Manley Feinberg has been inducted into the Speaker Hall of Fame
The National Speakers Association’s lifetime award for platform excellence. Judged only by the living members of the Hall of Fame — fewer than 200 people. It cannot be applied for.
Awarded by his fellow
Hall of Fame speakers.The pinnacle of excellence
in professional speaking.
By speakers who already hold the award.
Only living Hall of Fame members get a ballot — fewer than 200 people.
Across five categories: message, presentation and delivery, experience, professionalism, and collateral material.
The finalists go to a small committee of CPAE recipients for deep review.
Up to five speakers, once a year.
The Class of 2026
On July 27, 2026, five speakers were inducted. These are their names.
They join a roster that includes Ronald Reagan, Zig Ziglar, Colin Powell, Les Brown, Norman Vincent Peale, and Jim Rohn.
A thirty-four year climb, a few minutes on the summit
The acceptance speech, recorded live at the induction ceremony.
Booking a keynote speaker is a huge risk.The Speaker Hall of Fame exists to ensure the experience you create for your people is exceptional.
Vetted by the people who do the work
Only Hall of Fame members get a vote. No one outside the CPAE gets a ballot — these are legends of the meetings and professional development world who know what holds a room and what doesn’t. They judge the message, the delivery, the depth of experience, and how a speaker conducts business off the platform. Most importantly, they carefully examine the lasting outcomes the speaker consistently delivers for their clients.
Judged on their whole body of work
Not one viral clip or sizzle reel. The review looks at a full career of paid engagements, materials, and client outcomes — the same evidence you would want before putting someone in front of your audience.
A standard that doesn’t expire
The CPAE is held for life and cannot be bought, applied for, or renewed away. When you book a Hall of Fame speaker, the reference check has already been done — by the only people qualified to run it.
The lead climber’s end of the rope. The one who goes first, with nothing above them to catch the fall — and the one the whole team is counting on.
“Show up
and step up!”Manley’s Mother PatHe spent the next thirty-four years adding the rest of it: step up into the unknown and lead.
He learned it living on the wall
Manley Feinberg II is the founder of Vertical Lessons, Inc., an international keynote speaker, bestselling author, and expert adventure climber. Across 34 years he has completed thousands of climbs and adventured through 25 countries, on some of the world’s steepest, most technical and most mentally and physically demanding mountains.
He has spent 73 days living on the wall — and has not slowed down, recently climbing the tallest sheer wall of his life, the legendary El Capitan route The Shield, battling exhaustion and gravity for nine days and eight nights.
During his tenure in leadership at Build-A-Bear Workshop, the company grew from 42 to 425 stores worldwide and from $55 million to more than $474 million in revenue. He now brings the same Vertical Lessons he relies on during the most technical climbs — what he calls Exponential Commitment™ — to leaders responsible for results they cannot achieve alone.
Manley’s professional photography and video footage of his Vertical Experiences bring his stories to life in a visceral and riveting way that holds an audience from the first frame. He has reached more than 200,000 people in more than 50 countries worldwide with his work.
June 3, 2026
Unlike many who write and speak about leadership success in business and life,
Manley has actually done it.
For more than ten years at Build-A-Bear, I saw first-hand the results of Manley’s Vertical Leadership Lessons.”
—Maxine Clark,
Founder, Build-a-Bear Workshop
Founded in 1973, the National Speakers Association is the leading organization for professional speakers in the United States. Its members deliver keynotes, training, and consulting to corporations, associations, and government agencies. NSA sets the professional standards for the industry and confers both the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation and the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame® award.
NSA established the Council of Peers Award for Excellence in February 1977 to recognize professional speakers who have reached the top echelon of platform excellence. It is a lifetime award for speaking excellence and professionalism.
Bring a Hall of Fame keynote to your stage
Tell us your date, your audience, and the outcome you’re responsible for. You’ll hear back personally. Connect, and get on belay with Manley.
The difference between 99% commitment and 100% commitment is not 1%—it is exponential.