Boldly Going to Anaheim
Posted by TestOut Staff on
There are many, many different conferences, conventions, and other gatherings that are themed around IT, education, or some combination of the two. Frequently, tech groups rope in celebrities (or at least "celebrities") to speak at such events. Former NBA MVP Shaquille O'Neal will be at CompTIA's ChannelCon event in August. Hero pilot Chesley Sullenberger will deliver the keynote address at (ISC)²'s Security Congress gathering in October.
Earlier this week, TestOut employees Cole, Wendy, and Aubrey arrived in Anaheim to attend the Business Professionals of America 2019 National Leadership Conference. To the best of our knowledge, #BPANLC2019 did not involve any manner of featured celebrity presenter. Anaheim is geographically nigh unto Hollywood, however, and TestOut's intrepid trio did happen to semi-cross paths with a very special guest, indeed, shortly after arriving.
Walking up to the Anaheim Convention Center on Thursday morning, Cole, Aubrey, and Wendy spotted a film crew with a very particular mission. Apparently, the forthcoming new Star Trek series from CBS All Access, which will feature the return of Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard, had arranged to film some exterior scenes nearby. None other than Stewart himself, in fact, was on the premises, rarin' to go at age 78. Look at the photo above and you can't miss him.
Now, to be entirely forthcoming, the caliber of guest at the average IT or IT-related event doesn't generally cause us to immediately rush out and arrange attendance. When hero boat captain Richard Phillips, for example, spoke at an ISACA gathering a few years back, we didn't exactly bust out the travel reservations app. (Although it would seem that a good way to become a featured IT event speaker is to be played by Tom Hanks in the movie of your life.)
If you'd told us last week, however, that Patrick Stewart would be anywhere in the vicinity of #BPANLC2019, then we'd have beamed up to the airport on the spot. And frankly, is their any better inspiration for future IT professionals than Jean-Luc Picard? You could say that Star Trek is one of the reasons that current computer technology exists. So congratulations to TestOut's #BPANLC2019 team. Your proximity to greatness is an inspiration to us all.