"It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive."
- Mike speaking at Bank of America with his Seeing Eye dog at his feet
- Mike May with Obama at White House
- Mike May with Stevie Wonder
- Mike May with Obama and accessibility group
- Mike speaking at United States Airforce Academy
- Mike delivering the commencement Keynote speech at Coker University
Mike May's Inspirational Speaking
Michael May has given hundreds of presentations to both corporate and nonprofit organizations around the world.
Mike May has been in training as a start-up CEO since he went blind at the age of three. Out of necessity, Mike developed the attitude that, "there is always a way." He illustrates this philosophy through stories of playing flag football in elementary school, intramural soccer in college, living in a West African village, crashing the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics, starting 4 companies, traveling worldwide and raising 2 boys. Mike's sincerity and humor are contagious in leading one to truly believe that there is indeed "always a way", not just because he is a blind person who has triumphed in the face of adversity, but because he has led a fascinating life using an ingenious combination of alternative tools and techniques.
Media on Mike May
Mike May has been the subject of international media stories over the past 30 years including NBC Dateline, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Washington Post, People Magazine and hundreds more. His first start-up company, Finial Technology, captured general and audio industry attention for the development of the world's first Laser Turntable in a race to beat out compact disc technology in 1984-1987. As a blind downhill skier, Mike was in the media for his exploits for setting the speed skiing record for a totally blind person (65 MPH) and winning 6 international medals including being in a Warren Miller feature ski movie and on ABC Wide World of Sports. President Reagan recognized Mike May personally at the White House along with the US Winter Olympic team. Mike was on President Obama's White House delegation to the 2010 Paralympics and he met with the President in 2009 regarding accessible technology for the disabled.
There was a media blitz with the development of the GPS technology for the blind on all the networks and magazine shows in 1995-1997. Mike burst onto the national scene again in spring of 2000 after he had two surgeries and regained some vision after 43 years of total blindness. This incredible experience is another in the litany of pioneering adventures Mike May brings to the public through the media and his presentations.
A BBC documentary on Mike's experiences entitled "The Man Who Learnt To See" won the Royal Television Society's award for "best single programme" in 2002.
A book about Mike May, Crashing Through, by best selling author Robert Kurson was among the top 50 books on Amazon in 2007 and a major motion picture is in the works. Mike was on CBS Sunday Morning, NPR Talk of the Nation, HBO Sports and the list goes on.
In a San Jose State University commencement ceremony speech, Jon C. Iwata, IBM Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications uses Crashing Through and Mike's journey into vision as a life strategy. Mike May spoke to IBM's top 500 sales people at their 100th anniversary meeting in Hawaii and a story about him is used in IBM's book on the past 100 years and the next 100 years.
Potential Presentation Topics
- "There is Always a Way!" Seeking challenges, problem solving, finding work-arounds, making the most of work and play.
- Making commercial products and Services Accessible for the Blind and Visually Impaired
- Creating orientation literacy for the blind through the use of GPS Navigation and Location Information.
- The Status and Future of Adaptive Technology for the Blind
Availability and Cost
Testimonials of Mike May Presentations
What attendees are saying about Mike May's presentations
"I am looking around and see that I am not the only one tearing up. Thanks for touching my heart and inspiring me to do my job better."
"You are the best speaker we have had in the 10 years we have been hosting this event for our distributors."
"A week after your keynote and our teachers are still buzzing."
"..the most powerful personal message I have ever heard."
"What makes your story so credible is that you live the message."
"Your presentation was the best that I have ever seen and I've seen a lot."
Mike May with U.S. Presidents Reagan and Clinton
