Final day of 2024 CEO Summit features former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, African royalty

Addressing a packed house in the Montview Alumni Ballroom for the final Keynote Dinner of Liberty University’s 2024 CEO Summit on Wednesday, former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) encouraged those in attendance to champion the principles of free speech and faith on which America was founded.

She said that by electing leaders who best represent their values, Americans can change their country for the better.

“If we expect people in political office at any level to lead and to make decisions that put the best interests of We the People first, we have to make that happen,” she said. “We have to choose those leaders and recognize that every one of our votes will make that difference. I never imagined that I would live at a time where things like freedom of speech would be called into question.”

Gabbard argued that present-day America is more plagued with censorship than any other time in history. She also noted that, even as a high-profile politician, she herself has suffered recent retaliation from the Transportation Security Association for political comments and stances that she has taken.

“When you really look at the core spiritual crisis that we are facing in this country, this is coming from people who ultimately see themselves as God,” she said. “And when they see people of faith and spirituality who worship God, who worship a higher power that is not the government, they feel threatened. And through that faith in God, we find that courage to speak the truth and stand for freedom.”

She concluded her message by emphasizing the important role that every American, regardless of age, has in defending freedom and speaking out against injustice.

Gabbard was just one of numerous prominent political and business leaders who spoke during the final day of the 2024 CEO Summit.

Earlier in the Keynote Dinner, Dave Jaworski, principal product manager at Microsoft Teams, and T’Neil Walea, Microsoft’s director for strategic missions and technologies, joined Liberty Senior Vice President of Business Relations Dr. Dave Brat to discuss incorporating one’s faith into a secular workforce. Walea encouraged students and executives to use every opportunity to share Christ’s love with others.

“You don’t have to be in full-time ministry to reach a soul,” she said. “You don’t have to be in full-time ministry to reach this world, because your life is a light in this darkness. A lot of times people like to stand in the light and hurl accusations at the darkness instead of going out and getting involved in the world.”

“Finding ways to shine your light is one of the most beautiful testimonies and it’s the beautiful testimonies of God’s power working through you,” Walea added. “Don’t ever forget the people around you need what you have. Pray you can find ways to let it shine.”

Dave Rivers, head of Enthusiast Brand Management at Ford Motor Company, shared his personal testimony of coming to Christ and reuniting with his family and friends after developing an unhealthy drive for success at his job. Through a Wednesday night service at church, Rivers turned his life around and dedicated it to following Jesus. Rivers, who has two children now attending Liberty, continues to live as a servant leader in his family and leadership position at Ford.

“I’m standing here right now for no other reason than because of a miracle God performed on me,” he said, referencing 1 John 1:9, “because we serve a God who is merciful, redeeming, who gave us His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins, who is our Lord and Savior, a God who forgives of every sin we have committed, and a God who believes in second chances.”

Andy Puzder, former CEO of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr., spoke on the current dangers threatening America in the form of stakeholder capitalism, in which he said businesses aim to please the interest of all their stakeholders. Puzder argued in favor of a continuation of free market capitalism.

Highlighting the “Big Three” asset managers (BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street Global Advisors), Puzder said executives in these groups dictate the marketing actions of most of America’s Fortune 500 companies, even if these actions directly harm their own companies.

“(Stakeholder capitalism) threatens our democracy by creating a shortcut around the ballot box that allows massive investment firms to implement their collectivist policies without our support,” he said. “It threatens our economic freedom because the Big Three use their massive shareholdings to compel the CEOs of the corporations in which they invest, to put their social and political policies ahead of their own in order to maximize returns on their investors. And it threatens our individual liberty because they use our money to do it, primarily the monies working and middle-class Americans have invested for their retirements.”

Liberty’s Convocation on Wednesday morning featured CEO Summit guest David Malpass, the 13th president of the World Bank (2019-2023), as the main speaker. Liberty President Dr. Dondi Costin and Dr. Dave Brat served as moderators.

Malpass was a global leader whose efforts at the World Bank brought national economic aid during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Wednesday, he told students that strong economic policies are the primary driver of national prosperity and said many sections of the world struggle to improve because of poor economic policy.

