Spikes Manton’s diverse career background makes him a unique talent among motivators and speakers. He graduated from Bradley University with a Business Degree and started out as a Procter & Gamble Sales Manager, but he soon transitioned to the world of standup comedy, earning seven national television appearances, and then a long career in Chicago media hosting radio talk shows (including national shows on ESPN) and doing television work for the Black Hawks and White Sox. Spike eventually leveraged the strengths of all those experiences to become one of the top corporate speakers in the country.
Spike has also made his mark as a writer and educator. He is the co-founder of Educational Improv Works (EIW), a company with a dynamic new approach to teaching language arts in schools through a program that integrates improvisation, public speaking and the tenets of Social Emotional Learning. He co-wrote and produced the critically acclaimed hit stage comedy “Leaving Iowa” which was nominated for “Best New Play in the Country” and is now published and still touring theaters across the country. He also co-wrote a children’s book about bullying, manipulation and leadership, “Patty and the Stump”.
Spike lives outside Chicago with his wife, Tami and their two children.