The keynote speaker at Pack Expo will be Colin Powell, former U.S. secretary of state and retired Army general, PMMI announced March 24.

Powell will speak on Sept. 27 at the show, to be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The working title of his address is “Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trust & Values.”

“When we were considering who we wanted to invite to speak at our Pack Expo Leadership Lecture, Colin Powell was the first name on our list,” says Charles Yuska, president and CEO of PMMI.  “He has demonstrated exemplary leadership skills through his public service and now in private life. His insights and global perspective are especially pertinent to our audience, who are industry leaders that also compete in a global market.”

Powell, a retired four-star general, served as National Security Advisor under President Ronald Reagan and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed Powell secretary of state, the first African-American to hold that Cabinet post. He held that position until 2005.

Pack Expo will be held Sept. 26-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information, visitPackexpo.com.