make a difference in the world through our businesses."

To understand the power of GOT, one need only look at the list of people who volunteer their time to teach and inspire this group. The list is a virtual who's who of CEO's, famous entrepreneurs, and bestselling authors. Many of these guests share the DNA and hard knocks of the entrepreneurs in the room.

The last GOT, in April 2009, had speakers ranging from the Founder of GSD&M Advertising and now best selling author, Roy Spence, to Bert Jacobs, CEO of the Life is Good® Company, to Kyle MacDonald, the young man who made a series of trades to go from one red paper clip to owning his very own home.

The reach of the Titan's group is impressive. They touch dozens of countries and help shape the face of entrepreneurial learning. David Galbenski is the CEO of Lumen Legal, a member of GOT, and also the 2008/2009 Global Chairman of The Entrepreneur's Organization ("EO"). Says David, "In this room, I am among more than just friends. I am with people who are actively making positive things happen in their communities." EO has membership in over 40 countries, representing more than 7,000 CEOs and 1.2 million employees.

Expert speakers often become evangelists for GOT. David Zelman, world-renowned coach who spoke at the first Gathering of Titans, has been back for every meeting since. "I was asked to be a teacher, but I think I wound up being a student. This group is so open, so enthusiastic and so driven, it is hard not to learn from them. I've seen this happen consistently -- people enter as experts and they leave as enthusiastic friends."

"I feel blessed to have GOT as an anchor and annual ritual in my life. It is an absolute privilege to select speakers for this event, and to hang out with a fantastic group of leading edge thinkers. This is one of the best parts of GOT for me," says Rick Sapio, GOT Chairman for the upcoming April 2010 event, and Chairman in 2005, 2007 and 2008. "I look forward to the challenge of helping select from a long list of thought leaders who want to share their vision, build ideas, and make positive changes. The word is out. This group is not only capable of creating fast-growth businesses; we can help change the world. I am very thankful to Mike Maddock, who did a phenomenal job as Chairman for GOT 2009."

Gathering of Titans

Gathering of Titans program ("GOT") is an annual, 5-day retreat at MIT's Endicott House in Dedham, MA. The event is the "Graduate Program" of the former Birthing of Giants Program, founded in 1989 by Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneurs Organization, and MIT. The purpose of GOT is to bring a large group of passionate CEOs to a gorgeous retreat setting to share world-advancing ideas and business insights. The speakers address the CEOs in an intimate space designed to allow information flow without obstruction.

SOURCE Gathering of Titans Foundation