Captain J. Charles Plumb

Former Navy Fighter Pilot - P.O.W. - One of Today's Top 10 Professional Speakers

Captain Charlie Plumb graduated from the Naval Academy at Annapolis and went on to fly the F-4 Phantom jet on 74 successful combat missions over North Vietnam. On his 75th mission, with only five days before he was to return home, Plumb was shot down, captured, tortured, and imprisoned in an 8 foot x 8 foot cell. He spent the next 2,103 days as a Prisoner Of War in communist prison camps.

"I have attended and hosted many kick-off meetings throughout my career, but never have I heard a more compelling message. Your enthusiastic, humble delivery is superb, and your experience and positive attitude are an inspiration to all."

- Bert E. McConnell, Integrated Systems Solutions Corporation

During his nearly six years of captivity, Charlie Plumb distinguished himself among his fellow prisoners as a professional in underground communications, and served for two of those years as the Chaplain in his camp.

Since his return home, more than 4,000 audiences in nearly every industry have been spellbound as Captain Charlie Plumb draws parallels between his P.O.W. experience and the challenges of everyday life. He has shared his message to an even wider public through appearances onGood Morning America, Nightline, Larry King Live, and The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

One of the most sought-after achievement speakers of his time, Charlie Plumbs presentations are as he is, sincere, straightforward, humorous, and tailored to motivate each specific audience he encounters. His insights on how to cope with the difficulties as well as the opportunities in life have a positive impact on those who hear his message, those who read his books, and those who come to know him as a friend.

Captain Plumb's Military honors include two Purple Hearts, the Legion of Merit, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the P.O.W. Medal.

"From the preparation to the audience reaction, you grade was excellent. You took Rob's information and weaved it perfectly into your talk. You gave us many messages and words of inspiration. In each one of us there are the elements for success if we choose to use them. Our adversity in our daily lives becomes miniscule in comparison to your experiences in North Vietnam. Your positive spirit in meeting your challenges can be an example for us."

-Mike Walsh, National Sales Administrator, Nike

Captain Plumb's partial client list include:

3M Aetna Airborne Express Allstate Insurance American Trucking Association American Medical Association Amgen AT&T Bard Becton Dickenson Bell South Blue Cross/Blue Shield Bristol Myers Squibb Buick Cadillac Campbell Soup Canadian Wholesale Drug Association Caterpillar Cessna Chase Manhattan Chevrolet Ciba Geigy Coca Cola Danon Yogurt Days Inn Dept of Veterans Affairs Digital Equipment Dow Chemical Dupont/Merck Eastman Kodak Eli Lilly FBI Fidelity Investments First American Title First Union Bank Forbes General Motors GTE Hallmark Cards Hunt Oil IBM James River Corp John Deere & Co. Johnson & Johnson Kentucky Fried Chicken Kimberly Clark Kraft Lanier Lotus MasterCard Mazda MCI

McGraw Hill Michelin National Association of Realtors Nintendo Northwest Mutual Otis Elevator Pacific Bell Penske Pepperidge Farm Pontiac Pratt & Whitney Quaker Oats Sandoz Searle Sears Sherwin Williams Signet Bank Software, Etc. Southern Bell Steelcase Storage Tech Subway Sun Diamond Growers Taco Bell Tennessee Valley Authority Texas Bankers Toyota Travelers Insurance US West Wausau WD-40 Wells Fargo Bank Western Growers Association Weyerhaeuser

A message from Captain J. Charles Plumb's on his commitment to you:

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INSIGHTS INTO EXCELLENCE
Packing Parachutes - Excerpt from Chapter 16
By Charlie Plumb

Recently, I was sitting in a restaurant in Kansas City. A man about two tables away kept looking at me. I didn't recognize him. A few minutes into our meal he stood up and walked over to my table, looked down at me, pointed his finger in my face and said, "You're Captain Plumb."

I looked up and I said, "Yes sir, I'm Captain Plumb."

He said, "You flew jet fighters in Vietnam. You were on the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down. You parachuted into enemy hands and spent six years as a prisoner of war."

I said, "How in the world did you know all that?"

He replied, "Because, I packed your parachute."

I was speechless. I staggered to my feet and held out a very grateful hand of thanks. This guy came up with just the proper words. He grabbed my hand, he pumped my arm and said, "I guess it worked."

"Yes sir, indeed it did", I said, "and I must tell you I've said a lot of prayers of thanks for your nimble fingers, but I never thought I'd have the opportunity to express my gratitude in person."

He said, "Were all the panels there?"

"Well sir, I must shoot straight with you," I said, "of the eighteen panels that were supposed to be in that parachute, I had fifteen good ones. Three were torn, but it wasn't your fault, it was mine. I jumped out of that jet fighter at a high rate of speed, close to the ground. That's what tore the panels in the chute. It wasn't the way you packed it."

"Let me ask you a question," I said, "do you keep track of all the parachutes you pack?"

"No" he responded, "it's enough gratification for me just to know that I've served."

I didn't get much sleep that night. I kept thinking about that man. I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform - a Dixie cup hat, a bib in the back and bell bottom trousers. I wondered how many times I might have passed him on board the Kitty Hawk. I wondered how many times I might have seen him and not even said "good morning", "how are you", or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor. How many hours did he spend on that long wooden table in the bowels of that ship weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of those chutes? I could have cared less...until one day my parachute came along and he packed it for me.

So the philosophical question here is this: How's your parachute packing coming along? Who looks to you for strength in times of need? And perhaps, more importantly, who are the special people in your life who provide you the encouragement you need when the chips are down? Perhaps it's time right now to give those people a call and thank them for packing your chute.

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Speaker Charles Plumb delivers motivation and inspiraton for business professionals - and he is available for personal appearances at your next corporate or special events - contact us today to arrange an appearance.

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