For IMMEDIATE RELEASE MIA'S GITTENS AND SPIRIT'S HOMFELD WILL KEYNOTE 11TH AIRLINE CEO CONFERENCE Miami, FL. March 18, 2003 - Under the timely theme of "Survival 101", AvNews Latin America & Caribbean will sponsor its 11th annual international conference of airline CEO's on May 4 and 5 at the stately Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida. Angela Gittens, director of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, and Ned Homfeld, chairman of Spirit Airlines, are featured as keynote speakers. The former has been making news as she cleans house and revamps projects in the controversial billion-dollar expansion of Miami International Airport, while the latter is the founder and driving force behind one of the most recent successful startup low cost airlines in the U.S. As in previous years, the panel of Latin American and Caribbean CEO's will be the conference's centerpiece. Moderated by Michael Miller (Miller Air Group), panelists will be industry leaders Federico Bloch (Grupo Taca), Ernesto Asbun (Lloyd Aereo Boliviano), Juan Emilio Posada (Summa Alliance), Pedro Heilbron (Copa Airlines) and Conrad Aleong (BWIA). Among other speakers and panelists already confirmed are: Jeffrey Shane, Associate Deputy Secretary, DOT; William Spohrer, Senior Associate, AvGroup; Jim Foster, President, Group Systems America; Jim Mathews, Editor-in-Chief, Aviation Daily; Jonathan Leak, Senior VP, World Fuel Services; Richard K. Howell, Director, Rachlin Cohen & Holtz LLP; David Melnik, CEO, Kinetics USA; Jim Woodman, International Director, World Travelvision; Rob Zoller, CEO, KittyHawk Airlines; Richard Haberly, CEO, Arrow Air; Jean Albrecht, CEO, Star Alliance; Robert Bianchi, Senior VP, Lan Chile Cargo; and Fred Jacobsen, CEO, Colombia's all-cargo Tampa Airline. Performing as conference chairman will be Marshall Sinick of the Washington law firm of Squire, Sanders and Dempsey, LLP. Total attendance is estimated at 250 from all segments of the aviation industry in Latin America and elsewhere. More than 21 airlines have already registered and many will be represented by their CEO's. The event will kick off on Sunday May 4th with the traditional golf tournament, held this year at the spectacular course adjoining the Biltmore. The program includes the opening banquet and all meals. For further information on registration and sponsorship opportunities, visit website at www.ceoconference.com <http://www.ceoconference.com/> or phone John Jackson at 305-870-7546; jack@xxxxxxxxxx _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail