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Maxine Clark

Founder & CEO, Build-A-Bear Workshop

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Maxine Clark Biography

Maxine Clark has been “Chief Executive Bear” of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. since the company’s inception in 1997 and has served as chairman of the board of directors since conversion to a corporation in April 2000. Previously, she was the President of Payless ShoeSource, Inc.; prior to joining Payless, she spent over 19 years in various divisions of the May Department Stores Company in areas including marketing, product development, and merchandise development, planning, and research. Widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading and most creative entrepreneurs, her first book is The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart. In it, Clark reveals how she built Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. from the ground up, offering the tools needed to start, run, and market a company in today’s competitive environment.

As one of the true innovators in the retail industry, she has been renowned in her 30-year career for her rare ability to spot emerging retail and merchandising trends, as well as for her insight into the desires of the American consumer. By 2006, there were over 300 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company-owned stores in the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom and franchised stores in Europe, Asia, and Australia – a testament to her keen business acumen.

Accolades for Clark and Build-A-Bear Workshop include: induction into the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame; the 2006 Luminary Award for Entrepreneurial Achievement from the Committee of 200; a 2005 Customer First Award from Fast Company, which named her a “Customer-Centered Leader”; a 2005 “Portfolio Company of the Year” award for Build-A-Bear from Small Business Investment Companies; a “Wonder Woman of Toys” nod by Playthings magazine and Women in Toys; an iParenting Media “HOT Award” win; a “Hottest Retailers of 2004″ mention by the International Council of Shopping Centers; and the “Retail Innovator of the Year of 2001″ award by the National Retail Federation. Clark was also a national finalist in retail for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2004.

As a member of the Board of Directors of The J.C. Penney Company, Inc., Clark also serves as Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Barnes Jewish Hospital, Washington University in St. Louis, and her alma mater, the University of Georgia. She serves as Chair of Teach for America St. Louis and is a member of the Committee of 200, a leading organization for women entrepreneurs around the world.

Speaking Topics
  • Customer-Centered Leadership

  • Leading Through Change and Transformation

  • Leading Through Change and Transformation

  • The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart

Videos
Books
Pies, Glorious Pies: Brilliant recipes for mouth-wateringly tasty pies

Pies, Glorious Pies: Brilliant recipes for mouth-wateringly tasty pies

Risotto: Delicious Recipes for Italy's Classic Rice Dish

Risotto: Delicious Recipes for Italy's Classic Rice Dish

The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart

The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart

Trattoria: Italian Country Recipes for Home Cooks

Trattoria: Italian Country Recipes for Home Cooks

News
FAQs
  • How do I book Maxine Clark to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Maxine Clark for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Maxine Clark, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Maxine Clark or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Maxine Clark

    Speaking fees for Maxine Clark, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Maxine Clark are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Maxine Clark, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Maxine Clark speak about?

  • Where does Maxine Clark travel from?

    Maxine Clark generally travels from Missouri, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Maxine Clark’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Maxine Clark for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Maxine Clark for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Maxine Clark or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Founder & CEO, Build-A-Bear Workshop

Travels From:
Missouri, USA
Speaking Fee:

Maxine Clark Biography

Maxine Clark has been “Chief Executive Bear” of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. since the company’s inception in 1997 and has served as chairman of the board of directors since conversion to a corporation in April 2000. Previously, she was the President of Payless ShoeSource, Inc.; prior to joining Payless, she spent over 19 years in various divisions of the May Department Stores Company in areas including marketing, product development, and merchandise development, planning, and research. Widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading and most creative entrepreneurs, her first book is The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart. In it, Clark reveals how she built Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. from the ground up, offering the tools needed to start, run, and market a company in today’s competitive environment.

As one of the true innovators in the retail industry, she has been renowned in her 30-year career for her rare ability to spot emerging retail and merchandising trends, as well as for her insight into the desires of the American consumer. By 2006, there were over 300 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company-owned stores in the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom and franchised stores in Europe, Asia, and Australia – a testament to her keen business acumen.

Accolades for Clark and Build-A-Bear Workshop include: induction into the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame; the 2006 Luminary Award for Entrepreneurial Achievement from the Committee of 200; a 2005 Customer First Award from Fast Company, which named her a “Customer-Centered Leader”; a 2005 “Portfolio Company of the Year” award for Build-A-Bear from Small Business Investment Companies; a “Wonder Woman of Toys” nod by Playthings magazine and Women in Toys; an iParenting Media “HOT Award” win; a “Hottest Retailers of 2004″ mention by the International Council of Shopping Centers; and the “Retail Innovator of the Year of 2001″ award by the National Retail Federation. Clark was also a national finalist in retail for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2004.

As a member of the Board of Directors of The J.C. Penney Company, Inc., Clark also serves as Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Barnes Jewish Hospital, Washington University in St. Louis, and her alma mater, the University of Georgia. She serves as Chair of Teach for America St. Louis and is a member of the Committee of 200, a leading organization for women entrepreneurs around the world.

Maxine Clark Speaking Topics

  • Customer-Centered Leadership

  • Leading Through Change and Transformation

  • Leading Through Change and Transformation

  • The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart

Maxine Clark Videos

  • Maxine Clark in D.C. - YouTube
  • TheAdminShow - Interview with MAXINE CLARK BABW CEB ...

Maxine Clark Books

FAQs on booking Maxine Clark

  • How do I book Maxine Clark to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Maxine Clark for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Maxine Clark, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Maxine Clark or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Maxine Clark

    Speaking fees for Maxine Clark, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Maxine Clark are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Maxine Clark, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Maxine Clark speak about?

  • Where does Maxine Clark travel from?

    Maxine Clark generally travels from Missouri, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Maxine Clark’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Maxine Clark for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Maxine Clark for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Maxine Clark or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Maxine Clark is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Customer-Centered Leadership, Leading Through Change and Transformation, Leading Through Change and Transformation and The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart. The estimated speaking fee range to book Maxine Clark for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Maxine Clark generally travels from MO, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Dr. Jackie Freiberg, Barbara Corcoran, Dr. Sheila Murray Bethel, Kathy Ireland and Bernadette Vadurro. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Maxine Clark for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Maxine Clark Speaking Topics

  • Customer-Centered Leadership

  • Leading Through Change and Transformation

  • Leading Through Change and Transformation

  • The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company with Heart

Maxine Clark Speaker Videos

  • Maxine Clark in D.C. - YouTube
    TheAdminShow - Interview with MAXINE CLARK BABW CEB ...

Maxine Clark News

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

Speakers Similar to Maxine Clark

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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