Editor-in-Chief 

The Bakersfield Business Conference ended the speaker portion of the evening with a surprise guest speaker Captain Richard Phillips.

Phillips is most notably known as the captain of the container ship Maersk Alabama during its hijacking by Somali pirates in 2009.

Following the incident, Phillips was portrayed by Tom Hanks in the Hollywood-blockbuster Captain Phillips.

Phillips talked about his experience during the hijacking of his ship and the team effort that was required to execute the rescue.

“Nothing is completely lost until we choose to give up,” said Phillips. “A dedicated team can overcome almost any problem.”

Phillips credited the United States military, special forces and the United States Navy Seals for his safe escape.

“It’s amazing what can happen when you refuse to give up,” said Phillips.

The crowd cheered for Phillips and gave him a standing ovation following his presentation.