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NFLCommissionerRogerGoodell.10.06The Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce will welcome National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell to the 101st Annual Dinner on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at the Canton Memorial Civic Center (1101 Market Ave. N, Canton). The evening's format will be interview-style with Commissioner Goodell taking questions from Hall of Fame Gold Jacket and Canton native Dan Dierdorf. Dinner guests will hear Goodell share his perspectives on the game, its values and the future of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "Canton has a rich football history as the birthplace of the NFL, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the annual Enshrinement Festival, and future home of the Hall of Fame Village," said Dennis P. Saunier, Chamber president and CEO. "There is no speaker more relevant to the regional conversation than Roger Goodell." "The Canton Regional Chamber strives to bring in speakers each year that are engaging and timely for our membership," said William C. Shivers, chairman of the Canton Regional Chamber board. "We are thrilled to welcome Roger Goodell to the ‘Cradle of Football' on the heels of Super Bowl XLIX as we explore what the 'Village' could mean for local economic development and tourism." The gavel will be passed at the dinner from outgoing Board Chairman Philip Fracassa, chief financial officer of The Timken Company, to Shivers, the 2015 Board Chairman. Shivers is the president, Greater Akron/Canton Region, Huntington Bank. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception from 5:30-6:30 p.m. followed by dinner and the program. Registrations can be made online at CantonChamber.org or by calling (330) 458-2070. Tickets for the event are $100, and tables of eight are available. Guests do not have to be a Chamber member to attend. All registration payments must be received in advance and reservations must be received by Feb. 18. Register now, space is limited. About Roger Goodell Roger Goodell became the eighth chief executive officer of the National Football League on Sept. 1, 2006. The Commissioner has successfully focused on making the game safer and better and has grown the league’s popularity. Fan interest in the NFL is at an all-time high and includes the largest television audiences in league history as well as enormous growth in online and social media engagement. His leadership resulted in a landmark 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL Players Association in 2011, long-term extensions to the NFL’s television contracts, and programs to support and assist players and former players. The Jamestown, New York native graduated magna cum laude from Washington & Jefferson College with a degree in economics. He joined the NFL in 1982 as an administrative intern. After spending one season as an intern with the New York Jets, he joined the NFL as an assistant in the public relations department in 1984. He quickly climbed the ranks of the NFL office and in 2001 was appointed the league’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. About Dan Dierdorf Dan Dierdorf was drafted out of the University of Michigan in the second round of the 1971 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. The Canton, Ohio native used his speed, skill and intelligence to become an equally effective run and pass blocker en route to becoming one of the finest offensive tackles of his era. He was named All-Pro five times, elected to six Pro Bowls and enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Dierdorf’s post-playing career consisted of three decades in television broadcasting as he served as an analyst for NFL games for ABC’s Monday Night Football from 1987 to 1999 followed by a tenure with CBS Sports through the 2013 NFL season. Today, Dierdorf serves as part of Michigan football’s radio broadcast team.