LAS VEGAS, NV — Three-time American League MVP Alex Rodriguez helped kick off Design & Construction Week during the opening ceremonies held at the Westgate Hotel's Paradise Events Center.
Ceremonies included not only welcoming remarks from officials of the National Kitchen and Bath Association and the National Association of Home Builders, but also a full choir, drummers, video presentations, a performance by the Blue Man Group, and a keynote speech by Rodriguez.
Greg Ugalde, Chairman of the NAHB who introduced Rodriguez to the stage, began by touting the value of attending the International Builders' Show, which this year will include more than 3,000 attendees from more than 100 countries. 471 exhibitors from 29 countries will be at the show to display and demonstrate the latest innovations in technology and design.
Following a video message from NBA legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson (who was scheduled to appear but unable to attend due to a memorial service for former Commissioner David Stern), Rodriguez took the stage. He gave a heartfelt thanks to Johnson for inviting him to speak in his place, and made a few jokes about Ugalde being a Red Sox fan.
While known best as a baseball player, Rodriguez has built himself into a brand as a sports commentator, celebrity, fitness mogul, and—most importantly for the D&C crowd—real estate entrepreneur. His corporation currently has more than 10,000 units across the southwest, with a new development taking place right now in downtown Miami.
Rodriguez realized early on that most successful athletes make most of their money at a relatively young age, and then live to see their fortunes gradually decline. "I wanted to hedge my career," he said.
He took lessons from his time on the field, and tried to apply them to his business career: play with passion, invest in your team, and always remember that fundamentals are what win championships.
After his keynote, which included anecdotes that featured George Steinbrenner and Warren Buffet, A-Rod sat down with Ugalde and NKBA Chairwoman Alison Lowrie to talk informally about his life before, during and after baseball. He remembered being poor, hungry and driven (what he calls his "PhD") and dreaming about one day changing places with the landlord who owned his mother's building.
Rodriguez stressed the importance of education, saying that is is never too late to invest in yourself. He, himself, didn't go to business school until he was in his 30s.
And he also stressed the importance of failure—of accepting it, even embracing it—on the road to success. "In baseball," Rodriguez said, "if you fail 70 percent of the time, you end up going to the Hall of Fame." He made note of one of his lesser-known stats: 5th all-time in strikeouts.
"I have a PhD in failing," he said, "but I have a Masters in getting back up."
Then Rodriguez, along with Ugalde and Lowrie officially opened Design & Construction Week 2020 to an eager crowd.