Jackson will speak Oct. 21 at BBCC

MOSES LAKE — Please note the lack of a clever "You're fired" reference to open this story.

Kwame Jackson, a contestant on NBC's Donald Trump reality series "The Apprentice," which aired from January to April, will be speaking at Big Bend Community College's Peter DeVries Activity Center Thursday at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m.

Jackson said his speech, entitled "Lessons From the Boardroom," is an "analogy for boardroom experiences from my life at Proctor and Gamble, the Harvard Business School, Wall Street, dotcoms and the 'Apprentice' experience. It's things I've learned over time that may be useful to students. I'm very excited about it."

When Jackson arrives in Moses Lake, it will be his first time in Washington, and in the Pacific Northwest, he said.

"I've got my Birkenstocks; I should be fine," Jackson said with a chuckle.

When asked what he hopes the BBCC audience comes away from his presentation with, Jackson said he is all about filtering, adding that he doesn't believe any speaker can tell an audience how to live and share their secrets to success.

"I can share my experience and people can filter positives out that work for them," he said.

When asked what projects he is currently working on, Jackson directed attention to his Web site, www.kwamejckson.com, which covers everything he is doing with his entire life. Endeavors include Legacy Holdings, Jackson's holding company with two partners, which is currently pursuing entrepreneurial projects in real estate, television and film production and executive menswear retail apparel.

How much emphasis is given to Jackson's time on "The Apprentice" and his other business varies by audience and audience temperament, although his preference is that people take whatever they can that is positive from his speech.

"I'm not interested in being a reality TV celebrity," he said, adding that he was a serious businessman before "The Apprentice," and through his participation on that show, now has a larger platform to be a serious businessman in. His actions, he said, are convincing more people to believe that.

"I'm excited about coming to your community, and my first trip to Washington state," Jackson said. "Maybe one day I will be back and go salmon fishing and all the great things you guys do up there."

Tickets to Jackson' s speech are $5. Tickets are available at the Columbia Basin Herald, BBCC's bookstore and Andrews Hallmark in Moses Lake and Rock Park Coffee in Ephrata.