Alan Simpson, the spirited American politician who served as U.S. Senator of Wyoming from 1979-1997, will serve as the keynote speaker at the DFW Hospital Council’s (DFWHC) 70th Annual Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, October 17 in the main ballroom of the Arlington Convention Center.

As speaker, Simpson will discuss his 30-plus years in politics and his work as co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, a position he was appointed to by President Barack Obama to make recommendations on ways to reduce the national debt.

Since 1948, DFWHC’s Annual Awards Luncheon has been an opportunity for North Texas hospitals to honor important friends of healthcare with the Distinguished Health Service Award, the Young Healthcare Executive of the Year and the Kerney Laday, Sr. Trustee of the Year.

Simpson carries on a long tradition of internationally known personalities gracing the Annual Awards Luncheon podium, with past speakers including David Brinkley (1989), Henry Kissinger (1993), Colin Powell (1996), Margaret Thatcher (1997), Buzz Aldrin (2001), Newt Gingrich (2003), Ted Koppel (2011), James Carville/Mary Matalin (2012) and Ann Curry (2017).

Following his first term in the Senate, Simpson was elected to the position of Assistant Majority Leader in 1984 and served Majority Leader Bob Dole in that capacity for 10 years. He served as one of the 10 bipartisan members on the Iraq Study Group chaired by Lee Hamilton (Dem.) and Jim Baker (Rep.) and he co-chaired the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform with Erskine Bowles. He is the co-founder of The Campaign to Fix the Debt, a movement to put America on a firmer fiscal and economic path. His biography, published in 2011, was entitled “Shooting from the Lip: The Life of Senator Al Simpson.”

“I’ve had great respect for many years for the work of Alan Simpson in the U.S. government,” said W. Stephen Love, president/CEO of DFWHC. “He is an engaging speaker with fascinating perspectives on our country. We are looking forward to his presentation and details about his storied career.”

A reception will begin at 11:00 a.m. followed by the luncheon and awards from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Award recipients will be announced later this summer. Sponsorships and tickets will go on sale in August.

For questions, please contact Chris Wilson at chrisw@dfwhc.org or call 972-719-4900.