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December 2, 2009

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Ex-Hilton PR exec known for ‘Star Trek’ unveiling

Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006 | 7:12 a.m.

Timothy Leon "Tim" Chanaud, a former Las Vegas Hilton public relations director and a former Las Vegas Sun reporter, died Wednesday in San Francisco after a brief illness. He was 43.

Chanaud drew national attention to the Hilton for its unveiling of the $70 million "Star Trek: The Experience" exhibit and for a 1997 broadcast of a CBS "48 Hours" segment on high rollers.

In that episode of the TV news magazine, Hustler magazine Publisher Larry Flynt was seen by a national TV audience smiling as he held up a check for $1 million, his blackjack winnings from the Hilton.

Chanaud also worked for R&R Advertising and did publicity work for Siegfried and Roy.

In 1998 Chanaud moved to San Francisco and for several years was spokesman for Paramount's Great America park in Santa Clara, Calif.

Chanaud was born Oct. 12, 1963, in New York. He received a bachelor's degree in communications from Iowa State University in 1985.

In 2001 Chanaud launched his own company specializing in video production and sales and Web site development.

A memorial will be held 7 p.m. Friday at Sullivan's Funeral Home in San Francisco.

Chanaud is survived by his sister, Mindy Chanaud of Greenwich, Conn., and his partner Bobby Somers of San Francisco.

The family said donations in Chanaud's memory can be made to the St. James Infirmary, a community organization at www.stjamesinfirmary.org .

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