Ira Blumenthal

Modern Day Business Renaissance Man, Business Development Expert, President of CO-OPPORTUNITIES, Inc.

Topics: Business Growth, Branding & Marketing, Change, Business, Strategy, Success, Corporate Culture

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Biography

Ira Blumenthal collects quotations. One of his favorites is “The true measure of a man is how many lives he can jam into one lifetime…” Ira has certainly jammed many lives into his productive, successful life. From college football and lacrosse coach to business executive, from consultant to talk show host, from university professor to public speaker, from author to philanthropist and more– lots of lives here– diverse, distinctive and dynamic.

He is respected as a subject matter expert on helping corporations, associations and individuals create a brighter future in the midst of changes, challenges, even chaos. His customizable speech title says it all… Your Best is Next!

After serving as the CMO of a division of Sara Lee, then the President of a $300-million food company, Ira founded and presided over CO-OPPORTUNITIES, an Atlanta based consulting company that advised companies such as Nestle, Tyson, Kroger, Harrah’s, American Airlines, Disney, United Artists, Exxon, Walmart and more. Noteworthy, Ira is the single longest continually retained consultant in the 134-year history of the Coca-Cola Company as a lead consultant for 26 years. He is the recipient of the highest honor in the food industry, “The Key Person Award.” His expertise? Branding, Change Management, Strategic Alliances and Business Development.

Having published over 200 magazine articles and three books, Ready, Blame, Fire! (Myths and Misses in Marketing), Managing Brand You, and Your Best is Next. Ira is a respected author who received “The George Washington Honor Medal for Literary Excellence” (Freedoms Foundation). Ira has been featured and quoted in media such as CNN, The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, BrandWeek, USA Today and more.

He has hosted a radio talk show (“Success Talk”)… served as a visiting professor (Michigan State University, the University of Notre Dame, Kennesaw State University, etc.)… was the “Executive In Residence” at Georgia State University… presided over a foundation (Ted Turner’s “Captain Planet Foundation”)… is on the board of Blaze, The Legacy Paralympic Organization… and with his friend, Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), co-founded and serves on the Executive Council of Janie’s Fund, an organization that raises money for programs for “at risk” and “abused” girls.”

Delivering over 2500 speeches on 5 continents as well as serving as the “opener” for the likes of both President Bushes, General Colin Powell, Mikhail Gorbachev, Henry Kissinger, Lech Walesa, Cal Ripken Jr., Tommy Lasorda and others, Ira is a high-energy, high-content, passionate public speaker with a motivational flair.
He customizes his speeches which are both onstage (live) and online (virtual). As well as serving as a speaker, Ira is a dynamic emcee and panel moderator. From Australia, Brazil, Canada, Dubai, England, France and throughout the U.S., Ira is a respected, profound thought leader.

On a personal note, Ira is a tireless community activist and youth sports coach (with a state and national championship to his credit). Ira was both a member of a collegiate national championship team and a “World Cup” athlete as well as a college Football and Lacrosse Coach (1974 US “Coach of the Year”). Originally from New York, Ira lives in Atlanta with his bride of 39 years, Kim. He is the father of 5 children and has 10 grandchildren. Another of Ira’s favorite quotations is Mark Twain’s “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you found out why…” Renaissance Man, Ira Blumenthal, surely found out his why.

Videos

Speech TopicsExpand each topic to learn more

Your Best Is Next

Whether it’s corporations, associations or even individuals, you can’t have a better tomorrow if you continue thinking about yesterday. Here in the year 2020, we’ve seen chaos, a pandemic, economic challenges, business uncertainty and greater changes than ever before. We’re confused, overwhelmed, frustrated and often impatient. This is NOT business as usual. This is business as UN-usual. And so, the threshold question for us all is simple… “What’s next?” It’s clearly time for RECOVERY and pushing the RESET button on our businesses and lives. It has been said, “If you want to predict the future, create it!” This customizable program (onstage OR virtual),YOUR BEST IS NEXT, is precisely about creating the future and teaching your organization how to insure that their BEST IS truly NEXT.

