Businesswoman and olympian to speak

Jennifer Azzi, one of the most accomplished basketball players of all time, a talented businesswoman and a motivational speaker, is scheduled to lecture on campus about “the leadership edge” as part of Cal Poly’s Business Council Professional Speaker Series.

“She’s speaking about personal success and leadership. She has a lot to offer every student,” Business Council president Andrew Flachner said. He noted that the lecture is open to all students on campus, not just those in the College of Business.

Azzi has won a plethora of basketball honors in her career. She was Stanford’s first All-American women’s basketball player ever in 1988-89. She was an NCAA National Champion in 1990 and in that same year was named the NCAA West Region MVP.

Azzi was also given the Naismith Award and the Wade Trophy, making her the best athlete in the nation. She went on to win an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 1996.

She played professionally in Europe, then in the American Basketball League and the Women’s National Basketball Association for several years. She now is on the USA Basketball Board of Directors and is a community ambassador for the NBA.

Azzi is also the youngest person ever inducted into Stanford’s Athletic Hall of Fame. In April she was inducted into the Bay Area Hall of Fame. She stood among Jerry Rice, Will Clark and Jerry Coleman at the induction.

Along with her athletic accomplishments, Azzi is a published author and the CEO of Azzi Training, a program that focuses on health from the inside out that won a national award for “Best New Business of the Year.” The program offers children’s camps, adult fitness programs and Wellness Days, which promotes the idea that health starts with the whole person and not just the physical body.

Azzi is also a member of the USANA Health Sciences Sports Advisory Board, which works to educate athletes as well as the public about nutritional supplements and their effects on health.

Former Business Council president Josh Burroughs works for USANA and has had the pleasure of meeting Azzi.

“She’s probably the most professional businesswoman I’ve ever met,” Burroughs said.

Burroughs has seen Azzi speak at two conferences through USANA. She speaks at conferences internationally and tailors her speeches to her audiences, whether they are for adults, basketball coaches and players, corporate groups or children.

“If you want to learn how to set yourself aside from the crowd and have that leadership edge, you will drop everything to go and see her,” Burroughs said.

Flachner said the Orfalea College of Business is very excited to be collaborating with the athletics department, Career Services and Associated Students, Inc. on this event.

Shannon Stephens, director of academic services for the athletics department, said athletes, especially members of the women’s and men’s basketball teams, are excited about the event.

“She can motivate our athletes to become leaders,” Stephens said.

The free speech and will take place in the Alex and Faye Spanos Theatre at 2:10 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18.