Wheaton, Illinois, Jan. 19, 2007--The Hon. Tommy G. Thompson, former Governor of Wisconsin and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, has accepted an invitation to be the keynote speaker at the AAIS Main Event, an annual executive conference sponsored by the American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS).

The Main Event is being held April 22-24 at the Mills House Hotel in Charleston, S.C. The meeting is an updated version of the former AAIS annual conference, and is designed to focus on product-related issues of strategic importance to CEOs and heads of operational units.

As Wisconsin's governor, Thompson was renowned for promoting welfare reform, school choice, and health insurance for low income families. He made state history when he was re-elected to unprecedented third and fourth terms, and he received Governing magazine's Public Official of the Year Award for 1997.

As a cabinet secretary, Thompson was instrumental in the creation of the new Medicare drug benefit, and in helping public health authorities at the state and local level prepare for terrorist attacks and other emergencies. He has formed a committee to explore the possibility of seeking the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

In his keynote address on Monday morning, April 23, Thompson will discuss critical issues in public health and safety that affect the level of risk in the United States, and the loss exposures of insurers.

In addition to Thompson, the Main Event features these speakers:

• Robert Blaunstein, manager of loss control under contract for American Safety Ins. Co., and the author of numerous reports and articles on nanotechnology. He will address the insurance implications of the development of new materials at the atomic level.

• David Herman, senior counsel and senior director of claims for the Food Products Association. He will address trends in food and beverage liability claims as they affect the full range of food production operations, from farmers to retailers.

• Charles Kingdollar, vice president in the emerging issues unit of Gen Re, and a writer/researcher for several Gen Re publications. He will address insurers' growing exposure to personal injury claims arising from use of the Internet and electronic communications media.

AAIS is a national advisory organization that develops policy forms and rating information used by more than 600 property/casualty companies throughout the U.S.