May 8, 2012

TEMPE, Ariz. - Todd Graham, first-year head football coach at Arizona State University, will appear at the Florence Holiday Inn Express as the featured guest of the Florence Chamber of Commerce during its monthly luncheon, May 15 at noon. The lunch and program, "Speaking Victory," is presented by the chamber, the ASU Sun Devil Club, and the ASU Foundation President's Community Enrichment Programs.

"We have a large number of Sun Devil fans in the Florence area, and I'm looking forward to meeting as many as I can," said Graham, who is 49-29 in his six-year head coaching career and most recently was head coach at Pittsburgh in 2011. "Getting together with the Florence Chamber folks is a great way we can continue to spread the word about ASU and our football team."

Graham, who was named thehead football coach of ASU in December, has vowed to be a visible and accessible force in the Arizona sports scene since his arrival in Tempe. From national, regional and local radio shows and television appearances to campus tours and community events, he has placed a high priority on transparency and building greater exposure for the Sun Devil football program.

"I've been very impressed with the spirit I've seen by our student-athletes during our spring workouts and scrimmage, and the players recognize that how you do the little things will ultimately determine how big things happen," Graham added. "The team we field will have high character and discipline.

"I'm looking forward to a very competitive season and to sharing my thoughts with our fans in Florence and making a few new Sun Devil advocates as well."

A native of Mesquite, Texas, Graham is well-known for his four-year stay at Tulsa from 2007-10 when he led the Golden Hurricane to a 36-17 mark, which included three bowl wins and three seasons of 10-plus wins. The Golden Hurricane was one of just 11 schools topost back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2007 and 2008. He had seasons at Tulsa which included records of 10-4 (2007), 11-3 (2008) and 10-3 (2010). In his final season the Golden Hurricane won games at Notre Dame and then topped No. 24 Hawaii 62-35 in its own bowl game. The Notre Dame win was dubbed the biggest upset of the 2010 college football season by ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit.

Tickets to "Speaking Victory" are $12 each. Because seating at the Holiday Inn Express is limited, registration begins at 11:30 a.m., and those who wish to attend should register early by calling 520-868-9433. The lunch and program with Coach Graham begins at noon.

About President's Club Community Enrichment Programs: President's Community Enrichment Programs (PCEP) are premier community outreach events that connect metropolitan Phoenix and other Arizona communities to ASU's visionary scholars and ideas through multi-week courses, single lectures and custom campus tours. PCEP showcases how ASU is creating solutions to the major challenges of our time and is a unique gateway to greater involvement with the university. What began as a grassroots engagement effort in 1998 has flourished into a successful program that connects more than 1,000 community members each year with the momentum and intellectual power of a New American University.

About The Sun Devil Club: The Sun Devil Club is a 501(c)3 charitable organization whose mission is tosustain a culture that promotes and protects Arizona State University through Sun Devil Athletics. The Sun Devil Club annually provides Sun Devil Athletics with financial assistance for operating expenses, scholarships, academic support, facility maintenance and more. Contributions to the Sun Devil Club are up to 80% tax-deductible.

About President's Club Community Enrichment Programs: President's Community Enrichment Programs (PCEP) are premier community outreach events that connect metropolitan Phoenix and other Arizona communities to ASU's visionary scholars and ideas through multi-week courses, single lectures and custom campus tours. PCEP showcases how ASU is creating solutions to the major challenges of our time and is a unique gateway to greater involvement with the university. What began as a grassroots engagement effort in 1998 has flourished into a successful program that connects more than 1,000 community members each year with the momentum and intellectual power of a New American University.