TULSA, OKLAHOMA – The United States Junior Chamber (Jaycees) is pleased to announce that Vail Horton has been named as one of the 2007 Ten Outstanding Young Americans. The presentation of the 69th annual black-tie awards ceremony will be held September 22, 2007, in the Omaha, Nebraska Hilton Hotel.

Vail Blackwell Horton, 30, is an innovative and passionate entrepreneur.  He is making an impact coast-to-coast, through his companies and his involvement in the community nationwide. 

Vail born without legs and improper bone growth in his arms, adopted at birth is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Keen Mobility Company and Founder and Chairman of Incight Foundation. Vail has a true calling to change the world for the better. Horton’s persistence and tenacity turned into a company, when at age 22 he was prescribed to a wheelchair. Instead of succumbing to life in a wheelchair, Horton invented a crutch with shock-absorbing technology that allowed him to remain vertically mobile. Keen Mobility Company provides world-class products focused on safety, mobility, and comfort for the disabled, elderly and injured “so they are able to contribute more to society rather than take from society.” Vail has now led the company to over $2.5 million in annual sales, 25 different product lines, more than $1.7 million in capital, and 12 employees.  Keen Mobility has also been recognized by the Oregon Entrepreneurs Forum as one of the three most successful growth-stage companies in the state, ranked #30 on the 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies List, and was placed on the Governor’s Honor Role for Employers of People with Disabilities. Vail has been appointed to the Secretary of State Advisory Committee for Worldwide Disability Policy (invited by Condoleezza Rice for business acumen and proven commitment to the disabled), was recognized as one of the “Top 40 Under 40” executives in the City of Portland by the Portland Business Journal, and announced as an Oregon Healthcare Hero by Senator Gordon Smith on the floor of the US Senate.  

Vail, as founder and chairman of Incight Foundation has raised over $750,000 in private and corporate donations, 15 internships have been created, 127 disabled high school students have received college scholarships to date, and 5 universities have entered matching scholarship programs. Vail will not rest until the current statistics are changed from only 16% of people with disabilities receive a college education and 76% are unemployed.

Through motivational speaking, Vail created his own personal organization Handicrap LLC, which educates and moves individuals to acknowledge their boundaries, and to move beyond them.  He currently speaks all over the nation and parts of the world. He is writing his first book which is due to arrive June of 2008.

Vail graduated from the University of Portland and was awarded the Contemporary Alumni Award in 07. Vail is beautifully married to Elizabeth Ann Horton with their 4 children Grace, Logan, Katherine and Kelvin. The Horton family makes their home in Portland, Oregon today.

The Ten Outstanding Young Americans program (TOYA) is one of the oldest and most prestigious recognition programs in America. Annually since 1938, The United States Jaycees has sought out the ten young men and women who best exemplify the finest attributes of America’s youthful achievers.

The TOYA selection process begins in the spring of each year. Following the submission deadline, all nominations are forwarded to a panel of screening judges who, working independently, select and rank their top twenty choices. The top twenty point getters become the finalists. The finalists’ nominations are forwarded to a panel of finalist judges who rank their top ten choices. The task of judging the nominations is arduous.

Each nominee’s accomplishments and contributions are also judged in relation to the Jaycee Creed: “…That earth’s great treasure lies in human personality, and that service to humanity is the best work of life” and they must meet certain qualifications: age (18-40, inclusive), American citizenship (or application therefore), and agree to attend the TOYA Awards Ceremony.