NFL Hall of Famers Jerome “The Bus” Bettis and Emmitt Smith are teaming up to speak at Work Truck Week 2024 during NTEA's Annual Meeting on March 7, 2024, in Indianapolis.
The Annual Meeting keynote will be a question-and-answer conversation between Bettis and Smith moderated by Jason Ritchey, 2024 NTEA Convention chair, and president and owner of Curry Supply Co. The pair have four Super Bowl victories racked up between them, with plenty to share about teamwork, persistence and success.
“Jerome Bettis and Emmitt Smith reached the pinnacle of their first chosen career–professional football–and then went on to build successful careers off the field, as well,” says Ritchey. “From football to TV to business, I can’t wait to hear their stories and perspectives… and maybe Emmitt will even share some dance tips he learned on Dancing with the Stars!”
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Both Bettis and Smith left college after their junior year to enter the NFL Draft. Each was selected in the first round; Bettis by the L.A. Rams in 1993 and Smith by the Dallas Cowboys in 1990.
Smith remains the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and officially retired in 2005. Smith is the only running back to ever win a Super Bowl championship, NFL Most Valuable Player award, NFL rushing crown and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award in the same season. He led the league in rushing and won the Super Bowl three times, in 1992, 1993 and 1995. Smith was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. Since retiring from professional football, he has built companies spanning real estate, construction, technology and renewable energy. His current businesses include E J Smith Enterprises; E Smith Legacy, a premier real estate development firm; E Smith Advisors, a majority-owned joint brokerage firm; EJ Smith Construction, a Dallas-based commercial and civil construction management and general contractor; PROVA Group, Inc., an enterprise providing technology-based authentication solutions for memorabilia and high-value items; and Notable Live!, a mobile social platform connecting celebrities and notables with their fans. He earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Florida.
Over the course of his career, Bettis was voted to the Pro Bowl six times and was named first-team All-Pro twice. In 2001, he won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for his work with The Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation that assists underprivileged inner-city youth. Bettis retired from the NFL in 2006 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. He went on to write two autobiographies and host The Jerome Bettis Show in Pittsburgh on WPXI-TV. Bettis completed his education at Notre Dame, graduating in 2022, with a business degree.
This will be the third pairing of NFL legends to entertain and inspire NTEA Annual Meeting attendees. In 2017, two of professional football’s most colorful analysts, former quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long, shared the stage. They were followed in 2019 by the father and son duo of Archie and Peyton Manning.
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Work Truck Week returns to Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis March 5–8, 2024 and includes The Work Truck Show, Green Truck Summit, NTEA Annual Meeting, Ride & Drive, educational sessions, and more. The Work Truck Show exhibit hall includes the latest from all industry segments, including truck and van chassis, bodies, aerial devices, snow and ice control equipment, accessories, and components. Green Truck Summit features intensive programs led by industry experts and fleet managers covering advanced commercial vehicle and fuel technology trends, as well as operational insights for vocational truck fleets.
NTEA says a full event schedule will be released in the weeks ahead.
Registration opens in October. Find out more about it here.
