Bob Graham
Two Time Governor of Florida, Three Time US Senator and 2004 Presidential Candidate
Fee Range
$25,000Travels From
Miami, Florida, United States
Bob Graham
Biography
Senator Bob Graham is the former two-term governor of Florida and served for 18 years in the United States Senate. This combined with 12 years in the Florida legislature for a total of 38 years of public service. As Governor and Senator, Bob Graham was a centrist, committed to bringing his colleagues together behind programs that served the broadest public interest. He was recognized by the people of Florida when he received an 83% approval ranking as he concluded eight years as Governor. Bob Graham retired from public service in January 2005, following his Presidential campaign in 2004. Bob Graham is recognized for his leadership on issues ranging from healthcare and environmental preservation to his ten years of service on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence - including eighteen months as chairman in 2001-2002. Following the release of the Joint Inquiry's final report in July 2003, Senator Graham steadfastly advocated reform of the intelligence community and sponsored legislation to bring about needed changes. In the fall of 2004, Senator Graham authored Intelligence Matters based upon his experiences gleaned during the joint inquiry and his analysis of the run up to the Iraq war.Senator Graham has been in demand as a lecturer by civic groups and educational institutions. He has also been a regular contributor to National Public Radio's Morning Edition, a frequent commentator on Fox and PBS, and has written opinion editorials for newspapers. Since retirement, Bob Graham's articles have appeared in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, St. Petersburg Times, South Florida Sun Sentinel, Miami Herald, Sarasota Herald Tribune, the Palm Beach Post and the Tampa Tribune.Senator Graham completed a year as a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government where he lectured extensively to undergraduate, graduate and executive management students. At Harvard, Senator Bob Graham led a class of undergraduates on the topic of civic education reform. He also finalized two intelligence projects and began researching and writing his third book, tentatively entitled "What Citizens Need to Know to Make Democracy Respond," scheduled for publication in 2009.Senator Bob Graham currently serves Chairman of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, a congressionally mandated bipartisan commission tasked with following up on recommendations from the 9/11 Commission relating to WMD terrorism. In addition, he is the chair of the Board of Overseers of the Graham Center for Public Policy. This Center, with a home at the University of Florida and the University of Miami, commenced programs in the fall of 2006 in the areas of Public Leadership, Homeland Security, and The Americas, subjects in which he has been deeply involved during his public career. Graham is also a director of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.Since his retirement, Senator Graham has been recognized by national and Florida organizations for his public service. These include:The Woodrow Wilson Institute award for Public Service The National Park Trust Public Service award The Everglades Coalition Hall of Fame The Florida Homebuilders Hall of Fame The largest bridge in Florida, constructed while he was Governor, was renamed the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge An honorary doctorate of public service from his alma mater, the University of Florida.Bob and Adele have returned to their home in Miami Lakes, Florida, and enjoying more time with their four daughters and eleven grandchildren.
Bob Graham
Featured Keynote Programs
Leadership:
Leadership:
Over the last 38 years, Senator Graham has not only learned the principles of leadership in what is considered one of the most competitive environments, American politics, but he has also mastered these principles to the point of being able to teach them to management teams. The Senator has learned over the years that the fundamental differentiation between management and leadership is the former takes what is and attempts to make it as efficient and productive as possible while a leader challenges the status quo. To challenge, Senator Graham shows management teams how to possess:
- A sense of place - to "know the territory." The two initiatives which most contribute to this sense of place are a study of the history - a leader cannot lead for the future unless he has an understanding of how he got to the present - and personal experience.
- Anticipation of what is coming over the horizon: it is not sufficient to change - to move from A to B. To stay ahead of the competition requires constant transformation; a pace and depth of change that will keep the true leader with a winning edge. The sooner a leader understands what will be required to win in the new world in which he will be living, the sooner he will be able to make the transformations necessary to do so.
- Non-arrogant self confidence: a true leader is not a weather vane - he brings a set of personal values and experiences to the position of leadership. However, a leader is open to new information which will challenge those previously held beliefs and cause him to modify them or be strenthened in the validity of previous convictions.
- Presence to be able to persuade others to follow the lead: the best form of leadership is by example. If you want others to follow, demonstrate by your actions your personal commitment.
Every society, organization and community depends on its leaders for growth and survival. These characteristics of leadership are learned not inherited. Everyone can be a leader if you are willing to make the sacrifice to acquire the qualities necessary to challenge the status quo and shape a new future.
Healthcare:
Healthcare:
Healthcare has been a primary focus of Graham's public career. In the Florida State Senate, he was chairman of the Healthcare Committee, where he established the state's landmark community care for the elderly program. As Governor he initiated major healthcare reforms. In the United States Senate, he was the primary Finance Committee Democrat on national healthcare policy.
Work days
Work days
One of the hallmarks of Senator Graham’s public service career was the long term commitment he undertook that became known as “Work Days”. From marine scientist to garbage collector, college professor to nursing home orderly, work days (an astounding 408 different jobs over 30 years) and the people with whom he worked, the lessons learned from them and their friendship through the years have been an important and defining part of his public service. No American public official has ever done this; no one has had such a close connection with the people he served. Work days also enhanced his understanding and leadership capabilities, and allows him the opportunity to present a combination of motivational and humorous speeches primarily told through stories of his experiences on the job. During the 1978 gubernatorial campaign he wrote a book “Work Days – Finding Florida on the Job.”
Environment:
Environment:
Having spent eighteen years on the Senate environment and public works committee and as Governor in 1983, he initiated a series of programs to Save Our Coasts; Rivers; the endangered manatee and his signature the Save the Everglades program. This initiative became the largest environmental restoration undertaken in American history. In June of 2005, he received the National Park Trust Public Service Award.
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