Today we’d like to introduce you to Rex Gale.
Hi Rex, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
In 2014, I was driving back over the Talmadge Memorial Bridge from Savannah, GA after giving a talk at TEDxSavannah (previously called TEDxCreativeCoast).
The talk was focused on how to make better decisions in life by “not always trusting your gut”, and as I crossed the bridge and made my way back to Hilton Head, I wondered why Hilton Head did not host a TEDx event. “Ideas Worth Spreading” is the TEDx tagline, and with the amazing full- and part-time residents of Hilton Head, I decided to bring TEDx to Hilton Head.
TEDx events are locally-sponsored TED events and require a license issued by the TED organization. TED (which stands for “Technology, Entertainment, and Design”) was founded in 1984, and the first gathering brought a few hundred people together at a single annual conference in California. Today TED is a global phenomenon, and TEDx events were created to bring the experience to local communities.
After going through a lengthy application process, I was granted a license for TEDxHiltonHead. TEDxHiltonHead is a non-profit organization set it up under the auspices of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. Once established, I gathered a small group of volunteers and began to organize the first event in 2016. Hurricane Matthew
caused the first event to be postponed, and the following year, October 2017, marked the advent of TEDxHiltonHead.
The theme of the first event was “Resilience,” honoring the Island and the residents and volunteers who worked to help Hilton Head recover from the devastating effects of the Hurricane and featured a mix of illustrious names and up-and-coming minds who embodied human and community resilience, and celebrated the vibrancy of the human
spirit.
In 2018, I also applied for and was granted a license for TEDxHiltonHeadWomen. This woman-focused event, presented in December 2018, celebrated women who were“breaking out and pushing boundaries” in an explosion of discovery and ingenuity to drive real, meaningful change. Dr. Debi Lynes, involved with the organizing team from
the start also became a co-organizer of the events.
2019 ushered in two events, TEDxHiltonHead in May 2019, and TEDxHiltonHeadWomen, in December 2019. All events were sold out, and audience feedback was exceptional. Our Net Promoter Scores told us that our events were “outstanding” and “world-class.”
In January 2020, we stepped outside the box and offered the community a glimpse at what it takes to appear on the TEDxHiltonHead stage by organizing a “Pitch Night.” The event offered fifteen potential speakers to give their “TEDx Idea” pitch in 3 minutes. The audience was asked to assess the presentation and the idea, with the winner being invited to speak at a future TEDxHiltonHead event.
Then, in 2020, the Pandemic arrived. TEDxHiltonHead 2020 was to be at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina on March 15, 2020. Due to the arrival of Covid, the event was canceled.
TEDxHiltonHead returns in November 2022, with a focus on “Making Waves”, and will introduce to Islanders speakers from all over the world who have succeeded in making waves in ways that will inspire you to make waves in your own lives, and in your own communities.
Since the initial TEDxHiltonHead event in 2017, 60 speakers and performers have graced the TEDxHiltonHead stage. Most of the “ideas” being shared are from Lowcountry locals, and speakers have been attracted from as far away as California, Canada, and New York.
And attendees are not the only ones who have witnessed the talks. Per TED requirements, all talks are professionally recorded and uploaded to the TED website. More than 500,000 people have viewed the TEDxHiltonHead talks, giving our small coastal community a global reach in sharing our ideas with the rest of the world.
Some of the more memorable talks have included Fran Capo, who set a Guinness Book World Record by giving the fastest TEDx talk on record… in less than one minute. Fran is known as the world’s fastest talking woman, at 603.32 words per minute. Her entire 15-minute talk focused on the idea of adopting a world record mindset to accomplish all of life’s goals, and after her talk, she repeated her talk, every word, in less than a minute.
Other notable talks were given by Emily Johnson, reminding women that “a man is not a financial plan.” Justin Batt created a national movement with his idea about “Daddy Saturday”, encouraging men to challenge themselves to spend each Saturday actively engaged with their children to create lasting memories.
Susannah Winters spoke about what self-care really is, and today her talk is the most-watched TEDxHiltonHead video with almost 250,000 views. Dennis Ittenbach’s idea was the need for physical therapy and support for cancer survivors at the point in their treatment when the patient is most vulnerable… when treatment ends, and most medical support ends as well. Dr. Wayne Johnson stressed the need for Mindfulness training in our schools, Erika Kramer’s idea was to” choose opportunity over insult” when the worst of the world is trying to get you down.
Amanda Cifaldi’s memorizing performance about being a change agent captivated the audience. And Chris Gintz, who has the patent on a device we all use, the laptop computer, researched levels of hydration to reduce cramps and injuries in professional athletes.
