[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 39 (Monday, March 18, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E320]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     A RECOGNITION OF MR. ROB WHITE

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                           HON. ERIC SWALWELL

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 18, 2013

  Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my 
friend, Mr. Rob White, for his contributions to the innovation 
community of the Bay Area. Rob recently announced that he is stepping 
down as CEO of the iGate Innovation Hub and as Director of Economic 
Development for the City of Livermore, California. As cofounder of the 
iGate hub, Rob was instrumental in establishing a broad regional 
partnership that is helping leverage public investments at the Lawrence 
Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories into economic development 
that benefits the growth of small businesses focused on bringing new 
green energy technologies to market.
  Just last year, the White House named Rob a Champion of Change for 
Local Innovation, acknowledging him as ``a thought leader in government 
led collaborative networks, public policy assessment in support of 
entrepreneurship, and economic development frameworks that focus on 
technology growth and innovation.'' Under Rob's leadership, iGate 
received an award for Regional Collaboration from the International 
Economic Development Council, the Thomas H. Muehlenbeck Award for 
Excellence in Local Government from the Alliance for Innovation; and 
the Outstanding Partnership Award from the Federal Laboratory 
Consortium, Far West Region.
  Rob has worked for more than two decades in researching, assessing, 
and developing the ecosystem for regional innovation networks. His 
tireless support of small businesses, focusing on green transportation 
and clean-energy technologies, is already helping transform the 
economic climate in the Tr-Valley area and the region at large.
  On a more personal note, Mr. Speaker, Rob has played a vital role in 
assisting me in the development of my economic policy and strategy. I 
was honored when he agreed to serve on my Economic Development Advisory 
Committee and I have learned a great deal from him. I want to thank Rob 
for his contributions to the East Bay. I wish him the best of luck as 
he begins this new chapter of his life.

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