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A Hollywood actor, a best-selling author and a former US Secret Service agent will be honored with induction into the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame at its annual awards banquet Sept. 26 in Minot, North Dakota, USA. The SAHF is a signature event of Norsk Høstfest, North America’s largest Scandinavian festival, which takes place Sept. 25-29. “We couldn’t be more proud of this list of honorees,” said David Reiten, Norsk Høstfest President.

Clint Hill is a former United States Secret Service agent who, over the course of his career, served Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Ford. He was in the motorcade in Dallas on November 22, 1963, assigned to protect First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, when President Kennedy was assassinated. He is credited with saving Mrs. Kennedy’s life. After rising through the ranks of the Secret Service, Hill retired in 1975 as Assistant Director, responsible for all protective forces. He remains in contact with the current US Secret Service and is actively involved in training activities. His experiences during assignment to First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy are chronicled in a best-selling book he co-authored, Mrs. Kennedy and Me, published in 2012. Hill will be introduced by Lisa McCubbin, award-winning journalist and co-author of Mrs. Kennedy and Me.

Actor Josh Duhamel has established himself as one of Hollywood’s leading men. He has made his mark in both television and film with roles in the long-running daytime drama, "All My Children," the series "Las Vegas," and such films as the blockbuster "Transformer" series, "Life as We Know It," and the upcoming "Safe Haven," now in production, to name a few. When his hometown of Minot, North Dakota was hit by a catastrophic flood in 2011, Duhamel used his fame to lend a hand to the community he still considers home by organizing a benefit concert headlined by the band, The Black-Eyed Peas. The event raised 1.3 million dollars for flood relief. Charity is not new to the actor, who regularly lends his efforts to causes including the Red Cross, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and PetSmart Charities. Presenting Duhamel will be his longtime friend Robert Schwartz, President & CEO of Ariter Software, Woodbury, Minnesota, and fellow actor Cameron Mathison, perhaps best known for his portrayal of the character Ryan Lavery on ABC’s long-running daytime drama, "All My Children." Mathison was also a contestant on the 2007 season of ABC’s popular "Dancing With the Stars."

Award-winning and best-selling author Lauraine Snelling has published 70 titles since 1982, among them popular historical fiction series revolving around Norwegian immigration and inspired by her own heritage. Writing about real issues within a compelling story is a hallmark of Snelling’s style, shown also in her contemporary romance and women’s fiction, which probe issues of forgiveness, loss, domestic violence, and cancer. Norsk Høstfest is a natural venue for Snelling and she has participated for many years in the bookstore there, where her volumes are top sellers. Fellow author, as well as lecturer and award-winning producer/director Astrid Karlsen Scott will introduce Snelling at the banquet. Scott is known internationally for her books and videos on her native Norway, and is president of Nordic Adventures, a company dedicated to the promotion of Norwegian culture. She is also a familiar face at Høstfest book tables.

This year’s banquet takes place at the Holiday Inn Riverside, with a social hour at 6 pm followed by dinner and awards at 7 pm. The event is open to the public, with tickets $45 per person. Tickets can be purchased online at hostfest.com or by calling the Høstfest office.