Archie Manning to be keynote speaker at Automotive Service & Repair Week

Archie Manning, All-American quarterback and NFL MVP, will be the 2008 keynote speaker at the Opening General Session of the recently created Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW).

DuPont Performance Coatings is the sponsor of the Opening General Session that will be held during the International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) and Congress of Automotive Repair & Service (CARS) co-located events at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas from Nov. 5-8.

"When people think of Archie Manning, they think football. But Manning’s appeal transcends his athletic achievements and it is with great pride that DuPont will sponsor him as this year’s keynote speaker,” says Mark Wagner, vice president Refinish Americas, DuPont Performance Coatings.

Prior to Manning’s keynote address, NACE 2008 Event Chairman, Darrell Amberson and CARS 2008 Event Chairman, Aaron Clements will take the stage, sharing their views, comments and direction of the state of today’s industry -- both the collision and mechanical segments.

NACE -- the world’s collision repair event -- annually draws an estimated attendance of 25,000-plus industry professionals from around the globe, featuring a comprehensive educational conference and exposition of 450-plus exhibiting companies. CARS -- a premier event for automotive service professionals -- projects an estimated attendance of 2,000-plus industry professionals, features a comprehensive educational conference and exposition of 100-plus exhibiting companies.

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) is the sponsor of ASRW, NACE and CARS.

Manning was recently selected as one of 10 outstanding New Orleanians by Family Service of Greater New Orleans and named Hornblower of the Year by the Public Relations Society of America. He currently serves in public relations and consulting capacities for several local, regional and national companies. For 25 years he hosted four Archie Manning Cystic Fibrosis benefit golf tournaments in Louisiana and Mississippi and is active in a wide variety of charitable and civic causes.

While attending the University of Mississippi, Manning was named an All-American quarterback and is the only Ole Miss player to have his number retired. He was voted Mississippi’s Greatest All-Time Athlete in 1992, and recently named Mississippi’s Most Popular Athlete of the Century. He was elected to the 50-Year All-South Team (1940-1990), named one of the Top 25 Athletes of the Century in Louisiana and along with his son Peyton, Manning was named among the 100 All-Time Greatest College Football Players. Manning was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame and is a member of other Halls of Fame including Louisiana and Mississippi.

In 1971, Manning was the second player chosen in the NFL draft – the No. 1 draft choice of the New Orleans Saints. He set Saints passing records, played in two Pro Bowls and was named the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1978. He was the first player in Saints history to be inducted into the Louisiana Superdome Wall of Fame. He concluded his 15-year career in 1985. During his career as an all-star athlete, Manning was also drafted four times by major league baseball.

While in pro football, he received the Byron “Whizzer” White Humanitarian Award, the Bart Starr Humanitarian Award, the Spirit of Good Sports Award from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and the U.S. Jaycees named him one of 10 Outstanding Young Americans. In 2005 Manning received the Legends award from the Davey O’Brien Foundation and the Aspire award, a tribute to life’s coaches, from the Cal Ripken Foundation.

His community activities include Louisiana Special Olympics, the New Orleans Area Boy Scout Council, the Salvation Army, United Way Speakers Bureau, NOKIA Sugar Bowl Committee, New Orleans Sports Foundation, and National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Board of Directors.