The audience at the Bakersfield Business Conference waited in anticipation for George Martin to announce the surprise guest.

“As we came up on our 20th anniversary and what may be our last business conference we wanted to pay tribute to the man who really helped make this conference and that was President Reagan and we thought, ‘Who could we have come and join us that would symbolize Ronald Reagan?’ Nobody symbolizes better than the person who’s going to come out,” said Martin, the conference organizer.

By then, the crowd knew who the surprise guest was and they waited anxiously to give Nancy Reagan a welcome she would not forget.

Waving their American flags, the audience gave Reagan a loud standing ovation that lasted nearly a minute.

“Thank you, thank you very much,” she said.

The former first lady invited conference-goers to visit the Reagan Library in Simi Valley.

“There’s a lot to see,” she said, as the crowd applauded.

Martin later came onstage to tell her that the conference had put together a short video with the song “Through the Years” to pay tribute to her and her husband.

“I think when the history books are written, I don’t think, I know, you two are going to be the greatest love story in American government,” Martin said.

The video showed pictures of the Reagans together at various times in their lives.

“Thank you, Nancy, for taking care of our president so magnificently and for everything you’ve done for America,” Martin said.

Those in the audience said they enjoyed the tribute.

“I thought that was outstanding. It was nice to see Nancy Reagan,” said Gary Bramon, 61, of Marin County.

Bernice Rueger agreed.

“I thought it was fantastic. I know that she doesn’t do this sort of thing. She doesn’t come out for these and it had to be a special thing for her to do that when her husband, of course, is so ill,” said Rueger, 78.

Bakersfield College President Dr. Sandra Serrano said the film history of the couple was moving.

“It was moving to see the history of their relationship and to know the role that she has played in his life, in his profession and in his care, now, in his later years,” she said.

Kern County Superior Court Judge Robert Tafoya, Serrano’s husband, said it showed how the Reagans worked together as a team.

“Really, it underscores the whole notion that when you look at successful people, in many instances, it’s really the result of a husband and wife as a couple working together.”