Register at bicsi.org/winter I pg. 5
CLOSING
KEYNOTE
Admiral Mike
“Wizard” McCabe
Thursday, January 24 | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Mike McCabe is a highly decorated, experienced leader, former admiral and corporate CEO, who teaches others to lead teams to reach their
potential. As head of all Naval Aviation, Admiral McCabe oversaw some of the deepest technological shifts and changes at the U.S. Navy.
He ensured thousands of military personnel would be ready for these transformations and managed the budgets that supported these key
innovations and changes. His career was driven by one motivation: sustaining a culture of excellence, while caring for his people, and he is eager
to share these leadership values of care, action and innovation with today’s decision-makers.
Mike draws inspiration from his father, a World War II Navy pilot and early jet pilot, who was killed deploying to the Korean War. Eighteen months
after graduating college, Mike was flying combat missions under the mentorship of one of the original TOPGUN instructors, shooting down
MIGs together. He became the Executive Officer of TOPGUN himself, and the two
combined again to contribute to the movie “Top Gun.”
Mike commanded at every operational level of the Navy. His five
commands at sea ranged from 14 Fighters and 300 personnel
to a U.S. Fleet of 43,000 personnel, with 1,400 aircraft and
88 ships. In these commands, he was able to achieve excellence,
while suffering no operational loss of life. His combat decorations
include the Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross. He
also served as the Director of Air Warfare for the Navy and
was in the Pentagon when the 9/11 terrorist attack struck the
building directly below his office. During that tour, he was
largely responsible for the next generation of Naval Aviation
technology, aircraft and aircraft carriers.
Following Navy retirement, he became the CEO/President of
a large commercial charter airline which flew for the Department
of Defense, Homeland Security and Justice, sports teams and
vacation companies. He grew the airline into a multimillion-dollar
business, which routinely received performance bonuses. He left the
airline and retired a second time to battle cancer. Having survived air
combat, the 9/11 attacks and intestinal cancer, Mike embodies the
spirit of “Glad To Be Here®” and lives in a “pay it forward” mode,
bringing his storied experience and passion to helping teams and leaders.
/winter