Speaking of Ethics - Patrick Kuhse

What Clients Say About Patrick
Professional Groups & Associations "The story of Patrick Kuhse's odyssey down the slippery slope and back again had the audience riveted to their seats at our Business Ethics Awards event. On a subject where experience trumps theory every time, Patrick Kuhse is thoroughly engaging, funny when it is fitting, serious when it is appropriate, and always thought-provoking. Weeks later, people who heard him at our event still mention Patrick Kuhse when I encounter them elsewhere. One of my personal measurements of a speaker's success is how many people from the audience seek the speaker out at the rostrum once the event ends. Patrick was mobbed." Tom Collier President and CEO - Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona - Tucson, Arizona "As an event professional who manages upwards of 100 events per year, I'm always searching for new and unique program content. In a "sea of sameness" among professional speakers, Patrick stands out with a unique and compelling story that resonates with a broad audience. His story reads like a movie script, complete with high finance and international intrigue. He captures the imagination and attention of the audience, then delivers a powerful message about ethical behavior and doing the right thing. Standing ovations are testimony to the effectiveness of his message." Ron Rice Events Marketing Manager - Russell Investments "I am the Manager of Academic and Career Development for the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and work extensively with educators, students and business professionals. I cannot begin to explain the realism and power of Patrick's presentation on business ethics. It is extremely educational for business professionals, especially those in accounting and finance, and Patrick delivers the presentation with high quality and in a manner that resonates with the audience. Since having the opportunity to hear Patrick, I have recommended him to many other organizations and colleges and universities. To my knowledge, Patrick makes such an impact and impression that he his frequently asked to make return appearances. I give you my highest recommendation of Patrick, and am sure your association will benefit greatly from his experience and his story." Joe Bittner MBA CPA American Institute of CPAs Manager, Academic & Career Development "I have had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Kuhse speak three times. I have even had him speak to my staff. He has a wonderful insight into the human condition and "critical thinking errors" that can lead down the wrong path. Patrick is one of those unique speakers who can be interesting and deliver a powerful message at the same time." David Schweikert Maricopa County Treasurer - Phoenix, Arizona "It was no surprise to me that your presentation was by far the most popular and compelling of the day. Every person who attended the National City Ethics Conference had remarked on how helpful your story and advice was to them and how much fun they had with you! Your presentation was thought-provoking, engaging, and relevant ....It was lively and entertaining with a real message." Susan M. Rebner National City Corporation "Patrick - Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! for speaking at the National Association of Government Communicators Communication School. Not only did you educate the attendees with the importance of ethics in general, you had a way of reaching into the heart and touching the soul, reminding us why we need to stay ethical. You showed how it feels to move on and accept responsibility - with confidence! Your message was extremely powerful." Ginny Narsete Vice President - Programs - National Association of Government Communicators "Many thanks for your very logical & emotional presentation on the issue of "Ethics". As a result of your presentation, our attendance for this subject has never been greater. In fact, every attendee with whom I spoke said your presentation was the best they every heard on the subject of "Ethics". I was congratulated many times for finding you. Our executive director, Jenny, said we have set a new standard for our organization in having speakers of your caliber in the future. Again, thanks for the message you delivered. We should all lead a better life as a result." Mike Babin Program Chair - Financial Planning Association - New Orleans Chapter "Patrick: I have no doubt that I speak for all of our BOMA and IREM members when I say that your talk today was fantastic, nothing short of riveting! You were clearly meant to be a public speaker. In my modest opinion, you were easily one of the best speakers we've had all year -- and we've had some good ones! All my thanks." Traci Lagasse Partner - Gordon & Rees LLP Law Firm & Chair of the Programs & Seminars Committee for BOMA San Diego "Rarely do you meet a person willing to publicly share the consequences of unethical and illegal behavior where others can learn from his critical thinking errors. Patrick is the real deal. No textbook theory - instead, life's real experiences." Robert "BJ" Jensen System Compliance Officer - Scottsdale Healthcare "We offer the Code of Ethics Course every year at our National Sales and Education conference and this is the first time that the audience was visibly glued to the speaker. Patrick Kuhse has a compelling story to tell but he is also a powerful speaker that immediately grabs your attention and holds it for the entire two hours. Although his case is extreme, he also challenges the audience to define the concept of ethics and how it relates to them in a tangible way. Many of our advisors were actively engaged in the presentation and I had numerous attendees comment on how much they enjoyed it. In what has become a very talked about subject, Mr. Kuhse brings a fresh approach to Ethics that personally impacted many. We will definitely have him back again." Laura Vervaecke Manager, Continuing Education - LPL Financial Services "CONGRATULATIONS! You were among the top-five breakout session speakers at the recent Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC) Professional Forum in Memphis. Your honesty, courage, candor and passionate delivery were among the many positive comments that registrants made about your ethics presentation. I am confident that a strong majority will benefit from your story - don't change a thing!" Hazel J. Pankey Director, Conference Programs - Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC)		Educational Institutions "The aim of the Leadership & Ethics Forum is to foster thought, discussion and debate around the key ethical issues facing business leaders today.The feedback I received from many students after your presentation indicated that you were able to bring a unique perspective to this discussion, and forced students to think very carefully about ethics in all their decision-making. In particular, it was illuminating to be able to hear first-hand... what really drives people to make unethical decisions, and get some