Dave Sanderson speaking at Spring Valley Rotary Club July 27
July 18, 2017
Miracle on the Hudson Survivor, Author, Moments Matter & Speaker, Owner of Dave Sanderson Speaks
The Rotary Club of Spring Valley announced that Dave Sanderson will be the guest speaker at their Thursday, July 27th meeting and the public is invited to attend. The club meets from 1 to 2 pm in the Grand Hall of Northeast Presbyterian Church located at 601 Polo Road in Northeast Columbia. To reserve your seat for this presentation, please contact Diane Junis at (803) 873-0254 or by email at [email protected].
When US Airways Flight 1549, or “The Miracle on the Hudson” ditched into the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, Dave Sanderson knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be. The last passenger off the back of the plane on that fateful day, he was largely responsible for the well-being and safety of others, risking his own life in frigid water to help other passengers off the plane. Despite the hazard to himself, Sanderson thought only of helping others and emerged from the wreckage with a mission: to encourage others to do the right thing. In this stirring presentation, Sanderson shares the story of Flight 1549, revealing the inner strength it took to make it through the day, and how teamwork, leadership, and state management can help overcome any obstacle.
Motivated by this near-death experience, the teamwork and resourcefulness demonstrated that day by him and his fellow passengers, and the compassion shown to him by rescuers, emergency professionals and concerned volunteers who looked after him, Dave Sanderson has made it his life’s work to give back. In the 7 years since the crash, he has transitioned from a successful sales career to motivational speaking and mentoring, translating the Miracle on the Hudson into an inspirational message that resonates far beyond what happened that day, and which he hopes will be relevant to everyone in his audience. “I think that people are looking for leaders. People are looking for insight on how to handle unexpected challenges. When something tough happens in your life, how can you get through it? They’re seeking advice from people who’ve been there,” he explains, and adds: “It’s not just about surviving a plane crash. Everything I’’d learned about solving problems, big and small, coalesced that day for me and 149 other passengers on the plane. You may never have that experience, but what worked that day can work every day in your life, and that’s what people understand and draw strength from,” Sanderson says.
Since the Miracle on the Hudson, considered the most successful ditching in aviation history, Dave Sanderson has built a career as a motivational speaker, mentor and author. Currently, Sanderson averages over 100 speeches a year for major corporations across the United States as well as overseas, including Baylor and James Madison Universities, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, BP, Canada Life, Delta Airlines, Exxon/Mobile, Entrepreneurs Organization, YPO, eWomen Network, and numerous banking associations.
In addition, Sanderson has appeared at countless fundraisers that have raised over $8.56 million for the American Red Cross. He continues to donate his speaker services to the organization as an expression of gratitude for the care he received from one of the first persons he saw after he was rescued and transferred to land in New Jersey: a Red Cross volunteer with a blanket.
In his new book, “Moments Matter, Sanderson discusses lessons learned from the Miracle on the Hudson and how one defining moment in your life can create your lifetime of purpose. A firsthand account of his experience aboard US Airways Flight 1549 appears in the book “Brace for Impact: Miracle on the Hudson Survivors Share Their Stories of Near Death and Hope for New Life” by Dorothy Firman and Kevin Quirk.
Sanderson was born in Peoria, Illinois, and grew up in Hillsboro, Ohio and Winchester, Virginia. His dreams of playing college football ended when he suffered a career-ending knee injury. He attended James Madison University and graduated with a BBA in International Business. He began his professional career in restaurant management, and went on to work as a National Sales Manager for ADP, Sales Manager for PeopleSoft, Sales Manager for KPMG Consulting, Senior Vice President of Sales for Genesis 10; Application Sales Manager for Oracle, and Security Director for Robbins Research International, Inc., An Anthony Robbins Company. He lives with Terri, his wife of 29 years and his four children – Chelsey, Colleen, Courtney and Chance – in Charlotte, North Carolina.
