Ben Carson — a retired neurosurgeon, 2016 presidential candidate, President-elect Donald Trump’s former housing and urban development secretary and a recently-rumored pick for surgeon general — will be the speaker at the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce benefit for 2025.
The event has featured a former president, a former press secretary, nationally famous athletes and coaches, a musician and now a former presidential cabinet member, according to an announcement from the chamber office in Athens, Tennessee.
“We’ve sold tickets to five different states and all over Tennessee so far,” Rob Preston, president and CEO of the chamber, said in a phone interview. “People are really excited about it. We booked this back in August, and we typically do it in June, but when I was discussing the dates, the lady said he only has one date in June available.”
A program ticket is $30. A dinner program ticket is $75, and a VIP ticket is $300, according to information for the June 14 event at McMinn County High School. The event will probably have a question-answer format, Preston said.
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