One of the most influential women in the country was in Salina Wednesday. Former Chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard, best-selling author, and challenger for the 2016 Republican Presidential Nomination Carly Fiorina was the featured speaker at the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet and Membership Meeting.

Prior to the banquet Fiorina met with the media. She spoke on numerous topics, including politics, education, and her views on business.

Fiorina told KSAL News that though there was some ugliness between her and President Donald Trump during the campaign, she right now supports him. She said that it is the early stages of his presidency and “we need to give the man a chance.”

 

Fiorina attributes Trump’s victory to among other things, people being tired of “the same old thing in Washington DC”. She said that a Gallup poll indicates that 80 percent of the people in the country believe the federal government has grown so bloated that it is “incompetent, corrupt, and allows problems to fester.” She added that 80 percent also believe we have developed a “professional political class in this county, of both parties, that cares more about its position and privilege than about getting the people’s work done”.

Fiorina said that for there to be change someone needs to “shock the system,” and right now Trump is shocking it.

Fiorina’s message to the chamber was not political. Rather it was simply “the more things change, the more things stay the same”.  She said that what’s going on in this modern age with technology is revolutionary and unprecedented, and it is constantly changing. But what is not changing is human nature. She went on to say that it takes an understanding of human nature to understand the fundamentals of leadership. She added “anybody can lead, leaders are made not born, and leadership has nothing to do with your position or your title.”

 

The chamber has a history of bringing big name speakers for their annual banquet and membership meeting. Last year Emmy-Award winning journalist John Stossel brought a message of less government. Previous speakers have included cancer surviving hall of fame figure skater Scott Hamilton, presidential candidate and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw, former Alaska Governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Former President George Bush, Former British Prime Minister John Major, sports journalist Bob Costas, and Major League Baseball hall of famer Cal Ripken Jr., among others.