“I put a strong focus on the idea that we want to have the people of the country do better, not the abstract of the country,” he said. “Many governments of countries are trying to enrich the capital city. They’re building new monuments and buildings. But what they should be doing is allowing people to do better with their lives and be better off.”

“We want to be proud of the human race and the world,” he added. “But the reality is huge chunks of the world aren’t getting the chance for people to get ahead.”

Before his tenure at the World Bank, Malpass advised multiple U.S. administrations – Reagan, Bush, and Trump – on economic solutions aimed at alleviating suffering, growing living standards, and increasing median incomes.

On Wednesday afternoon, Liberty was honored to host His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, The Olu of Warri Kingdom (in South Nigeria), and Her Majesty Olori Atuwatse III, Queen Consort of Warri Kingdom, for the Africa We See panel discussion.

The royal couple joined moderator Ryan Helfenbein, Liberty’s senior vice president of communications and public engagement.

Ogiame Atuwatse shared his rise to power and highlighted the important role that faith plays in his daily life.

“The journey to the throne for me was one where I had to be led every step of the way by the Holy Spirit because, outside of that, you will end up covenanting yourself with deities and other things that are not of Christ,” he said.

He also noted that some people argue Christians should not assume such high levels of power, and countered that God uses those in power to govern His people.

“I think God wanted to use this throne as an example to show that he has interest in thrones and in high places because he interacts with kings, not just literal kings, but financial ‘kings,’ political ‘kings.’ So, Christians must know that we should support our own and not just hide behind traditional religious rhetoric,” Ogiame Atuwatse said.

Olori Atuwatse encouraged the students in attendance to follow God’s calling for their lives and trust His provision in every circumstance.

“Your life’s journey, as an 18, 19, 20, 21-year-old hasn’t even really begun yet. But you know that the One that led you here will hold your hand,” she said. “Where I started from, I can only look back and know that He has been intentionally with me at every single step of the way, through the good times, the bad times, the dark times. There will be dark times. One thing I could tell myself (from the past), is He that began the good work in me and called me, the one you know as Father, He is with you, and He is faithful to complete every single word that has been spoken over your life.”

Other panel discussions on Wednesday included:

• The Digital Workforce: How HR and Technology are Redefining Talent Management featuring former Nissan Global Head of HR Mark Stout, CRG Search President John Binkley, and Great Place To Work Executive Vice President of Global Client Services Holly Petroff;
• Value-Based Healthcare Reform featuring former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price, former Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta, Physicians for Reform President Dr. C.L. Gray, Docs for Patient Care Foundation President Dr. Lee Gross, and former CEO of Baylor College of Medicine Peter Traber;
• Business As Missions: Integrating Faith, Purpose, and Profit to Reach the Unreached featuring LivFul founder Hogan Bassey and SuperGreen Solutions Chief Operating Officer Garry McDowall;
• Innovative Education Strategies for Building Tomorrow’s Workforce featuring former U.S. Representative and Dean of Government at Regent University Michele Bachmann, NCCER President and CEO Boyd Worsham, Tools of the Trade founder Todd Elliot, Excellent Cultures co-founder and Managing Director Steve Gandara, and Ghana educator and lawyer His Royal Majesty Notse Nii Nortey Owuo IV;
• Breakout Panel: Law and Policy Issues Facing Business; Breakout Panel: Value-Based Healthcare Reform; The Economic Outlook: Real Economy vs. Stock Market featuring “Economic War Room” host Kevin Freeman, Resolute Wealth President Jon Schubert, PayPal founding team member Rod Martin, Custodian Group founder and Group Managing Director Wole Oshin, former Amarillo National Bank Vice President Stephen Reed, and First Haven Equity Partners CEO Anthony Evans; and
• Breakout Panel: State of Venture Capital, Private Equity, and M&A 2024 featuring Gregory A Petroff Esq. from Reitler Kailas & Rosenblatt, John Camp from Arbor Private Equity Fund, Nate Morris from Morris Industries, Holly Petroff, and Jared Davis from Foundry.
  

Read more from this year’s summit:

First day of 2024 CEO Summit closes with Hobby Lobby CEO, former NASA administrator at Future CEO Dinner

Toyota COO talks building relationships, loving others during 2024 CEO Summit