Award Ceremony

  • Expert Mountain Climber, Keynote Speaker, and Devoted Husband and Father.

2024 Keynote Address

Manley’s love of climbing began in college. Invited by a friend to try out a beginner’s rock climb in the hills of Kentucky, he stepped up into the Vertical and was instantly hooked.

He began climbing anywhere and anytime he could. After each adventure, he would reverse-engineer the experience, evaluating what had (or hadn’t) helped him reach the summit.

The lessons he unpacked didn’t just improve his climbing, but his leadership as he helped Build-A-Bear scale from 42 stores to 425 worldwide and increase revenue from $55 Million to $470 Million.

Join Manley Feinberg as he teases the gravity of high-stakes choices amidst life's sheer cliffs at the VIP Awards North America. In a session charged with adrenaline and insight, Manley will share a glimpse of the death-defying adversity that shaped his philosophy of Exponential Commitment™. Brace yourself for a keynote that promises to stretch the boundaries of your resolve and redefine what it means to truly commit in the face of overwhelming odds.

Dare to climb higher – your summit awaits.


  • The man, the myth, the legend; Billy May. After crushing the hosting duties at the 2022 and 2023 VIP Awards, he is back by popular demand.

2024 Emcee

Billy is an accomplished CEO with a track record of transforming and leading businesses to success. Currently at the helm of Brooklinen, he's dedicated to delivering high-quality home essentials at affordable prices. His experience as Chief Customer Officer for J. Crew Group equipped him with the skills to steer the company through a successful Chapter 11 restructuring.

Prior to that, Billy was CEO of Sur La Table, where he revitalized the brand, rebuilt the leadership team, and executed a successful refinancing effort. With an extensive background in retail, he also played a pivotal role at Abercrombie and Fitch, Adidas Group, Sears Holdings, and Lowe's Companies. As an Executive Chairman at Trademarc Partners, he's well-versed in advisory, asset management, and risk mitigation services, and as an advisory board member of the Jay H. Baker Retailing Center, he contributes to shaping the future of the retail industry. Billy's seven-year tenure as Vice Chair and member of the Board of Directors of Shop.org solidifies his commitment to the digital retail space.

-2024-

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Dress Code: Cocktail Attire

6pm

Arrival Canapés & Drinks

7pm

Award Ceremony Commences

8pm

Keynote Address

8:45pm

Award Ceremony Continues

10pm

Gala Concludes

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Join Us

Gotham Hall
1356 Broadway
New York, NY 10018
United States