College Mentors for Kids is honored for Tom Pace, CEO of PaceButler Corporation and author of Mentor: The Kid & The CEO, to deliver the keynote address at INSPIRE 2008. 

Pace’s life has not been one of ease or one lacking in distress. He attributes the majority of his success in life to mentoring. After three failed attempts at college and a variety of other events, Pace had hit bottom. He went to Lawrence Construction Company in search of a job, but found much more. It was at Lawrence that Pace met the man who would become his mentor, Larry Butler. Butler was instrumental in guiding and motivating Pace. With just $62.53, Pace began PaceButler Corporation in 1987. Today, PaceButler Corporation is a multimillion dollar corporation headquartered in Oklahoma.

Pace possesses a strong belief in the importance of mentoring. His personal experiences inspired him to write a fictional book he hopes will inspire others to become mentors. Published in 2007, Mentor: The Kid & The CEO tells the story of a troubled child who overcame considerable obstacles thanks to a businessman sharing his knowledge and experience with the child.  Because of this relationship, both individuals were able to achieve significance.

“Tom is an ideal—and natural—person to address the benefits of mentoring relationships,” commented Erin Slater, CEO of College Mentors. “His story is awe-inspiring! We are proud to feature him at INSPIRE 2008 as our keynote speaker because his story is directly aligned with our mission.”

Click here to view a video of Tom Pace sharing his story.

For more information on INSPIRE 2008, College Mentors for Kids’ 7th Annual Benefit and Silent Auction, click here.