AAF Dallas (Dallas Ad League) Lauds Advertising Great Morris Hite with Leadership Forum

DALLAS, Nov. 4, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The AAF Dallas, formerly the Dallas Ad League, will dedicate its November 9 luncheon in Dallas to The Morris Hite Leadership Forum, presented by TracyLocke. The reprisal of the groundbreaking lecture series that debuted in 1984 will feature a panel of Dallas city and business leaders discussing how they are attracting attention to the Dallas market and better competing beyond our city limits for new business in civic, corporate and advertising venues.

The Leadership Forum will be held at the Doubletree Hotel Dallas – Campbell Centre at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost for the luncheon is $40 per person for AAF Dallas members and $55 for non-members. Event reservations can be made at www.aafdallas.org, by calling (214) 697-7124 or by e-mailing [email protected].

"The Leadership Forum series raises the stature of the Dallas advertising and business communities," said Gayle Boone, AAF Dallas president. "We're proud to be re-launching this annual tribute to Morris Hite along with TracyLocke. It's wonderful to present scholarships in honor of this great Dallas business leader."  

Distinguished Panelists

To be moderated by Cheryl Hall, business columnist for The Dallas Morning News, the Leadership Forum will be a frank discussion of the state of Dallas advertising and a perspective of how Dallas is seen by advertisers beyond the city's borders.  

Panelists include:

• Beth Ann Kaminkow, president and chief operating officer, TracyLocke
• John F. Crawford, president and CEO, DOWNTOWNDALLAS
• Tom Hansen, president and CEO, Heelys

About The Morris Hite Leadership Forum

Morris Hite was a key player in establishing Dallas as an advertising hub and his life's work as an advertising pioneer elevated the city of Dallas in the minds and hearts of advertising and marketing practitioners everywhere. His devotion to advertising resulted in his becoming only the second Dallasite to be inducted into the national Advertising Hall of Fame. In addition to building his agency, TracyLocke, into what was at one time the largest advertising, marketing and research facility in the Southwest region, Morris Hite's legacy generated recognition and success during his 45 years of civic leadership.

Previously known as the Morris Hite Lecture Series, the popular events of the 1980s brought distinguished speakers to Dallas such as Alexander Haig, U.N. Ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick and David Brinkley, among other luminaries. Renamed The Morris Hite Leadership Forum, and underwritten by TracyLocke Advertising and its alumni association, the event funds scholarships for area college students pursuing careers in advertising and marketing degrees. This year's scholarship will be presented at The Morris Hite Leadership Forum luncheon by Beth Ann Kaminkow, president and chief operating officer, TracyLocke.

"Morris Hite was a pioneer of advertising," said Richard Brown, chairman of TracyLocke Alumni Association. "Morris' life's work and plain-spoken style gained him notice in the local, regional and national advertising communities.  It was this recognition that led to TracyLocke becoming the cornerstone of the Dallas advertising agency business and to Morris' being inducted into the country's prestigious Advertising Hall of Fame."

About the Tenth District of the American Advertising Federation

The Tenth District of the American Advertising Federation represents the affiliate advertising clubs and federations of the American Advertising Federation (AAF) in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. The AAF is the only national grassroots trade association to encompass all segments of the advertising industry, including advertisers, agencies, corporate marketing departments, broadcast and print media companies, industry suppliers, college chapters and national trade associations engaged in various advertising pursuits.

About the AAF Dallas (formerly Dallas Ad League)

Founded in 1908, the Dallas Ad League now called AAF Dallas is more than 900 members strong and is affiliated with the Tenth District of the American Advertising Federation, part of AAF's national network of more than 200 ad clubs and 40,000 professionals. AAF Dallas strives to elevate the success of the advertising community through innovation, creative excellence, collaboration, professional development, education and philanthropic endeavors. To find out how to get involved in the Dallas ad community, visit www.aafdallas.org.

SOURCE AAF Dallas