L. Gale Lemerand Speaker Series Scheduled for November 19

Gale Lemerand Speaker Series Scheduled for November 19

Daymond John is the featured speaker for virtual event

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 28, 2020) – Daytona State College, with partner Eastern Florida State College, will present the L. Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Series on Thursday, November 19. The keynote speaker is Daymond John, Founder/CEO of FUBU, Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship, Star of ABC's Shark Tank and CEO of The Shark Group.

The series was originally founded by the late Bernie Simpkins, a successful Brevard businessman and philanthropist, and friend of Mr. Lemerand, for whom the series is named. It features advice and inspiration from some of the nation's leading business owners and is open to all DSC students, local high school students, and the community.

The free virtual event is scheduled from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. Registration information and links are available at www.DaytonaState.edu/SpeakerSeries .

The L. Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Series Scholarship will also be awarded to students interested in becoming entrepreneurs. Up to three $1,000 scholarships may be given, based on the following criteria: one Volusia or Flagler County high school student who plans to attend DSC; one DSC college-credit student; and one DSC Adult Education student. The scholarship application window is open now through November 3 at 11:59 p.m. Please visit www.DaytonaState.edu/scholarships to submit an application.

About the Speaker

From his wildly successful role on ABC’s smash hit, Shark Tank, to his distinguished status as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship, Daymond John has become globally recognized for his relentless commitment to promoting and supporting entrepreneurs. Daymond initially made his mark as the entrepreneur and branding expert behind the groundbreaking lifestyle brand, FUBU, which has eclipsed more than $6 billion in global retail sales. From the streets of Hollis, Queens, Daymond started a global movement from the basement of his mother’s house by capitalizing on the then fledgling hip-hop culture. FUBU was undoubtedly a key development for the streetwear market, which today is a $20 billion industry.

Since then, Daymond has continued to challenge himself and the business world in which he operates. In 2009, Daymond was tapped by lauded television producer, Mark Burnett, to join the cast of a new business-reality concept, Shark Tank. Now, after nine seasons, four Emmy Awards, multiple Critic’s Choice Awards and millions of dollars in investments, the show has become one of the most successful business reality series of all time. Over the course of the series, Daymond has been a mainstay of the cast of Sharks and is now affectionately referred to as, “The People’s Shark.”

Resolved to share his hard-learned lessons – from major successes and failures – Daymond has written four books, and become a 'New York Times Best-Selling Author’. While his previous books, Display of Power and The Brand Within were national best-sellers, The Power of Broke (2016) and Rise And Grind: Outperform, Outwork, and Outhustle Your Way to a More Successful and Rewarding Life (2018) are the only New York Times best-selling books from any of the Sharks.

Beyond the brands, the television series and the books, Daymond’s commitment to entrepreneurship has been celebrated on a global level. In 2015, he was named a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship and was part of an exclusive group who joined President Obama at the Global Entrepreneur Summit in Kenya. In March of 2016, Daymond accompanied The President on his historic trip to Cuba, which represented the first time a sitting U.S. president visited the island since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.

One of Daymond’s proudest accomplishments is his continued fight against dyslexia. He has worked with the Yale Center for Dyslexia and he currently sits on the advisory board of Understood.org. Daymond has embraced his affliction allowing it to be a catalyst for his career as a highly sought after public speaker and author.

As a dynamic speaker with more than twenty-five years of proven business experience, Daymond regularly speaks at Fortune 100 companies, conferences, universities, and independent businesses alike. Whether he’s speaking about entrepreneurship, marketing & branding, financial literacy or goal-setting strategies, Daymond’s high energy presentations give audiences relatable advice and practical takeaways. Daymond has delivered keynote speeches for organizations such as General Mills, Johnson & Johnson, Samsung, AT&T, Yale, Georgia State University, Purdue University and dozens more.

A recipient of more than thirty-five awards, including the Brandweek Marketer of the Year and Ernst & Young’s Master Entrepreneur of the Year, Daymond serves as CEO of the brand consultancy, The Shark Group, which specializes in brand strategy and development, artist relations and talent development. Under Daymond’s leadership, The Shark Group has re-written the script on how companies, brands and products can seamlessly work together to yield a sum greater than its parts. The Shark Group works with a wide range of businesses and brands, including Capital One, HSN, Forbes, Miller Lite, Gillette, Shopify and Infusionsoft and superstars such as Muhammad Ali, the Kardashians, Pitbull, Stan Lee, Carlos Santana, Jillian Michaels and others.

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