About David

David A. Kelly is a professional speaker, motivator, team builder and trainer. An expert on goal attainment, he has addressed groups across the United States, the Caribbean, and in Europe. A former stand-up comedian, he brings humor, energy, and fun to all of his presentations.

Dave has been a professional mortgage broker since 1986, including ten years as founder and owner of a multi-state mortgage company. He served on the board of directors of the Georgia Mortgage Association from 1993 to 2003, including two years as president.

A native of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Dave is a graduate of University Wisconsin-Oshkosh (UW-Oshkosh). While there, he was involved in student government as a member of the student assembly, three terms in the student senate, and was Vice President Pro-Tempore of the Oshkosh Student Association (OSA). He also was Legislative Affairs Director for OSA and the state-wide association, the United Council of UW-System Student Governments. Additionally, he is a member of the Alpha Lamda Delta honor society and served as chapter secretary.

He double-majored in political science and speech, with an emphasis in theatre arts, a minor in religion and graduated cum laude. He was named as an Outstanding Senior, recognized as a member of Who's Who In American Colleges and Universities, and was named an Outstanding Young Alumni by the University in 1996.

While in high school, Dave joined Key Club, a sponsored youth organization of Kiwanis. He was soon elected to the position of Lt. Governor. He won two Outstanding Lt. Governor Awards, one from the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District and the other from Key Club International. Upon entering college, he immediately joined the UW-Oshkosh Circle K club, a collegiate service and leadership organization also sponsored by Kiwanis, and was appointed Lt. Governor. He subsequently became Governor of the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District and later ran for Circle K International Vice President. After serving a year as Vice President, in 1982 Dave was elected to the highest position in the 14,000-member organization, International President, for which he served a one year term.

A Kiwanian since 1988, Dave is a past distinguished club secretary, president and Lt. Governor. He served as the District Administrator for the Georgia District of Circle K International for nine years and has been working with college students for over 20 years. Moreover, he is a nine-time Circle K International Distinguished District Administrator award winner and a recipient of the Georgia District of Key Club Frank J. Powers Award. He was inducted into the Georgia Circle K District Hall of Fame in 2001, which was renamed in his honor at the same time. Because of his volunteer work through Kiwanis, Dave was selected to participate in the Olympic Torch Relay in 1996.

Dave is an associate member of the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) and was a 2006 finalist for APCA Campus Speaker of the Year. He is also an associate member of the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) and the American Student Government Association (ASGA). Dave served as a Cluster Facilitator for a national session of the LeaderShape Institute in July 2007.

Dave is a Lead Facilitator for the Kiwanis International Key Leader program and is a certified trainer for both Circle K and Kiwanis International. Dave’s experiences with students, in business, and through civic involvement give him a unique perspective and allow him to offer practical examples in his presentations.

An avid Green Bay Packers Fan and shareholder, Dave is a sports enthusiast. He is married to the former Dia Stokes of Hillsborough, North Carolina and has two daughters: Amanda and Katie. The whole family attends Mount Pisgah United Methodist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Little known facts about Dave Kelly >