From the start, TEDxHiltonHead relied on social media to get out the word. They also understood that the widest possible communication strategy was required to make the event a long-term success, and they engaged an outside marketing and public relations firm, Smart Marketing Communications, to help promote TEDxHiltonHead in all forms of media: print, electronic, and social.TEDxHiltonHead builds a Facebook Page, and a website, to allow them the ability to Share updates, and videos, and attract future speakers.
Volunteers have been critical to the TEDxHiltonHead success. Volunteer efforts have been primarily grass-roots, with friends-of-friends sharing the needs of the Organizing Committee.
After experimenting with many event approaches (venues, duration of the event, ticket prices, etc.,) we have a new format this year, a larger venue, and lower ticket prices (formerly $75 per ticket, prices for 2022 are only $25) that will allow more people to attend.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. Our first event, scheduled for October 2016, was derailed by the arrival of Hurricane Matthew. As we grew, we experimented with different venues… a nightclub stage with 100 people, a small orchestra stage, a resort ballroom
In 2020, our event was scheduled for March 15 at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, our area’s performing arts center. Covid canceled that event.
We have struggled to obtain sponsorships for our event. Although we are a non-profit, competing for funding when there are so many local charities devoted to children, hunger, depression, mental health, and other social issues is difficult and understandable. We have had support from many individual sponsors, and without their support, our event could not be sustainable.
We are back in 2022 at the Seahawk Cultural Center, a 600+ seat theatre, and have transitioned from a day-long event to a more intimate evening event. TEDxHiltonHead is scheduled for Nov. 4, 2022, from 6:30 pm – 9:45 pm at the Seahawk Cultural Center, 70 Wilborn Rd, Hilton Head Island SC 29926. Tickets are $25.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Most of my career has been spent in health, wellness, and human resources consulting. Another way to think about my area of expertise is “human behavior.” I have consulted in areas of health and wellness, helping large employers develop ways to improve the health of their organizations; on compensation programs that focus on increasing organizational sales and profitability; and on performance management and leadership development programs that lead to improved organizational performance, profitability, and longevity.
I am known as a speaker on many of these issues. When I graduated from the University of South Carolina I was awarded the University’s highest honor, the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.
What sets me apart from others? I have a written personal mission statement that continues to guide my life. Grow Tirelessly. Share Endlessly. Serve Selflessly. Love Unconditionally. Together, these words are often hard to live by, but they remind me every day, as I make decisions throughout the day, that guide my daily actions.
Rex H. Gale, HCS, SPHR [email protected] +1 972-897-6428
Rex H. Gale
Rex is a former Management Consultant with a global human resources consultancy and former Vice President of Corporate Human Resources for a Fortune 500 technology retailer. He is a published author on health care, behavioral economics, and wellness issues, is a published poet, and a TEDx speaker on ways to make better
decisions by not always “Trusting Your Gut”.
He is the founder of TEDxHiltonHead, a locally organized TED event, and is the current co-organizer of the event. Rex is a certified speaker, coach, and trainer in the areas of leadership and personal & professional development.
LinkedIn Profile
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexgale/
Articles/Publications include:
-Contributor, The New HR Analytics, by Jac Fitz-Enz http://tinyurl.com/HC-Analytics
-Author, Using Behavioral-Based Design to Encourage Healthy Behavior, SHRM Online
http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/benefits/articles/pages/behavioralbaseddesign.aspx
Professional Certifications include:
-John Maxwell Certified Speaker, Coach, and Trainer
-SHRM-SCP (Society for Human Resource Management)
-Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) (Human Resources Certification Institute)
-Human Capital Strategist (HCS) (Human Capital Institute)
-Lominger Succession Architect (Lominger International)
-ChangeWorks (Masterstream)
Representative Speaking Engagements:
-TEDxSavannah (Savannah, GA)
-NC State Human Resources Conference (Charlotte. NC)
-GA State Human Resources Conference (Savannah, GA)
-Lominger International Users Conference (San Antonio, TX)
-ExcellerateHRO HR Thought Leadership Symposium (Dallas, TX)
-HR Southwest (Ft. Worth, TX)
-Dallas Human Resources Management Association (Dallas, TX)
-International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (Irving, TX
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
In my experience, mentors will find you. Have a hard work ethic, and come up with your own personal mission statement. Feel free to borrow from mine. As long as you have a life focus, you will attract like-minded people to you, and mentors will be attracted to you, as you will be to them.
Pricing:
- Early Bird Tickets are only $25.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tedxhiltonhead.com/making-waves/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEDxHHI/
