RICK ANTONSON

Leaders today operate in a sphere of disrupted plans—a spinning new world where thinking like a Cathedral builder provides a proven mindset for the coming years. This keynote is a catalyst to deeper, broader envisioning—and bold action.

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Acclaimed author and tourism executive Rick Antonson challenges audiences to embrace the strategic concept of “Cathedral Thinking”. It prepares leaders to keep one eye on the horizon and the other eye looking over their shoulder. Future forward thinking ensures the living generation is tethered to the future. Lasting accomplishments are built upon solid foundations.

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Rick shares lessons from decades managing sceptics, taking on enemies of fresh ideas, and keeping a workforce focused, motivated and productive. He asserts that “Visionary Leadership ” embraces awkward ideas, anticipates new markets, and adapts tools—to benefit beyond this quarter, this year — into the long term.

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Cathedral builders of the 16th century confronted their share of pandemics, supply chain disruptions, staffing challenges, tariffs, and funding chaos. To get through uncertain times and achieve their visions, they needed what you need today—Visionary Leadership—short-term actions, measurable results, and a long-term vision. Fortune favours the bold!

 

The concept of Cathedral Thinking harkens from medieval times when architects, stonemasons and artisans were schooled in how their work today mattered for tomorrow. Over decades, they created soaring structures serving as community gathering spaces, cultural centres and places of worship. Their actions kept the living generation tethered to the future.

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Rick Antonson—Author, Instigator and Cathedral Thinker—is proof the concept is synonymous with creating a shared vision and working collaboratively. Rick was president and CEO of Tourism Vancouver when they launched the successful bid for the Vancouver-Whistler 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games, overcoming naysayers who said it couldn’t be done and rallying support around common ambitions. On his watch, Tourism Vancouver initiated the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Taskforce that, despite hurdles and opposing forces, led to the amazing facility that draws tens of thousands of people to Vancouver every year.

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Cathedral Thinking has been applied to land conservation, wind power, city planning, corporate mandates, destination development, and other goals that require decades of foresight and preparation so future generations can enjoy their realization, yet demand foundational work today.

 

Rick has presented keynote addresses to entities as varied as the South Pacific Tourism Association’s Insights Conference in Vanuatu; Best Cities in Tokyo; the World Cocoa Conference in Berlin; PATA Global Insights Conference in Auckland, New Zealand; Australia Council Marketing Summit, Cairns, Australia; The Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; the Global Café, hosted by Brisbane, Australia in advance of the G20 conference; the International Convention Centres Conference (International Association of Venue Managers), Vancouver, Canada; and an economic development forum hosted by Landsbankinn, Reykjavik, Iceland.

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You can watch Rick’s TED Talk about Cathedral Thinking here.

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Recent Speaking Engagements Themed Around Cathedral Thinking

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• March 24, 2025: Convention Centres of Canada Sustainability Conference

• November 12, 2024: Cape Breton Island Tourism Summit

• April 2023: Visit Seattle Annual General Meeting and Business Planning Launch

• December 2020: Cape Cod Center for Sustainability; Broto conference: Art-Climate-Science

• February 2020: Irving Hospitality Industry Annual Meeting, Irving, Texas

• December 2019: Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (in Halifax)

• February 2019: The International Association of Professional Conference Organizers (IAPCO) 50th Anniversary event in Basel, Switzerland