DAYTONA BEACH — Former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse is coming here to deliver his first speech as the University of Florida's new president.

Sasse starts his new job on Feb. 6. He will be in Daytona Beach the next evening to deliver the keynote address at the 103rd annual dinner meeting of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The Feb. 7 event will be from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort.

Mori Hosseini, chairman of UF's board of trustees, confirmed Sasse's public remarks at the event will be his first as university president.

"I asked him if he would do it and he agreed," said Hosseini, who lives in Ormond Beach and is the owner, chairman and CEO of Daytona Beach-based ICI Homes.

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The dinner will include the installation of Hosseini's eldest daughter, Nellie Lupoli, as the chamber's 2023 board chair. Lupoli is vice president of human capital and strategic initiatives at ICI.

Hosseini said he and his wife Forough "are delighted to celebrate Nellie as the incoming chair of the Daytona Regional Chamber. ... She rolls up her sleeves every single day, dedicates her time in service to our family business (and) our family charity (Food Brings Hope), and still manages to embrace her children and family as her first priority. We could not be more proud."

WHO IS BEN SASSE?

The Republican served as a U.S. Senator representing the State of Nebraska from 2015 until the start of this year. The 50-year-old resigned his Senate seat Jan. 8 to succeed Ken Fuchs as president of UF. Fuchs, 67, will stay on as a member of UF's faculty.

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WHAT WILL HE TALK ABOUT?

Sasse will be interviewed in a "fireside chat" with Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez. He will offer his views on world affairs as well as UF's impact on the Sunshine State.

"It should make for an interesting conversation," said Ken Phelps, vice president of resource development for the chamber. "The University of Florida's impact is statewide, not just in Gainesville."

Locally, the university through a partnership with Halifax Health operates the UF Health Heart & Vascular Surgery Center at the hospital's Daytona Beach campus.

WHAT ELSE IS ON THE ITINERARY?

The dinner will include the presentation of the chamber's J. Hyatt Brown Enterprise Award to Volusia County Emergency Management and Glenn Ritchey Leadership Award to Randy Dye, owner of Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Fiat and Maserati Alfa Romeo of Daytona.

HOW CAN I ATTEND?

Tickets can be purchased at daytonachamber.com or by calling 386-523-3672. The cost is $150 for chamber members and $200 for non-members. The Hilton's ballroom seats 700. The hotel is at 100 N. Atlantic Ave. "I think we're going to be close to selling out," said Phelps.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Ben Sasse to give first speech as UF president to Daytona Chamber