Top-Rated Speakers Bureau and Entertainment Booking Agency for Corporate Meetings and Business Events. Book an AAE Speaker Today.
Top-Rated Speakers Bureau and Entertainment Booking Agency for Corporate Meetings and Business Events. Book an AAE Speaker Today.
Click to Open Search Bar

Rick Francona

Retired U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, CNN Military Analyst, and Author

Retired U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, CNN Military Analyst, and Author

Travels From Travels From:
La Quinta, CA, USA
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Rick Francona Biography

Lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona is a retired U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, having served with the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Central Intelligence Agency. His tours of duty include Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia, with operational travel in virtually every country in the Middle East.

During the last year of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, Rick served at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad as a liaison officer to the Iraqi armed forces intelligence service, where he served in the field with the Iraqi army and flew with the Iraqi Air Force. His personal observations were critical to discovering Iraqi chemical weapons use against Iranian troops. Throughout the first Gulf War he served as the personal interpreter and advisor on Iraq to General Norman Schwarzkopf. After the war, he served in northern Iraq with the Central Intelligence Agency, where he narrowly escaped an attempt on his life by Iraqi agents.

Since early 2003, Rick has been a Middle East military analyst for NBC News and can be seen regularly on NBC, MSNBC and CNBC. In addition, Rick has spoken to numerous conventions and educational institutions.

“Iraq has so much potential – natural resources, water, ports, mountains, fertile valleys, educated population. It pains me to see the shape the country is in now.” Rick believes that we cannot accurately assess what is happening in Iraq – or the region – unless we know how the United States became involved.

Rick’s book, “Ally to Adversary,” details his experiences with the Iraqis, from working with them in Baghdad in the 1980’s, to fighting them in Desert Storm. Rick went on to participate in the attempt to overthrow Saddam Hussein in the 1990’s and was involved in the escape of an Iraqi scientist and his family from Iraq to freedom in the United States.

Presentation Topic

Iraq – From the Ottomans to the Americans

An artificial country created in the aftermath of World War I combining disparate ethnic and religious groups, Iraq’s history is one of bloodshed – Turkish, British, Arab, Kurdish, Persian and now American. Rick Francona was personally involved in the relationship between Iraq and the United States since the 1980’s.

Not a history lesson, but a stimulating look at how and why the American relationship with Baghdad has brought us to where we are today. Often humorous, often critical, always pointed, Rick goes beyond the headlines and brings the story to life.

After all, he lived it.

Rick Francona Videos

FAQs on booking Rick Francona

  • How do I book Rick Francona to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Rick Francona 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 Rick Francona, 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 Rick Francona or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Rick Francona

    Speaking fees for Rick Francona, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Rick Francona are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Rick Francona, 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 Rick Francona speak about?

    Rick Francona is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Authors, Business, Communication, Culture, International Business, Journalism, Media, Military, Speakers by Industry.
  • Where does Rick Francona travel from?

    Rick Francona generally travels from La Quinta, CA, 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 Rick Francona’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Rick Francona 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 Rick Francona 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 Rick Francona 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.

Rick Francona is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Rick Francona for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Rick Francona generally travels from La Quinta, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Robert D. Kaplan, Kai-Fu Lee, John McWhorter, Dwayne Spradlin and Harald Haas. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Rick Francona for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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 Rick Francona

related speakers Users also viewed these speakers:

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.

TOP