I vote for NO speaker at the banquet or certainly not at the opening night
social event/dinner.  Everyone wants to visit with their friends, and no
one wants to hear a speaker.  And the banquet has already gotten much too
long.  I think we should stick to giving out the large number of awards at
the banquet, as it is the best place for that, and introducing the new
president, and not have ANY additional speakers at all.