Name: 2025-2026 Character Fellow: Laef Olson
Start: 2025-11-17T09:15:00-05:00
End: 2025-11-17T10:00:00-05:00
Location: 1350 King College Road, Bristol, TN, United States, Tennessee 37620

King University’s Institute for Faith & Culture (IFC) speaker series, “Equipped for Every Good Work,” continues this fall with entrepreneur and innovator Laef Olson, who will make two presentations on Monday, Nov. 17th.
Olson will speak at King’s Memorial Chapel at 9:15 a.m. on “Fail Forward Fast,” and again at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Bristol, Tennessee, where he will present “No Benign Saboteurs.” A reception will be held after the morning conversation, and before the evening event, beginning at 6 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.
“I take special joy in this event, as Laef and I have been friends since college,” said Martin Dotterweich, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Faith & Culture. “His work has been full of innovation. He was involved in the first-ever online banking project, developed a search engine for cars.com, developed cloud computing for Oracle, and at every step he has been
guided by strong character. Laef’s character shows in his humility, his work in his church and community, and especially in his devotion to his family. As our inaugural Character Fellow, Laef will bring insights for everyone, particularly those in Bristol’s business community.”
Olson’s presentations will focus on innovation and leadership through the lens of character, integrity, and faith. Drawing from his diverse background in technology, entrepreneurship, and community leadership, he will explore how individuals can navigate failure, challenge complacency, and cultivate cultures that reflect purpose and resilience.
The speaker fall speaker series concludes with Grammy-winning tenor Aaron Blake and Symphony of the Mountains Conductor Cornelia Laemmli Orth on Dec. 1st.
Since 2007, the King University Institute for Faith & Culture has welcomed widely recognized thinkers, authors, musicians, scholars, and philosophers to interact with students and a regional audience in a welcoming environment that catalyzes growth and understanding. The Institute serves as the standard bearer of the University’s long-time exploration of the liberal arts, in conjunction with King’s mission of equipping students to answer the call of service and character inherent in the Christian faith.