Wednesday Keynote

Keynote Speaker: Ed Viesturs 

Speaker: Ed Viesturs

Keynote Biography

Ed Viesturs made a career as a professional mountaineer. He originally thought to work as a veterinarian, but after earning his degree in Veterinary Medicine his desire to climb full time changed the course of his life. Viesturs’ eventual goal was to climb all of the world’s fourteen 8000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen. This was a project that he christened Endeavor 8000. His goal, which eventually took 18 years to complete, ended on May 12, 2005, with his ascent of Annapurna, one of the world’s most treacherous peaks. He is one of only a handful of climbers in history (and the only American) to accomplish this. That same year Viesturs was awarded National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year. In 2002, he was awarded the historic Lowell Thomas Award by the Explorer’s Club for outstanding achievement in the field of mountaineering. In winning the award, he joined an elite group of climbers including Sir Edmund Hillary. In 1992 he was also awarded the American Alpine Club Sowles Awards for his participation in two rescues on K-2.

During his career, Viesturs has also made seven successful ascents of 29,028’ Mt. Everest, three of these without supplemental oxygen.

Viesturs still guides clients worldwide on climbing adventures, is an Ambassador for Rolex, and works as a design consultant for Boulder Colorado based outdoor clothing manufacturer Himali. Ed also serves as a spokesman and advocate for Big City Mountaineers (BCM), an organization that instills critical life skills in under-resourced youth through wilderness mentoring experiences that help keep kids in school, reduce violence and drug use.

Viesturs resides in Ketchum Idaho with his wife Paula of 26 years, and their four children.

KEYNOTE TOPIC:  NO SHORTCUTS TO THE TOP

• ”Getting to the summit is optional, getting down is mandatory”. Climbing a mountain has to be a round trip. You need to plan ahead and have resources to make sure you finish what you set out to do.
• ”Listen to your instincts”. Make decisions based on your experience, training and gut feelings. Don’t get caught up in group think.
• “Temper your ambition in the face of overwhelming risk”. Be patient enough to wait for the right time to move forward, even if others are going ahead. My motto has always been “The mountain decides whether you climb or not. The art of mountaineering is knowing when to go, when to stay, and when to retreat.”
• “Patience and persistence are keys to success but I believe that passion is the most critical ingredient”. If you are passionate about what you do, you’ll perform better, enjoy the process and be willing to take as long as it takes to succeed.
• “Perseverance and maintaining your standards of excellence through changing conditions is part of any long-term endeavor”. If you are involved in any sort of project or campaign, you have to understand that the bad times go along with the good times. For most things though, in the long run, there is usually an upward trend, but it can be a bumpy road along the way. Believing in yourself and not compromising your standards for the sake of quick success are essential to any sustainable endeavor.
• “Teamwork, regardless of the industry, is the same: It is an implicit trust in and recognition that the person next to you is No. 1”. Communication within your team, and empowering others to be able to contribute towards making a decision is part of good leadership.
• “Manage risk in a dangerous arena.” Many aspects of life and business have inherent dangers. Objective risks cannot be eliminated or controlled. These risks we accept. “Subjective” risks are created by ambition, hubris, the drive to succeed at all costs and poor planning. These are the risks that we can control.