[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 54 (Wednesday, April 13, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E707]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING JULIE MEIER WRIGHT, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE SAN DIEGO 
               REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DARRELL E. ISSA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 13, 2011

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the distinguished 
tenure of Ms. Julie Meier Wright on the occasion of her retirement as 
President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Economic Development 
Corporation (EDC).
  Prior to her work with the EDC, Ms. Wright served as California's 
first Secretary of Trade and Commerce. Under her management, Ms. Wright 
built a new Agency to expand the state's international role and 
presence, including opening five new overseas offices.
  Ms. Wright's service as President of the EDC has been the capstone of 
a notable career. For 13 years, she has served as an economic booster, 
marketing the San Diego region as the world's foremost job creation 
location celebrating a highly-skilled workforce, innovation climate, 
and quality of life.
  In her work, Ms. Wright championed the Partnership for a New Economy, 
an initiative which spurred the creation of High Tech High, a school 
designed to prepare students for technology and life sciences careers 
along with the Rady School of Management at UCSD, which educates global 
leaders for innovation.
  As a strong advocate for the economy of California, Ms. Wright has 
been a visionary that has undoubtedly helped shape San Diego to become 
a leader in so many industries.
  Among her many commendations, Ms. Wright has been named the nation's 
Outstanding Secretary of Commerce by the Biotechnology Industry 
Organization and the California Leader of the Year by Leadership 
California. Her manifest of remarkable achievements includes receiving 
the Junior Achievement's San Diego Hall of Fame Lifetime Laureate 
Award, the San Diego Business Journal's Women Who Mean Business Award, 
the ``Women of Distinction'' award from Soroptimist International and 
she was named in ``Women Who Move the City'' by San Diego Magazine.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues please join me in recognizing 
the tenure of Ms. Julie Meier Wright as she retires as President of the 
San Diego Regional EDC.

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