NBC's Russert to speak in Tulsa and OKC

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Oklahoma State University is bringing Tim Russert, managing editor and moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” to the state on Monday, Jan. 29, when he will appear at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center from 10-11:30 a.m. and Oklahoma City Civic Center from 4-5:30 p.m. as part of the university’s annual business speaker series, sponsored by the Spears School of Business. 

A luncheon at the nearby Crowne Plaza Hotel will follow Russert’s presentation in Tulsa.

“It’s a pleasure for us to host Tim Russert and share him with the Oklahoma business community,” said Sara Freedman, Spears Business dean. “Mr. Russert has interviewed every major figure on the American political scene, so we expect he’ll have plenty of interesting insights to offer.”

As an attorney, Russert got a close-up look at the inner workings of the legislative process while serving as a special counsel in the U.S. Senate from 1977-82. He also worked as a counselor for the New York Governor’s office before joining NBC News in 1984. Since he took the helm of “Meet the Press” in December 1991, the program has become the most-watched Sunday morning interview program in America and the most quoted news program in the world.

Russert’s first book, “Big Russ & Me,” a memoir about growing up under the watchful eye of his father, was a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. His latest book, “Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons,” contains selected letters from children who read Russert’s first book and wrote him about their fathers.

Born in Buffalo, New York, in 1950, Russert graduated with honors from the Cleveland-Marshal College of Law. He married Maureen Orth, a writer for Vanity Fair magazine. They live in Washington, D.C., with their son, Luke.

Edward Whitacre, chairman and CEO of AT&T Inc., will be the final speaker in this year’s Executive Management Briefings series in Oklahoma City. He will address “The Brand New State of Telecommunications” at a luncheon presentation on Thursday, April 5, at the National Cowboy Museum. 

John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Company, will be the final speaker in this year’s Tulsa Business Forum series. He will address energy security and diversification at a luncheon presentation on Wednesday, April 25, at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel.