Jim McCarthy, CEO Goldstar, www.goldstar.com @goldstarjim

I admit it.  I’m responsible for all this madness.  I started going to the TED conference back in 2008, and I’m an addict, but I like to think it’s one of those addictions that is actually good for you, rather than the ones that cause you to break into your neighbors houses and steal their TVs.

Under Chris Anderson’s leadership, TED has become deeply committed to bringing the world of great ideas to as many people as possible, and that’s hard to do when it’s just one rather pricey, space-limited conference each year.  Chris’s vision was to find ways to open the whole thing up.  That led originally to the posting the TED Talks online, and has led after that to the TEDx program.

TEDx is even more exciting in a way because it’s not just sitting at your desk watching a video.  It’s participating.  When we became a TED partner in support of the TEDx program, I was thrilled because, after all, Goldstar’s about live events! Perfect fit!  For us to be able to throw our TEDx party is so exciting, and I hope everyone gets a lot out of it and has a blast.

But more than that, I hope you’ll support the TEDx program in your own way.  TED is a community about jumping in with both feet and getting involved, and TEDx is the way to do that.

So I look forward to meeting you and even if I don’t see you, let me know how your TEDxGoldstar experience was!