Travelocity Founder to Keynote NEMA Annual Meeting and Leadership Conference


ROSSLYN, Va., August 23, 2006-Terry Jones, founder of Travelocity.com, will be the keynote speaker at NEMA's 80th Annual Meeting and Leadership Conference to be held Saturday, November 11, to Monday, November 13, at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, DC.

The theme of the conference is: "As NEMA Turns 80, It's Back to the Future-Solutions
for a Flatter, Technology-Driven World."

Jones founded and led Travelocity.com as president and chief executive officer from its founding until May 2002. He now serves as managing principal of Essential Ideas, a consulting firm he co-founded to help companies in their transition to the digital economy. Jones will share real-world examples and first-hand knowledge about creating a national brand, thriving in rapidly changing markets, strengthening digital customer relationships, and using technology for competitive advantage. He will offer fresh ideas on branding, marketing, internet commerce, and leadership, and explore how to turn shoppers into buyers and buyers into loyal customers eager for more.

Samuel Bodman, Secretary of Energy (invited), who was sworn in as the 11th Secretary of Energy on February 1, 2005, will follow Jones on the program. He previously served the Bush administration as Deputy Secretary of the Treasury and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Commerce. Bodman will update the audience on issues facing the electroindustry, from rising fuel prices to energy policy.

Monday's third speaker will be Dr. Martin Regalia, vice president and chief economist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who previously served in the Congressional Budget Office and with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. He has made numerous national television appearances and has testified before several congressional committees.

Finally, a panel consisting of Keith Williams, president of Underwriters Laboratories; Rob Griffin, president of the Canadian Standards Association; and Gregg Tiemann, president of Intertek, will discuss the key subjects of industry consolidation, globalization, counterfeiting, and new technologies. They will give insight into the state of the industry and answer questions from the audience. The panel will be moderated by television journalist Gene Randall of CNN fame.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.nema.org/annualmeeting.

NEMA is the trade association of choice for the electrical manufacturing industry. Founded in 1926 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., its 430 member companies manufacture products used in the generation, transmission and distribution, control, and end-use of electricity. These products are used in utility, medical imaging, industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential applications. Domestic production of electrical products sold worldwide exceeds $120 billion. In addition to its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia, NEMA also has offices in Beijing, Sao Paulo, and Mexico City.

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