practical advice on how to avoid making the same mistakes. Your warning was a sobering reminder that we should consciously think about ethics in all decisions, even when dealing with people we trust." Jules Seeley Co-President - Leadership & Ethics Forum - Harvard Business School "Thank you for taking the time to come to the Harvard Business School and give your presentation. Speaking with Kevin Kelley, I got a sense of just how much everyone appreciated hearing your wisdom. I know that a number of students came up afterward to express their thorough enjoyment of the event. Again, thank you for taking time in your busy schedule to visit us." Bill Krause Co-President - Leadership Ethics Forum - Harvard Business School "Patrick has visited Iowa three times now and talked to students in our Undergraduate and each of our MBA programs (full-time, part-time and executive). He's been a real hit, motivating students and faculty to think about ethical issues in very practical and personal terms. The discussions are lively and impactful when we are faced with the realization that, if it can happen to Patrick, it can happen to us. We intend to invite him back every year." Gary Gaeth Ph.D. Associate Dean, School of Management - University of Iowa "I'd like to say a sincere thank-you for the speech you gave for the Stanford Graduate School of Business. I've listened to many ethics talks, but none came straight from the heart like yours. I was so touched and couldn't hold my tears during your speech. Your talk certainly made me stop and reconsider what are my real values and what really matters to me. In B-School, it's so easy to be blinded by the greed and "success at any cost" attitude that we lose sight of where we're heading to... until it's too late down the road. Your turnaround is certainly very laudable indeed and I'm sure your sons would be proud of you (I certainly would!). Thanks again for sharing your experience so that we can learn from your mistakes. I wish you all the best." Yann Kwok Stanford University "One of the reasons I enjoyed your talk so much is that I think it would have much more impact for young professionals than almost all of the ethics courses I've seen, and I've seen many. The reason is that what you say is so grounded in real experience, and comes from the heart & gut, and that's the level this material has to hit if it's to make an impression and have lasting impact." John Ullmen, Ph.D. UCLA "Patrick, in particular I want to mention how organized, articulate and sincere you were in your presentation, and how you made it relevant to high school students. I am sure they left reflecting upon the principles you expressed and the knowledge of the possible consequences of the actions they take, on a daily basis, in their lives." Dale Kalika Executive Vice President HOBY Arizona Board of Directors "Patrick has become a fixture in our annual Ethics Week program at the Whitman School. He offers insights and cautions about the slippery slope that leads smart people to do dumb things and good people to do bad things. He has a powerful and compelling message and delivers it in a way that is sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic, and most important, always thought-provoking." Fran Zollers Professor of Law & Public Policy Syracuse University "We wrestled for many years about how to most effectively introduce the subject of ethics to new MBA students. We have now had Patrick speak with our incoming students for several years, and can honestly say it is one of the highlights of our orientation program. Patrick is riveting and engages the students in a discussion regarding this important topic as few can." Cathy S. Dove Associate Dean, MBA Programs and Administration Cornell University "Mr. Kuhse's ethical decline, and the seemingly small decisions he made along the way, offered a glimpse into the mindset of today's fallen business leaders. While this is something we had learned about in the classroom, Mr. Kuhse gave us an impassioned, first person perspective. Indeed, his presentation served as a seemingly integral piece of our MBA education. We would be honored to have him speak with us again." Joshua Lerman Georgetown MBA Class of 2004 "Thanks for an engaging presentation to our students and alumni at Stanford University. I had several students stop me to thank me for bringing you. Your approach was direct, engaging, and effective with this audience. While we try hard in our program to keep students focused on these issues, sometimes is takes a story from the trenches with real and painful drama to drive the point home." Linda Wells Program Director Center for Entrepreneurial Studies Stanford University Graduate School of Business "You did an incredible job speaking at BYU today. I thought you were great two years ago but you have even gotten much, much better. The way you weaved in the principles into your life story was incredibly powerful. Thanks so much for coming and thanks for the valuable lessons you shared." Steve Albrecht Associate Dean, Marriott School of Management, BYU "I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your presentation. You had the students (and me) on the edge of our seats for nearly two hours. Normally, students leave during different times of a presentation, but I saw very little of that. In my 35 years of listening to presentations of different types/topics, yours ranks as near the best, if not the best. Keep up the good work!" Loren A. Nikolai Director of Masters Programs Ernst & Young Distinguished Professor School of Accountancy University of Missouri "I strongly recommend Patrick Kuhse as a lecturer in the subject area of white-collar crime and business ethics. His story is unique, but his fall from grace is universal. My students gave him the highest ratings." Suzanne Cummins, JD Eller College of Business and Public Administration University of Arizona "Suppose you were a fan of anything, sports, bands, speakers, or whatever. Further suppose there are ten events occurring on the same evening, all of which you really want to attend because of your underlying interest. Nine feature observers, commentators, peripheral participants, students, etc.; One involves a real player, one who can say: 'been there, done that.' Assuming all are equally articulate, interesting, and available, my guess is that the largest attendance will be with the real player. Why? Firsthand knowledge and experiences are more interesting than secondhand observations. Such is the case with Patrick Kuhse. He has lived a life at a financial level higher than most of us will ever experience. He has also lived a life as a fugitive and an inmate. His story is interesting and should be heard by all. But what makes Patrick's presentation special is that he has translated what happened into his personal critical thinking errors; those errors could easily happen to anyone. Your time spent with Patrick will be short. Patrick's observations should guide your thoughts for a lifetime." Bill Wells Senior Lecturer Business School, University of Washington