Retired General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of U.S. troops in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the 1990-91 Persian Gulf war, will speak at the American Trucking Associations' 2001 Management Conference and Exhibition.

The conference will be held Oct. 28-31 at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.
"If anyone can match the right words with the new theme of our conference -- Standing Together, Moving America Forward -- it is General Schwarzkopf," said William Canary, ATA interim President and CEO. "When it comes to rallying Americans to a just cause, few can do as well."
Schwarzkopf will address ATA's General Membership Breakfast on Wednesday, Oct. 31, the final day of the annual conference. His remarks are titled "From the Boardroom to the War Room."
Other topics will include driverless trucks, the "ten commandments" of the Motor Carrier Act, new 2007 diesel fuel rules, "e-everything," and how to maneuver through the maze that is Washington politics.
"Success in the trucking industry is no longer just about keeping 18 wheels safely between the lines and making deliveries on time," said Duane W. Acklie, ATA Chairman. "If we want to keep our lead as the transportation mode of choice for American industry and American consumers, we have to take the lead in learning how to do it better."
Eighteen educational sessions will cover topics such as recruiting and retaining drivers, the latest in tax law and financial information, new diesel fuel rules, the lack of truck parking spaces, workplace safety and ergonomics, and cargo theft.
Simultaneously, ATA's member-based policy committees will discuss and decide the Associations' future course on critical regulatory and legislative issues.
The exhibit portion of ATA's Nashville session will feature 150 suppliers displaying their new products, services, and equipment for trucking executives.
The keynote speaker is Peter Bijur, former CEO and chairman of Texaco. Political satirist Mark Russell will spice up the ATA General Luncheon. The ATA Spouses' Business Meeting will hear about strategies for success from television news anchor Deborah Norville. The truck-driving Captains of America's Road Team will also be featured.
As is fitting in the Music City, attendees will also be entertained by country music recording star Martina McBride.