'Happyness' Author Keynotes CER Luncheon

Written by Michael Castellon

The Rawls College of Business Administration on Thursday hosted Chris Gardner at its Chief Executive’s Roundtable Luncheon at the Merket Alumni Center.

Gardner delivered the keynote speech, and spoke about series of circumstances in the 1980s that left him and his toddler son homeless in San Francisco. Without connections or a college degree, he earned a spot in the Dean Witter Reynolds training program, and then became a top earner at Bear Stearns & Co.

"Chris is one of the most influential people one could hear speak," said Rawls College of Business Dean Allen T. McInnes. "He truly is an inspiration, and the Texas Tech community could not be more grateful that he could be here to personally tell his story of overcoming hardship."