National AF&V Conference Keynote Speakers Announced - Focus is on Greening Global Transportation

Las Vegas, NV - February 12 - Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute (AFVi) hosts the fourteenth Alternative Fuels & Vehicles National Conference + Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 11-14. AF&V Conference 2008 raises the topical issues of the role vehicles and fuels play in energy security and climate change. The national conference is a neutral meeting place for policy and/or purchasing decision-makers who need to keep their finger on the changing pulse of regulations, funding and near-term operations and technical development strategies. An estimated 2,000 people will attend from throughout the world.

The conference program features many of the leading decision-makers in alternative fuels and technologies, representing truck manufacturers, fuel suppliers, government agencies and parts manufacturers. Session topics include legislation, climate change, business case, fuel cells, heavy-duty hybrids, ports, biofuels updates, electric drive advances, and focused workshops on federal funding, plug-in hybrids, and current model year product availability. There's even a session by Google on their Recharge IT Program. The overarching emphasis is how to implement business strategies to enable fleets to cost-effectively transition to cleaner burning vehicles.

Confirmed Keynote Speakers for the 2008 Conference include:

Oscar Goodman, Mayor, City of Las Vegas

The colorful Mayor of Las Vegas, Oscar Goodman welcomes conference attendees. Under his leadership, Las Vegas was recently recognized with an "International World Leadership Award" naming Las Vegas the "American City of the Year."

Robert Hall, United Parcel Service (UPS)

Mr. Hall is the Fleet Environmental Manager at UPS. The UPS alternative fuel fleet of 1,600 vehicles is one of the largest in the United States and currently includes trucks powered by compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, propane, biodiesel, electricity, and hydrogen.

Dr. Robert Hirsch, Senior Energy Advisor, MISI

Dr. Hirsch is a Senior Energy Advisor at MISI. Hirsch authored a defining report for the Department of Energy called, "Peaking of World Oil Production: Impacts, Mitigation, and Risk Management."

Rich Kassel, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

Mr. Kassel is a Senior Attorney at NRDC and the Director of their Clean Vehicles & Fuels Project. His advocacy track record of reducing diesel emissions in the United States dates back to the early 1990s.

Mike Marshall, JD Power and Associates

As the Director of Automotive Engineering Technologies for JD Power, Mike Marshall identifies automotive trends to determine what direction the market is moving in. He'll focus on fleets and their attitudes about alternative fuels.

Aubrey McClendon, CEO and Chairman, Chesapeake Energy

Aubrey McClendon is the co-founder of Chesapeake Energy, the largest natural gas producer in the United States and a primary partner of the club which owns the NBA Seattle Supersonics. He's been named by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 100 bosses to work for in America.

Amy Myers Jaffe, James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy

As leader of the Baker Institute Energy Forum, and associate director of the Rice University Energy Program, Amy Myers Jaffe is an expert on global energy-related challenges facing the 21st century. She's widely published and regularly interviewed about Mideast politics.

T. Boone Pickens, BP Capital LLC

T. Boone Pickens, Jr. chairs the private equity firm BP Capital Management and is the founder of Clean Energy. The ardent proponent of natural gas as a transportation fuel has been ranked by Forbes Magazine as the 117th richest person in America.

Bobby Rahal, Race Car Icon

Featured speaker Bobby Rahal has had enormous influence on racing as an athlete, owner and executive. Rahal won three IndyCarR/CART championships as a driver as well as the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He's attending as an advocate of ethanol fuel.

Annalloyd Thomason, Executive Director, AFVi

Annalloyd Thomason has decades of experience in the oil, gas and utility fields, but in the last 20 years she's worked toward developing alternative fuel markets. Her job involves working with everyone from Fortune 100 fleets to fuel providers and auto manufacturers.

The AFV Conference + Expo is presented on behalf of AFVi's sponsors. The 2008 sponsors include the following: Alloy Custom Products, American Clean Skies Foundation, American Honda Motor Company, ANGI International, ARB Inc., Atlas Copco, Bosch, Clean Energy, Cummins Westport, Ethanol Promotion & Information Council, ESI, FirmGreen, Ford Motor Company, Foton America, Freightliner, General Motors, Global Electric Motorcars, GreenField Compression, Luxfer Gas Cylinders, Miles Automotive, National Biodiesel Board, Odyne, OnQuest, Propane Exceptional Energy, Southern California Gas Company, Southern California Edison, South Coast Air Quality Management District, Toyota, Trimac, Westport Innovations, and Wheels Inc.

Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute (AFVI) is an entrepreneurial organization that works through industry to bring people in need of proven transportation technologies together with those who can meet their needs. AFVI is fuel and technology neutral. More information on the conference is available by going to http://www.afvi.org/NationalConference2008/.