IRE Keynote Speaker a Conman!

Sheesh, last year they had Mark Kelly who has vowed to infringe our 2A rights, and this year a man who made his name scamming people and now makes money talking about his career of scamming people? Shouldn't the roofing industry be trying to improve our image?

Who is next year Jane Fonda?

Whether Mark Kelly was smart enough to steer clear of the gun debate in his IRE speech or not, there is not doubt about his agenda to infringe 2A.

I don't want an open mind to people whom I have fundamental core differences with. I don't want to give them any power that goes along with boosting his numbers. I've already heard his side of it.

Emotion drives his and his wife's agenda and that's never a heathy thing. That's a little like me starting a campaign to make it illegal for farm tractors to use public roadways - I'd be emotionally preoccupied and my opinion would mean less.

Catch me if you can; It was a fun movie to watch.

Hey, I was in San Antonio last year and I heard Mark Phillips talk. It was interesting and a good talk. The small part of it about guns really didn't have much to do with anything and it was a part of what he was talking about. I was prepared to walk out if he started to bash the 2nd amendment, but he didn't.

As long as someone is passionate about what they are talking about and can back it up, I say let them talk. We all get pretty tired "jumping" to conclusions.

Fair point Mike, but then, Hitler and Charles Manson would probably be interesting to listen to, as well. :)

I know, that's going too far.

I'm just saying that I personally would have chosen a speaker who personal story is a positive story, not one of redemption after having bilked millions from people. Afterall, if you take out his life of crime before he found religion, the rest of his story is pretty ordinary and not very compelling. Thus, his crimes are the source of his fame.

I made a consious choice 26 years ago not to support Vegas. For me to apply this logic to Frank A. would also require me to condemn every roofer that attends the IRE in Vegas, or any other function in Vegas. eh?

Won't do that, so I'll just say I think his story is fascinating and I'd love to hear the guy talk.

flatbed Said: The generally lackluster tone around here for all the salesman who are now roofers proves to me that he might just be the right fit :)

:cheer: :cheer:

Roger that! :P

I have failed at everything I ever tried, but that doesn't mean I can't strive to expect better. B)

The generally lackluster tone around here for all the salesman who are now "roofers" proves to me that he might just be the right fit :)

Twill I agree that he's paid a debt to society but he is the kind of guy we should be pointing to as an example of what not to be, rather than using him as an example that you can be a crook and still be a success.

Lefty, there is a lot of middle ground in between your examples. And lest you think your life has been unique, sounds like it was much like mine.

Let some other organization use Abagnale to assuage their guilt. Let him speak at a broker's convention or a banker's convention where his past has some relevancy and where the industry doesn't have an image problem to consider. The roofing industry needs to work harder to present a positive image. That is better served by a whole host of more appropriate speakers, like:

* Chuck Yeager * Dakota Meyer * Brandon Webb * Home Depot cofounder Bernie Marcus (not Bernie Madoff)

The choice for keynote speaker at IRE shouldn't make half of the members squirm. It shouldn't be an edgy choice, it should be an interesting/compelling but safe choice.

I was the guy your parents told you not to hang out with. I was sitting in juvenile hall at the age of 14. The list goes on till I was 35.

If that was held against me the last 23 years of my life I should have just kept doing what I was doing. I am not proud of what I done, but I do not hide it either. If my future is dictated by yesterday, I should commit suicide right now and get it over with.

All the awards I have recieved in the last 23 years should be taken away from me. All the places I have spoken at to tell my story should have been protested so the ignorant that listen to my talk would have been informed of their ignorance.

Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone.

It was a good movie.

I look at it this way......... he was very young when he did his crimes.

www.dailytube4u.com/viewvideo/33100/wikispeaks/frank-abagnale-wiki-article

Robert Said: Sounds to me like he should run for congress! Lol :woohoo:

Yep. Lol

Sounds to me like he should run for congress! Lol :woohoo:

Frank William Abagnale, Jr. (/ˈæbəɡneɪl/, Italian pronunciation: [abaɲˈɲale]; born April 27, 1948)[2] is an American security consultant known for his history as a former confidence trickster, check forger and impostor. He became one of the most famous impostors ever,[3] claiming to have assumed no fewer than eight identities as an airline pilot, a doctor, a U.S. Bureau of Prisons agent, and a lawyer. He escaped from police custody twice (once from a taxiing airliner and once from a U.S. federal penitentiary), before he was 21 years old.[4] He served fewer than five years in prison before starting to work for the federal government. He is currently a consultant and lecturer for the FBI academy and field offices. He also runs Abagnale & Associates, a financial fraud consultancy company.[5]

How about a Jack Welch, or Marcus Luttrell?