Chesley B. (Sully) Sullenberger, III – OOSS Perspective 2015 Keynote Speaker

Chesley B. (Sully) Sullenberger, III

“Miracle on the Hudson” Hero Pilot; Contributor, CBS News and Best-selling Author

A true American hero whose expertise and actions saved the lives of his passengers and countless souls on the ground, Captain Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger shares his inspirational story while showing how preparation, leadership and focus are the keys to overcoming any obstacle—both in business and in life.

Named one of the world’s 100 most influential people by TIME magazine, Captain Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger is an international hero, propelled into the spotlight after safely guiding a US Airways jetliner to an emergency landing on the icy Hudson River. A consummate leader, Sully shares timeless management principles—including his credo of “leadership by personal example”—and the lessons from his life that prepared him to handle the unprecedented crisis presented by the “Miracle on the Hudson.” A 40-year accomplished pilot, instructor and aviation safety expert with over 20,000 flight hours, he discusses with audiences how education, teamwork, preparation and creating a culture of safety can improve any organization. A focused, unflappable and deliberate leader, Sully’s sound decision-making ability and strong personal commitment to improving an industry have helped him to emerge as a model by which others measure success. As founder of Safety Reliability Methods, a consulting company dedicated to management, safety and performance, Sully also serves as Aviation and Safety Expert for CBS and is a contributor to CBS News. In collaboration with DuPont Sustainable Solutions, Sully developed and was featured in a multi-award winning video training program, Miracle on the Hudson: Prepare for Safety, which helps employees increase their commitment to safety and transform their organizations’ safety culture. He is the author of two books—The New York Times best-selling book Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters (2009) and Making a Difference: Stories of Vision and Courage from America’s Leaders(May, 2012) in which Sully embarked on a personal quest to meet with distinguished Americans from diverse fields with varied styles of leadership but who all embody the credo of “leadership by example.”