ALLIANT BUILD AMERICA AWARDS LUNCHEON

Joby Ogwyn is world renowned for his prowess as an adventurer, high-altitude mountain climber, BASE jumper, and wing-suit explorer. He summited Mount Kilimanjaro when he was just 18. When he first summited Everest in 1999, he was the youngest American to do so. Best known as a top speed climber, in 2004 Ogwyn beat the ascent record of the Tibetan peak Cho Oyu. He reached the 8,000-foot summit in just eight hours. Four years later, he climbed Mount Everest in just nine and a half hours (it takes most people at least three days to complete that feat), setting the world record for the fastest ascent. He also holds the world speed record for his ascent of Ama Dablam in Nepal. By age 26 he had become the youngest person in the world to climb the "Seven Summits." For most climbers, reaching the summit of Everest is the ultimate dream, but for Ogwyn – it was only the beginning. With a passion for human flight, he was also the first person to fly next to Mount Everest and around all four faces of the Matterhorn in a wing-suit. He holds the world record for three BASE jumps from the Eiger north face in one day, as well.

In presentations, he shares jaw-dropping stories and photos of his adventures around the world while igniting in his audience a passion to live and perform at the highest levels. His speeches are an inspiring and often hair-raising look inside his many feats, and he helps audiences understand and embrace the values and principles that made them successful. A man of many "firsts," he knows what it is like being faced with the unknown, unfamiliar environments, change, and challenges. He shares insights on about what it takes to succeed – having a vision, creating a plan, and fully committing to it, and he understands—with death-defying clarity—how important that last step is. Like he says, there is no "try" when it comes to jumping off a mountain. There is only "do," and he went from never having worn a parachute to successfully completing the most iconic BASE jump in the world in only 30 days – a feat most professionals said was impossible. Ogwyn’s insights on what it takes to be successful resonate as he encourages audiences to embrace the future, challenge themselves, and never look back.

With more than 30 global expeditions completed, the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Patagonia continue to be a playground for Ogwyn’s adventures, but he is now seeking new ways of exploring the world. He has been an adventure addict all his life, climbing volcanoes and exploring Mayan ruins in Guatemala as a teen. His passion to explore has led him from his home in the flat lands of Louisiana to the highest places on Earth. In 2007, Ogwyn also teamed up with National Geographic to make Adventure Wanted, which featured him racing cars, base jumping, bull riding, and white-water kayaking. He continues to explore the mountains of the world using his amazing flying suits.

Ogwyn knows that success depends on preparation. He has undergone extensive training all over the world and knows how to prepare to conquer one’s fears – despite being an avid mountain climber and wing-suit jumper, he is afraid of heights!