Coffee & Conversation April

Coffee & Conversation: April 2024

Join us for this month's session of Coffee & Conversation, featuring the captivating story of Violent Positivity. General Slocum will take center stage as we delve into his book "Violent Positivity" and his remarkable career as an Air Force Fighter Pilot. Through engaging discussions and insights from his book, General Slocum will reveal the pillars of his acclaimed leadership style, the proven rules of thumb that have guided him through the years, and tenant success stories.

He'll share intriguing stories that led him to unexpected paths of executive leadership and established him as a world-renowned public/motivational speaker. As well as throwing in a few amusing tales from his life and 35 years as an Air Force fighter pilot. You won't want to miss this opportunity to gain invaluable wisdom and be inspired by the journey of a true leader.

Velocity's Event Coordinator, Nadia LaPensee will be hosting the event and is available for any questions you have.

About the Presenter:

Doug "Odie" Slocum
Air Force Fighter Pilot, CEO of The Slocum Group LLC, Author, & Speaker

Doug “Odie” Slocum is a career Air Force fighter pilot with more than 4000 hours in F-4, F-16, and A-10 aircraft. He retired in 2019 as a Brigadier General with his last assignment being as the Commander of Michigan’s hometown air base at Selfridge. Under his leadership, the men and women of the base earned numerous accolades including awards for being the top Air National Guard Wing in the country, the top fighter aircraft organization, the most efficient aerial tanker Wing in the Air Force, and only the third Air National Guard Wing in history to receive the Meritorious Unit Award for “outstanding devotion and exceptional performance.” He is well known for his leadership style which has been branded as “violent positivity.” He pioneered several innovative safety, resiliency, suicide prevention, and other caring for people programs that led to his induction to the Air Force Safety Hall of Fame in 2011. Odie is a world-renowned educator and acclaimed motivational speaker having delivered more than 750 presentations or keynote addresses to over 150,000 attendees. General Slocum remains committed to our veterans as well as the SE Michigan community as the President of the State Air and Space Forces Association, a member of the Civil Air Patrol, and he serves on several boards for non-profits including Fisher House and the Selfridge Air Museum. He lives in Macomb Township with his wife and 17-year-old daughter.