Keni Thomas, a country music singer who served as a U.S. Army Ranger in the “Blackhawk Down” mission, will share an inspirational story about extraordinary individuals and how they fought to bring each other home on Wednesday, Sept. 21, as part of the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) 90th Annual Convention.
On Oct. 3, 1993, Thomas and his fellow rangers distinguished themselves in an 18-hour firefight that would later be recounted in the highly successful book and movie “Blackhawk Down.” Nineteen Americans gave their lives and 78 were wounded in the worst urban combat seen by U.S. troops since WWII.
Thomas in his keynote will draw from his experiences on the battlefield to discuss leadership, which he says is about the example you set, not the rank or the position you hold.
After leaving the Army, Thomas pursued a music career and is now an award-winning country music recording artist and songwriter in Nashville. He and his band Cornbread were featured in the movie “Sweet Home Alabama.”
Thomas will speak as part of the Chairperson’s Welcome & Keynote Luncheon, scheduled for 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.
