Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson will speak at Harding University on Tuesday, Nov. 27 in the Benson Auditorium. The College of Business Administration and the Masters of Business Administration programs organized for former HU student Robertson to speak at 7 p.m.
Robertson is the main character of the reality TV show “Duck Dynasty,” which gained a large audience last spring in its first season. The show centers around Robertson and his family’s duck call business called Duck Commander. For COBA and the MBA program, this guest speaker is also serving as an inspiration for many aspiring business students.
“The Robertson family turned their passion for hunting into a business,” said Dr. Phil Brown, chair of the accounting department. “I believe many of our students have an entrepreneurial itch as well as a propensity for starting and running a business.”
The idea of inviting Robertson to speak was first proposed last spring. Glen Metheny, director of the center of business and professional studies, said he noticed “Duck Dynasty” was gaining popularity and thought it would be a fun idea to ask his former classmate to return to campus.
“When ‘Duck Dynasty’ became a craze last spring, we started watching it just like so many people,” Metheny said. “I just started thinking it would be really neat to have him back on campus to speak.”
After receiving permission from department head Dr. Bryan Burks, Metheny said he went to work trying to contact the “Duck Commander.” Metheny was able to get in touch with Robertson and ultimately schedule a date for him to come and speak.
While much of what Robertson will speak about will deal with business, Robertson will also talk about other aspects of his life, such as maintaining his family’s strong faith and religion while in a national spotlight.