Managing Brand You (Personal Branding)

What if you thought of yourself as a brand? Everyone struggles with what they stand for or what they'd like to stand for Each one of us is a brand. This speech focuses on the disciplines of business branding and applies them to the process of crafting, developing, extending, managing and protecting your most important brand Brand You! Ideal for business executives, sales professionals, even non-business audiences this is an interactive, high-energy, fun-filled educational (and inspirational) speech (and workshop) experience. What if you thought of yourself as a brand?

The DNA of Success (Success)

In business and in life, success (and fulfillment) is not an accident. Using dynamic messages on success from his talk show interviews with success stories such as Colin Powell, Mario Andretti, Debbi Fields, Tommy Lasorda and others, as well as his diverse business career, Ira provides audiences with the compelling imperatives for success, fulfillment and peak performance. Filled with best practice examples, provocative anecdotes and purposeful humor, this is a high-appeal speech with great content. The company (and career) on top of the mountain didn't fall there!

Myths and Misses in Marketing (Marketing, Business Development)

Based on Iras book, Ready, Blame, Fire!, this energetic speech (or workshop) focuses on challenging conventional wisdom. Targeting the fourteen greatest myths in marketing (i.e. Bigger Is Better!, Close Enough Is Good Enough, The First One In Wins, It Wont Happen Here!, etc.), participants learn from history (the misses) and gain a well-defined understanding of the compelling imperatives for success in a complex, highly competitive business climate. The focus of this session is on business development, quantum leap growth, alternative channels of distribution and marketing success.

Brand-Building For Your Future (Branding)

Products are consumed. Brands are purchased. In our branded world, we make Xerox copies, blow our nose in Kleenex, snack on Jell-O, relax in the Jacuzzi and cover wounds with Band-Aids. From Nike on our hats to Tommy on our shirts to Swatch on our watches and Starbucks in our cups, branding is critical to business development. This session focuses on the philosophy, strategy, guiding principles and best practices to create, build, maintain and manage brand success. After all, regardless of what your title is, everyone's a brand manager Great examples, provocative anecdotes and purposeful humor make this a great session, especially when customized for the industry, client and event. Everyone's a brand manager!

Testimonials

Your energy and practical life examples really captivated the audience. I appreciate that you took the time to educate yourself about the Group Insurance business so that you could relate your presentation to the realities we are facing. You dealt with the topic of change in a humorous yet meaningful way and your remarks set the tone for the remainder of the conference. We received excellent feedback from your program.

– John McGrath, Vice-President, The Prudential Insurance Company of America

Ira was awesome. He got a standing ovation at the end. Ira was fantastic! Thank you (addressed to the bureau that booked Ira) for sending us the BEST!!! He was wonderful. Everyone loved him and his style was perfect for the audience, time and theme.

– Donna Fields, Vice-President, BellSouth

Thank you so much for a FANTASTIC presentation! You would be very pleased to know that just about every speaker we had said, “…and as Ira said…” You were a huge hit with everyone! Your comments were right on the money, and you delivered them with such high energy. I am terrifically pleased!

– Jeanne Sowa, Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Corporate Relations, Easter Seals

Ira has a unique knack for engaging an audience. And while the audience is engaged, he educates them. One thing you can be guaranteed with Ira is that you never know what he's going to do next. He is an incredibly dynamic and knowledgeable speaker.

– Chuck O'Dell, Division President, Marriott

If Ira Blumenthal could pitch, field, and bat as well as he communicates, I'd own his contract for the Detroit Tigers. He's destined for the speakers Hall of Fame.

– Mike Ilitch, Founder and Chairman, Little Caesars; Owner, Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings

Here it is ten days later and I am still energized by your presentation. How the heck do you do that on a regular basis? What kind of vitamins are you taking? I think you could tell by the extended ovation that you were well received by the footwear executives.

– Barbara Singer, Vice President of Communications, Footwear Industries of America

Ira Blumenthal is a man from the future. Some people recommend out-of-the-box thinking and positioning. Ira lives out-of-the-box and is an expert in challenging conventional wisdom in both his counseling and presenting.

– Ira C. Herbert, Former President-North American Business Sector, The Coca-Cola Company

You have single-handedly given this course a distinctive image on campus. 'Is Ira coming this year?', is the familiar phrase. You belong in the classroom. As a business executive, you play an extraordinary role in bridging the gap between the campus and the world of work.

– Dr. John W. Allen, Professor, Michigan State University