AAHOA Announces A Blockbuster Lineup Of Speakers For Its 2010 Annual Convention & Trade Show
In keeping with an unparalleled tradition of welcoming top-notch speakers for its Annual Convention, the ASIAN AMERICAN HOTEL OWNERS ASSOCIATION (AAHOA) will host the following blockbuster lineup for the 2010 Annual Convention & Trade Show, which will be held on June 16-19, 2010 at the Navy Pier Convention Center in Chicago, Ill.:
- June 17, 2010: For its opening General Session, AAHOA will feature a lively “Point – Counterpoint” debate between KARL ROVE andTERRY McAULIFFE, which will be moderated bySTEVEN ROBERTS.KARL ROVEis one of the sharpest political and conservative minds in the country, and was the architect of two successful presidential campaigns for his long-time friend President George W. Bush.TERRY McAULIFFE is credited with single-handedly pulling the Democratic party out of financial debt, which impacted the current control of the White House and Congress by Democratic leaders. Moderator STEVEN ROBERTS is a leading political pundit and nationally syndicated journalist.
- June 18, 2010: Chicago’s very own “Iron” MIKE DITKA, an NFL Hall of Famer and legendary hero in the world of sports and business will be the featured speaker during the General Session on June 18. (See biographical summaries of each featured speaker below.)
“Each of our speakers for this year’s Annual Convention has a distinct success story and worldview that our members are anxious to learn from,” said TARUN S. PATEL, AAHOA Chairman. “Year in and year out, attendees at our Annual Convention get to hear from some of the most influential speakers the world has to offer, and this year is no different.”
“The AAHOA Annual Convention is the showcase event for our association. Our members travel from all over the country for the very best in speakers and entertainment, as well as the tremendous business and networking opportunities,” said CHANDRAKANT “C.K.” PATEL, Vice Chairman of AAHOA and 2010 Convention Chair. “Showcasing these highly regarded speakers during our Annual Convention will provide a significant experience for our members that they will never forget.”
“AAHOA is honored to feature these renowned speakers during our General Sessions,” said FRED SCHWARTZ, President of AAHOA. “The political arena is a constantly changing landscape, and this group of speakers during our opening General Session will undoubtedly deliver a riveting discussion that every AAHOA member will find pertinent and insightful. Not to be overshadowed, Hall of Famer Mike Ditka is a Chicago icon, and he will certainly deliver a tough but motivational message that will inspire many who are facing challenges in these uncertain economic times. Our entire lineup of speakers promises to captivate and deliver.”
BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARIES OF FEATURED SPEAKERS FOR THE AAHOA 2010 ANNUAL CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW
KARL ROVE is a former White House Deputy Chief of Staff and “The Architect” of two successful presidential campaigns for President George W. Bush. While at the White House, he oversaw the Offices of Strategic Initiatives, Political Affairs, Public Liaison, and Intergovernmental Affairs and was Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, coordinating the White House policy-making process. He recently released his highly anticipated memoir entitled “Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight,” in which he recounts his life in politics and service. Karl is currently a Fox News contributor, Wall Street Journal columnist, and Newsweek columnist. Karl has been described by respected author Michael Barone in U.S. News & World Report as “…unique…no Presidential appointee has ever had such a strong influence on politics and policy, and none is likely to do so again anytime soon.”
TERRY McAULIFFE is credited with almost single-handedly bringing a financially failing Democratic party out of the red and into the black. He began his political career as a 23-year-old Catholic University graduate who became finance chairman for President Jimmy Carter. His prowess at wrangling donor support propelled him into bigger roles on the national stage, including Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Co-Chairman of Bill Clinton’s reelection committee, and most recently Chairman of Hillary Clinton for President. Under Terry’s leadership, the DNC underwent a long-term rebuilding process that ultimately helped Democrats take control of Congress in 2006 and the White House in 2008.
STEVEN ROBERTS attended Harvard where he served as editor of the student newspaper. After graduating, Roberts was hired by The New York Times, and later served as a senior writer at U.S. News & World Report, where he is now a contributing editor. As a Washington pundit, Roberts appears regularly on ABC Radio, Washington Week In Review, CNN, and Hardball with Chris Matthews. Roberts and his wife, Cokie Roberts, write a nationally syndicated newspaper column and are contributing writers for USA Weekend, a Sunday magazine that appears in 500 newspapers nationwide.
MIKE DITKA. Tough. Hard-nosed. No-nonsense. Disciplinarian. Legendary. Iconic. Polarizing. Several clichés have been used to describe Mike Ditka. Born to a railroad union leader in a small, working-class, steel-driven Pittsburgh suburb, Ditka would use the humble sights he saw growing up as a motivating factor to one day become not only a Bears legend, but an icon of America. He played tight end for the NFL’s Chicago Bears (1961-1966), Philadelphia Eagles (1967-1968) and Dallas Cowboys (1969-1972). He has won three Super Bowls – as a player (Dallas – Super Bowl VI), as an assistant coach (Dallas – Super Bowl XII) and as a head coach (Chicago – Super Bowl XX). He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988.