Speakers & Entertainment

Keynote Speaker | Entertainment & Awards Event

Dara Torres
Keynote Speaker

Winner of twelve Olympic medals, the first athlete to appear as a model for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, a successful broadcaster, and mother of two-year old Tessa Grace, Dara Torres has shattered expectations by making her record fifth US Olympic team. In her second comeback after 6 years away from the pool, Dara has become the oldest female swimmer, at age 41, to make the Olympic team. Competing against girls half her age, she has been unstoppable, breaking the US record in the 50m Freestyle multiple times on her way to Beijing.

Competing on the international stage since the age of 14, Dara carried her success to the University of Florida where she earned the maximum 28 possible NCAA All-American swimming awards. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Dara won three Silver medals, two in the 4x100m Freestyle relay and 4x100 Medley relay, and one in the 50m Freestyle race (the highest medal she’s ever won in an individual event).

Outside of swimming, Dara has had great success as a TV commentator and a print model and was a feature correspondent for Good Morning America, worked on-air for ESPN, TNT and Fox News Channel including stints on NHL Cool Shots and Fox Sports Sunday.

Dara Torres will speak at the general session on Wednesday, March 11, 2009.

Entertainment & Awards Event
Henry Cho, Julianne Hough, Taylor Ware

Join your colleagues on Wednesday, March 11, for an evening of fun, excitement and awards. The evening awards celebration will include a variety of entertainment and we invite you to dress the part for the “Denim and Diamonds” themed event. Guys are encouraged to mix tux tops and boots with pressed Levis and a fancy Stetson. And the gals can show up in their designer jeans and alligator boots – or their Dior gown with boots and Stetson. It’s “no rules” – just lots of glitz and glamour! Comedian Henry Cho will keep you laughing throughout the evening. You’ll be entertained by singer, actress and dancer Julianne Hough who is a two-time professional dance champion on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” and last but not least, be amazed by Taylor Ware, 13-year old yodeler who was a top finalist on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” last summer. Be sure to dress the part for this “Denim and Diamonds” themed event. This is sure to be an evening to remember.

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Henry Cho
Entertainment

Henry Cho had his own one hour Comedy Central special entitled: “What’s That Clickin’ Noise?” Henry’s other comedy credits include NBC’s “Bob Hope’s Young Comedians Special,” MTV’s “½ Hour Comedy Hour,” several appearances on “The Tonight Show” and “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” and he hosted the Great American Country Top 20 countdown during Labor Day weekend, 2008.

Cho has toured with Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Willie Nelson, Lee Ann Womack, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Brooks & Dunn, and Martina McBride.

Cho recently inked a deal with CBS and Paramount Studios to co-create and star in his own sitcom.

Click here to see a video of Henry Cho.

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Julianne Hough
Entertainment

A triple threat as a singer, actress and dancer, Julianne Hough is already known to millions of fans as the two-time professional dance champion on ABC-TV’s top-rated “Dancing with the Stars,” which drew audiences up to 20 million viewers. She will continue on another season of “Dancing with the Stars” this year.

The television newsmagazine “20/20” describes her as one of the "very best dancers on the planet." Her winning partners included Apolo Anton Ohno and Helio Castroneves. She has also made guest appearances on other shows such as “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “The View,” “Ellen,” and “Good Morning America.”

Hough started making regular trips to Nashville in the rare time she had off from the TV show and the DWTS tour. She recorded “Will You Dance With Me” for an American Red Cross fund raising project that benefited Kansas tornado victims. The song received quite a reaction on iTunes and peaked at No. 8 on their country charts. Her self-titled CD launched onto the country charts on May 20, 2008 at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Album chart. The debut single, “That Song in My Head,” is a top 20 hit.

Hough received her first Emmy nomination in the “Outstanding Choreography” category with former partner and champ Helio Castroneves, which was awarded at the 60th Creative Arts Emmys on September 13 in Los Angeles. Hough is currently on tour with Brad Paisley for the remaining of summer and fall.

Click here to see a video of Julianne Hough.

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Taylor Ware
Entertainment

Taylor Ware is a 13 year old kid with enormous talent. At age seven she got a yodeling instruction book and tape while attending a music convention and fell in love with yodeling. Ware won the Yahoo! Yodel Challenge National Championship at age 9 in New York City. She has performed on the world famous Grand Ole Opry several times.

She was a top finalist on NBC's big hit last summer, "America's Got Talent,” she performed on the MDA Jerry Lewis Telethon last fall in Las Vegas, and also sang the National Anthem at the Liberty Bowl Football Game in December on ESPN.

“I'll always be singing and yodeling. Anybody can yodel or do anything at all if they work at it and ‘Love’ it. I am just a kid figuring things out as I go along and doing what I love, and really...it's not work at all. Yodel On!”

Click here to see a video of Taylor.

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