Fred Thompson to Speak at 2007 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show

Fred Thompson to Speak at 2007 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show

Thompson's speech titled 'Traveling in Strange Circles - From Watergate to Hollywood to the United States Senate to Law & Order'

CHICAGO, April 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Restaurant Association today announced that respected U.S. Senator (1994-2002) and actor Fred Thompson will be the featured speaker at the Association's 2007 Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show(R). Thompson's speech ("Traveling in Strange Circles - From Watergate to Hollywood to the United States Senate to Law & Order") will take place at 2 p.m. on May 20, at McCormick Place in Chicago. The Show, which runs May 19-22, is the largest restaurant-and-hospitality industry trade show in North America and features more than 2,100 exhibiting companies and 73,000+ attendees. The restaurant industry, with its $537 billion in sales and 12.8 million employees, is one of the nation's largest private-sector employers and a major player in the nation's economy.

"We are honored to have Mr. Thompson at the 2007 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and look forward to sharing his insight into politics, Hollywood, foreign relations and life," said William C. Anton, FMP, convention chairman for the 2007 Show, and chairman and founder of Anton Airfood, Inc. "Mr. Thompson continues the long Show tradition of offering opportunities to listen to some of our nation's most influential elected and opinion leaders, to provide them with the insights they need to grow their businesses."

Fred Thompson was elected to the United States Senate in 1994 where he served as Chairman of the Committee on Governmental Affairs from 1997 until 2002. He also served on the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He chose not to run for re-election in 2002.

Prior to his election, Thompson maintained law offices in Nashville and Washington. Earlier in his career, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Tennessee. In 1973, he was appointed by Senator Howard Baker to serve as Minority Counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee where Thompson first gained national attention. He detailed his Watergate experience in his Watergate memoir, At That Point in Time. In 1974, after the Watergate hearings concluded, Thompson returned to the practice of law.

Thompson first appeared on screen in the film Marie in 1985, portraying himself in the fact-based story of a high-profile public corruption case he handled in Tennessee. Since then, he has appeared in numerous movies and television programs, including the features In the Line of Fire, Die Hard II, and The Hunt for Red October, and the television series China Beach, Wiseguy, and Matlock. He is a regular on the long-running TV drama Law & Order, and is a Special Program Host & Senior Analyst for ABC News Radio.

Thompson is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a former member of the U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission and a Visiting Fellow with the American Enterprise Institute. He is also the Chairman of the Arms Control & Nonproliferation Advisory Board.

Thompson is a native of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. He attended Memphis State University, where he earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy and political science. He received his law degree from Vanderbilt University. Thompson lives in Nashville, Tennessee and Washington, D.C. with his wife Jeri. He has three sons, one daughter, and five grandchildren.

Doors to McCormick Place's Grand Ballroom, where Thompson will speak, will open at 1:30. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and are free to Show attendees. A 2007 Show badge is required to gain admittance.

Now in its 88th year, the annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is the largest single gathering of restaurant, foodservice and lodging professionals the Western Hemisphere. The 2007 Show will be held May 19-22, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. The Show attracts 2,000 exhibiting companies and 73,000 attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 110 countries. Free, online media registration and more information can be found on the Show Web site at http://www.restaurant.org/show/media.

The National Restaurant Association, founded in 1919, is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which is comprised of 935,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 12.8 million employees -- making it the cornerstone of the economy, career opportunities and community involvement. Along with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to represent, educate and promote the rapidly growing industry. For more information, visit our Web site at http://www.restaurant.org/.

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Source: National Restaurant Association

CONTACT: Annika Stensson, +1-202-973-3677, media@dineout.org or Derrek
Hull, +1-312-853-2522, dhull@dineout.org, both of the National Restaurant
Association

Web site:

http://www.restaurant.org/

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