FLOYD COUNTY, October 8, 2012 – The Floyd County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa (CFNEIA), is hosting a memorable evening of powerful stories about Iowans. These stories will be presented by inspirational speaker Mike Chapman on October 18, 2012, in Charles City, Iowa at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 502 Clark Street. This event is free and open to the public. The evening will begin with a social hour at 5 p.m. Following the social hour, an introduction given by Brad Patterson, President/CEO of CFNEIA will precede the keynote address by Mike Chapman at 6 p.m.
Mike Chapman is a writer, native to Waterloo, Iowa. He is the current publisher of the Iowa History Journal. Mike held a 35-year newspaper career from which he retired in 2002, and in 2009, he retired from an 11-year career serving as the executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum.
Mike is an author and public speaker who has a deep interest in keeping Iowa history alive through stories that tell of individuals who have lifted the bar for all Iowans with their integrity, efforts, sacrifices and achievements. He has written 23 books, 14 of them on wrestling, and his articles have appeared in dozens of national and regional magazines. He has also produced four videos and has two screenplays in Hollywood.
As a reporter, he has attended 43 NCAA wrestling tournaments, two Olympics and two World Championships. He has won numerous awards for journalism and writing and has been named National Wrestling Writer of the Year five times, by four different amateur wrestling organizations.
Mike is also the founder of WIN Magazine, the nation’s top amateur wrestling publications; the WIN Memorabilia Show, which draws 8,000 fans each year to the NCAA Championships, and the “Dan Hodge Trophy”, which goes each year to the top college wrestler in the United States. It has been called “the Heisman Trophy of wrestling.”
As a writer, he has met and interviewed such people as Ronald Reagan, Muhammad Ali, Robert Redford, Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk from TV fame) and many other famous stars of movies and sports. Mike has appeared on numerous TV shows – including the networks ESPN, A&E, Fox Sports and Iowa Public Television. He has been the guest on over 200 radio talk shows.
Mike is also a recognized authority on Achilles and Tarzan. In 2004, he was given the “Golden Lion Award,” the highest honor in the international Tarzan fraternity, which stretches all around the world. His 2004 novel, “Achilles: Son of Peleus, Scourge of Troy,” is the story of the great Greek hero who fought at the Trojan War over 3,000 years ago. In October of 2006, Mike and his son Jason visited ancient Troy in northwestern Turkey, to do more research on Achilles and the Trojan War.
As an athlete, Mike has competed in wrestling, judo, sombo and bench press contests.
Mike’s inspirational speaking has been well received by civic leaders, student athletes, and organizations of all ages and types. He will encourage, inform, entertain, challenge, and excite his audience with his tales of heroes whose values built and sustained our community. The evening promises to give a fresh look into Iowa’s dynamic history and is open to the public.
