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SAE Praises Detroit for Its Firefighting Efforts

5 March 1999

SAE Praises Detroit for Its Firefighting Efforts

    DETROIT, March 4 -- Ronald C. Leonard, 1998 SAE President,
will praise the city of Detroit and its firefighters for its rapid and
professional response to the fire that broke out on the loading dock of Cobo
Center last night.
    Leonard will make his remarks at the SAE Congress Banquet in the Riverview
Room of Cobo Center at 7 p.m. tonight.
    "Our thanks to Fire Commissioner James Bush, Fire Marshall Carleton Smith
and all the firefighters who did just a superb job in getting the fire under
control, quickly, efficiently and safely," Leonard will say.
    Leonard will also appreciate the personal interest of Mayor Dennis Archer,
who was on the scene of the fire last night.
    "On behalf of SAE International, thanks to the many people who helped the
`show to go on.'  The effort was truly a magnificent display of teamwork and a
tribute to the city and people of Detroit," Leonard will say.
    Leonard also will cite numerous other groups that enabled SAE to reopen
its Congress at 1 p.m. today.  Lou Pavledes, Cobo Center Director and his
employees; Event Services Inc., SAE's contracted security company; SAE staff,
Hoffend Xposition, the show contractor and their Detroit labor force; the
local media and hotels will also receive SAE's thanks and appreciation.
    The SAE banquet is the final event in the four-day SAE Congress, which is
held annually at Cobo Center.  Jacques Nasser, Ford Motor Company President
and Chief Executive Officer, will be the featured speaker.
    Live audio of the banquet speakers can be heard via the SAE website at
http://www.sae.org.