Orlando Magic Executive To Speak To Growers

ARCADIA - The Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association announces Pat Williams, senior vice president of the Orlando Magic, author and renowned public speaker as the keynote speaker of the annual membership meeting.

The meeting will be held Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008 at the Hardee County Agri-Civic Center in Wauchula beginning at 6 p.m.

Williams is known as one of the top motivational speakers in the country, having spoken to many Fortune 500 companies, as well as for the Billy Graham Crusades and many university campuses. He is the author of an array of inspirational books, The Warrior Within, The Magic of Teamwork, and Coaching Your Kids to be Leaders to name a few.

Following seven years of Army service, Williams spent seven years with the Philadelphia Phillies organization and three years with the Minnesota Twins prior to moving to the National Basketball Association (NBA). Since 1968, he has been affiliated with teams in Chicago, Atlanta, and Philadelphia, including the 1983 World Champion 76ers. He co-founded the Orlando Magic in 1987, and in 1996 was named as one of the 50 most influential people in NBA history by a national publication.

Williams is a member of the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame and the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame.

He and wife, Ruth, are the parents of 19 children, 14 of which are adopted from four nations, ranging in age from 20 to 34. In the past 10 years, he has completed thirty-eight marathons, including the Boston Marathon 10 times, and has also climbed Mt. Rainier. He is a weight lifter, Civil War buff, and a serious baseball fan participating in fantasy baseball camps every year.

Citrus growers in Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Manatee and Sarasota counties are invited to attend the meeting. However, reservations are necessary, as seating is limited.