TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Dave George, president of LongHorn Steakhouse, will speak to students at The University of Alabama on Monday, April 14, at 5 p.m. at the Child Development Research Center.

LongHorn Steakhouse will be opening a new restaurant in Tuscaloosa’s Midtown Shopping Center in late May or early June.

George will speak to students in restaurant, hotel and meetings management in the UA College of Human Environmental Sciences. He will discuss the state of the restaurant industry nationwide as well possible career opportunities in the field.

George has been president of LongHorn Steakhouse since 2003. He joined the company in April 1998 as vice president of operations-north. After two years, he was promoted to vice president of operations for The Capital Grille, which, like LongHorn Steakhouse, was a division of RARE Hospitality International. He returned to LongHorn Steakhouse as senior vice president of operations in October 2001 and was elected president about two years later. He continued in that chief leadership role after RARE was bought by Darden Restaurants in 2007.

The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is in the midst of a planned, steady enrollment growth with a goal of reaching 28,000 students by 2010. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state's economy, is in keeping with UA's vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state's flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.