About Tony
Tony L Harris is an accomplished motivational speaker, corporate trainer, mentor, and author with a body of expertise that includes life coaching, spiritual counseling, clinical hypnotherapy, and four decades of business-to-business sales experience in the highly competitive world of transportation logistics.
Following his recent retirement from his role as a Corporate Trainer at ArcBest Corporation, an industry-leading logistics company, Tony was honored by Mayor George McGill of Fort Smith, Arkansas with the creation of Tony Harris Day. To be held annually on February 7th, the new local holiday will commemorate Tony’s contributions to his community, both during his 14 years with ArcBest and through his volunteer work with local and at-risk youth.
Tony has received many awards for his accomplishments as a speaker, trainer, and consultant, and has been recognized for leading his team at ArcBest to rank among the Top 20 Fortune 500 training groups nationwide throughout his tenure. Reflecting on his retirement from ArcBest, Tony states “After working for several logistics companies over the last 40 years, becoming a Corporate Trainer has been the perfect ending to a highly successful career. This has truly been the opportunity and career of a lifetime, one that has allowed me to grow and create a clear roadmap on how to segue into the next obvious step, my ‘second act’ career and personal calling in life.” That “second act” is The Harris Training Group. He continues, “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to continue to help inspire and foster positive change within companies, organizations, and others. This is my legacy that I plan to leave, which is to continue to help others through personal development and empowerment but now, it’s my own brand that I will promote as my flagship as I expand on the concept and belief that becoming the best version of yourself is the key to your happiness and ultimate success.”
Over the last 40 years, Tony has helped thousands of clients and colleagues to achieve their goals through productive communication. In addition to securing promotions and significant salary increases, he has provided professionals from all backgrounds and circumstances with the instruments required to navigate difficult jobs and industries. Secure in his belief that positive interpersonal relationships are integral to a person’s happiness and success, he dedicates himself to helping his clients improve their relationship choices and interactions across all areas of their lives. This includes leaving toxic or negative relationships, seeking and finding healthy relationships, and navigating difficult divorces, as well as achieving goals such as getting married and starting a family. Ultimately, Tony strives to help people find their voice when they feel helpless or even paralyzed be their personal or professional circumstances. By providing the tools needed to craft their message, he empowers those who are too emotionally distressed or overwhelmed by their problems to see and appreciate their options.
From 1991-1995, Tony took a four-year absence from logistics to operate a successful, full-time clinical hypnotherapy practice in Beverly Hills. His personal motto of “teaching, inspiring, and empowering others to make good decisions and strive for greatness” enabled him to help countless clients change their lives and better themselves. In his words, “To say that I’ve added value to the world by helping people to grow and develop the skills they need to improve their own lives. To be an example to my sons and instill a deeper understanding in them of the importance of helping people to the best of your abilities. That is my passion and my goal.”
Tony is the author of “ENCORE,” How I Survived and Thrived in the Logistics Business for 40 years; The Proven Formula to Turn Your Career into Your Calling.” He is also a Certified Jack Canfield Success Principles Trainer and has been granted full authorization to teach, coach, and train clients around the world in the Jack Canfield Methodology and Success Principles, the same 64 principles that Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series utilized to achieve his own personal and professional successes.
In addition to his successful career as a Corporate Trainer and Master Motivator in Logistics, Tony is a former Speech Communication and Physical Education teacher, as well as a former athletics coach with a passion for youth outreach and support. During the seven years that he has served as both a Youth Mentor with the Golden Knights of Fort Smith Round Table and a Board Member at Comprehensive Juvenile Services, he has provided shelter, supervision, and leadership skills to hundreds of local and at-risk youth.
Tony completed his Bachelor of Science in Education and Speech Communication at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas before receiving his Master’s in Education from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He later completed his Doctorate in Clinical Hypnotherapy at the American Institute of Hypnotherapy in Santa Ana, California (issued in coordination with the Bureau for Private Post-Secondary and Vocational Education in California – School No. 3004761).
Tony resides in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where his wife and twin sons are his most important priority. Working hard to maintain a healthy work-life balance, he enjoys reading, writing, meditating, traveling, and watching sports. He also participates in non-profit work and has worked with organizations such as The Sickle Cell Disease Foundation, The Salvation Army, Safe Harbor, Harbor Light Center, NAACP of Los Angeles, Disciples of Prosperity, and Master Minds in Action.
