Sullenberger, Musharraf, and Barry to Speak in Dallas

 

The ASIS International 56th Annual Seminar and Exhib­its in Dallas, October 12 to 15, promises a host of re­nowned keynote speakers: Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger III, the heroic pilot who landed U.S. Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River with no loss of life; Pervez Musharraf, former president of Pakistan; and Pultizer Prize-winning commentator and humorist Dave Barry.

 

Sullenberger. On Wednesday, October 13, Sullenberger will speak from 8 to 9 a.m.

 

On January 15, 2009, Sullenber ger, who has more than 40 years and 27,000 hours of flying experience, was the captain of Flight 1549, outbound from New York’s La­Guar­dia Airport to Charlotte, North Carolina. The Airbus A320 hit a flock of birds shortly after takeoff, damaging both the plane’s engines. After deciding that returning to LaGuardia or landing at another airport was not feasible, Sullenberger made the decision to ditch the plane into the Hudson. All of the 155 passengers and crew were able to evacuate the plane—most standing on the wings of the sinking Airbus as rescue boats sped toward them. A true captain, Sullenberger was the last to evacuate the aircraft.

 

An aviation safety expert and accident investigator, Sullenberger also serves as the founder and CEO of Safety Reliability Methods, a consulting company dedicated to management, safety, performance and reliability consulting. He is the author of Highest Duty, a memoir of his life and of the events surrounding Flight 1549, and was ranked second in TIME magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential Heroes and Icons of 2009. He and his crew were presented Masters medals by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators.

 

Musharraf. The former president of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, will address Seminar and Exhibits attendees on Thursday, October 14, from 8 to 9 a.m. Musharraf served as the nation’s president from 2001 to 2008, and as chief executive of Pakistan from 1999 to 2001.

 

Musharraf occupied what TIME magazine described as ‘‘the most dangerous job in the world,’’ playing a crucial role in the global war on terror. Musharraf has survived two assassination attempts; rooted out militants in his own government; helped direct countless raids against Al Qaeda—both in Pakistan’s cities and in the mountains; and tracked Osama Bin Laden with technical and human intelligence. His memoir, In the Line of Fire, chronicles his struggles for the security and political future of Pakistan, with high stakes for the world at large.

 

At the start of his presidency, political restructuring was one of the four areas of focus for his government. He began examining why democracy remained dysfunctional in Pakistan and attempted to address the core malaise. He tried to empower the people of Pakistan at the grass roots level through a local government system that did not previously exist. During his tenure, the women of Pakistan were empowered by gaining reserve seats at every tier of the Parliament; multiple private TV channels were allowed for the first time in the history of Pakistan; and the electronic and print media began operating independently of the government.

 

Following the 9-11 terror attacks, the United States sought Musharraf’s support to fight the Taliban. With a vision for a modern, democratic, nonfundamentalist Islamic Pakistan, Musharraf was one of America’s greatest allies in battling the Taliban.

 

In the course of his seven years at the helm of affairs in Pakistan, Musharraf traveled widely all over the world and met many prominent leaders, and many of those leaders came to Pakistan to interact with him. Such top-level interactions allowed him to develop a sense of the geostrategic realities of the world and its various conflict regions. It also crystallized his views and perceptions of key world issues. Musharraf proposed a ‘‘strategy of enlightened moderation,” calling for the Muslim world to renounce violence, while telling Western powers to resolve all political disputes justly and to assist in the development of Muslim nations.

 

Musharraf still believes that Pakistan is a nation that has all the resources, potential, and human capability to be transformed into a progressive, moderate, and prosperous Islamic state.

 

Barry. On Friday, October 15, from 12 to 2 p.m., humor col­umnist Dave Barry will entertain attendees at the Seminar and Exhibit’s closing luncheon.

 

For 25 years, Barry was a syndicated columnist whose work appeared in more than 500 newspapers in the United States and abroad, including a nationally syndicated humor column in the Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005. In 1988 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his consistently effective use of humor as a device by which to present fresh insights into serious concerns. Barry has also written a total of 30 books, two of which were used as the basis for the CBS TV sitcom Dave’s World.

 

♦ Photo by ingridtaylar/Flickr