Oil and gas entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens is the keynote speaker at the NationaLease 68th Annual Meeting, Sept. 16-17, in Baltimore, Md.

He will share his opinions on solving America's energy crisis, as well as his perspectives on U.S. energy use, at the gathering of those in the full-service truck leasing industry.

Pickens says he is on a mission to enhance U.S. energy policies to lessen the nation's dependence on OPEC oil. It is a reliance he views as the greatest threat to America's national security and economic well-being.

Cited by President Barack Obama for his leadership in developing "The Pickens Plan" for America's energy future, Pickens has long been an advocate for harnessing domestic alternatives and developing new technologies. He has an accurate track record of predicting oil and gas prices. As a result, he is a frequent guest on some of the nation's most-watched business programs. The cable television news channel CNBC has coined him the "Oracle of Oil."

Pickens grew from humble beginnings in Depression-era Holdenville, Okla, to become a successful businessmen, appearing on the cover of Time, Fortune, and virtually every major U.S. business publication.

The NationaLease Annual Meeting unites speakers, industry experts, representatives from NationaLease companies, and exhibitors to find workable solutions for issues such as improving customer service, reducing operating costs, making the most of national accounts, and NationaLease membership.