Houston, TX – February 22, 2025 — NSA Houston hosted its highly anticipated Last Story Standing competition on February 21st, bringing together passionate speakers and an engaged audience for an afternoon dedicated to the art of storytelling. Held at the University of Houston Texas Gulf Coast Small Business Development Center, the event was a celebration of voice, message, and connection.

Four contestants—Eric Aroca, David Bell, Mike Andrade, and Carl Loop—took the stage, each delivering a compelling five-minute story in hopes of advancing to the next level of the national competition. The audience was treated to a wide range of emotions and insights, with every speaker offering a unique perspective and impactful message.

After a tight competition and thoughtful judging, Eric Aroca was named the winner of NSA Houston’s Chapter-level event. He will now move on to represent the chapter at the Regional and, potentially, National level of Last Story Standing.

The event was expertly moderated by Mike Lejeune, and judged by a distinguished panel including Megan Billnoske, Karen McCullough, CSP, and Chris Cheetham-West, MBA. A special thank you also goes to Asli Remlinger and Wialillian Howard for their behind-the-scenes leadership and coordination that helped make the event a success.

More than just a competition, Last Story Standing is about reinforcing the value of story in professional speaking—its power to influence, persuade, and connect. NSA Houston is proud to provide a platform for members to grow, shine, and share their stories with the world.