Lou Heckler, CSP, CPAE

Hall of Fame Speaker & Master Story Teller

With more than two thousand speeches and workshops on his resume, Lou Heckler brings years of practical experience to the platform every time he speaks. He knows that franchise operators want do-able ideas, not a bunch of academic theories or motivational fluff. He does use a whimsical sense of humor and a compelling story-telling ability to make his points clear and fun to experience. Listeners feel like he is speaking to an audience of one and meeting planners find him as enjoyable to work with off-stage as on.

Clients include:

Burger King
Carpet One
Hampton Inns

Click here for sample client list

Speaker Bio

Lou Heckler has been studying peak performers for more than 40 years. Following his 14-year career in public and commercial television, Lou formed his own company in 1980. Since that time, he has been speaking professionally and coaching other speakers around the globe. He spent 19 years on the adjunct faculty of the University of Michigan’s Executive Education Center, leading more than 200 programs in Ann Arbor and on remote sites across the US and in Hong Kong.

Lou’s education consists of a degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and two advanced schools while serving on active duty in the US Army in the early 70’s.

He is a Certified Speaking Professional, a designation of the National Speakers Association (NSA), and was inducted into the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2009, he received the Cavett, NSA’s highest recognition for service to his clients and the association. In 2010, readers of Meetings & Conventions magazine named him one of their favorite keynote speakers.

He has been married since 1968 to novelist Jonellen Heckler and they have a son, daughter-in-law and two young granddaughters.

Driving Story

Travels From: Gainesville, FL

Fee Range: $6,500 - $10,000

“As a conference planning chairperson, engaging Lou Heckler to do a keynote presentation and session at our annual conference was the best move I could have made! His ability to weave storytelling and humor into his message is truly amazing and refreshing.”

Susan Kerns, 2011 Conference Planning Chairperson

Association of Insurance Compliance Professionals

Program Information

Leadership by CHOICE

Top leaders in any industry make daily choices that fuel their effectiveness. This is true whether one carries the formal title of leader or not. This talk takes the word CHOICE and uses it as an acronym for the six main choices we have seen high-achieving leaders make:

Competence with tasks and with people
High expectations of self and associates
Ongoing relationship nurturing
Innovation in service delivery and responsiveness
Clarity in both the content and the context of the job
Energy and excitement to fuel and inspire others

Let’s Get Engaged

People may be more electronically connected than ever before, but face-to-face connections often suffer. This program looks at three areas that franchise operators face every day as they challenge their staff to perform at the highest levels: Engaging with Purpose…Engaging with Performance…and Engaging with People. We will look at stimulating more initiative…focusing on values, not just tactics…serving others with joy and grace…and treating every encounter like it’s the “opening night” of a Broadway show.

Pursuing Peak Performance

Over more than 40 years in business, Lou has studied high achievers and researched their common traits to put together a presentation that is loaded with great ideas…peppered with humorous and relevant stories…and filled with moments of inspiration and fun. He believes we can generate top performance in those around us by insisting people focus on: