COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN TO SPEAK HEAD OF ARMED SERVICES PANEL AT CONFERENCE.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

LANCASTER - A congressional leader will be among the speakers at the annual Antelope Valley Board of Trade Business Outlook Conference.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, an advocate of the B-2 bomber and Global Hawk reconnaissance aircraft programs, has confirmed he will speak at the conference to be held Feb. 20 in the Poppy Pavilion at the new Antelope Valley Fairgrounds.

Hunter, a Republican from El Cajon, is the chairman of a committee that is responsible for a defense budget totaling over $360 billion.

Hunter has been the chairman of the Armed Services Committee since last January. A Vietnam veteran, Hunter was elected to Congress in 1980 and appointed to the House Armed Services Committee in 1981.

During the 107th Congress, he served as vice-chair of the full committee and chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Research and Development. During the 104th, 105th, and 106th Congresses, Hunter served as chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Procurement.

Also announced as an addition to the speaker lineup was Robert Rivinius, chief executive officer of the 6,000-member California Building Industry Association.

Rivinius served as president of the Greater Los Angeles World Trade Center Association. He has served on the board of directors for the American Society of Association Executives and as president of the National Association of Home Builders executive officers council as well as the California Society of Association Executives.

Former Gov. George Deukmejian appointed him to the board of directors of the California Community Colleges in 1993. Rivinius currently serves on the board of directors of HomeAid America, a national organization dedicated to promoting shelter for the homeless.

Other speakers slated for the conference include author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar; Everett Shine, vice president of development for Forest City Development Co., owner of the Antelope Valley Mall; Jim Hawse, owner of Sierra Toyota/Lancaster Mitsubishi in Lancaster; and former jockey Patrick Valenzuela, a two-time Kentucky Derby winner.

More than 1,200 people are expected to attend.

Tickets are $125 each or $1,000 for a table of 8. For reservations, call [phone].

Jim Skeen, [phone]

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com