Outstanding Alumni - 1995
Michael McKinley
Bemidji State University Graduate 1965
Career and Professional Achievements
- Sales manager, WAXX Radio, Eau Clair, WI.
- General Manager, Eau Claire Mattress Manufacturing Co.
- President, Happy Sleeper Sleep Shops.
- President, McKinley Companies, Inc.: Divisions of Thinking Publications, Alive! Alive! Associates and Maxing Publishing.
- Full-time professional speaker across North America at convention and business meetings.
Community Service
- Has spoken many times for free to non-profit organizations, student associations on university campuses, in college courses, and at high school classes.
- Volunteer, YMCA.
- Volunteer, EXCEL ? Wisconsin Employment Education Program for ?difficult to employ? individuals.
- Worked extensively with Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce on its annual banquet.
Outstanding Service to Bemidji State University
- Promote BSU to audiences.
- Mentions BSU in his biography that is sent to every meeting planner who hires him; frequently this biography get printed in their program.
- Financially support the Alumni Association and the David Park House.
Personal Achievements/Awards
- President, National Speakers Association (NSA), 1994-1995.
- CSP (Certified Speaking Professional ? earned designation from NSA).
- CPAE (Council of Peers Award for Excellence ? only 5 awarded each year).
- Small Business Person of the Year (1994) in the Greater Eau Claire area.
- Was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 26, and has learned to compensate for it.