[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Pages 14156-14157]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING IBM'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY

 Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask the Senate to join me today 
in honoring the 50 years of public contribution by an innovative 
technology company started in Rochester, MN, in 1956. International 
Business Machines, more commonly known internationally as IBM, has made 
economic growth possible in a competitive and continually changing 
marketplace.
  In 1956, when IBM President Thomas Watson, Jr., met with 40 Rochester 
business and civic leaders at the Kahler Hotel to establish a new IBM 
facility, they probably never envisioned that Rochester would become 
home to the world's fastest computer named ``Blue Gene'' that would be 
able to perform 18.2 trillion operations per second. They probably 
could not have dreamed that 50 years later IBM would become Minnesota's 
largest information firm, with 5,600 employees in the Rochester and 
Twin Cities areas. And they probably could not have imagined that the 
plant they were planning would account for 15 percent of Minnesota's 
high-tech manufactured exports, in a State that continues to lead the 
field in technology.
  IBM has spent 50 years growing into a world wide corporation which 
contributes to our economy at an astounding level. In 2005, IBM earned 
more U.S. patents than any other company for the 13th consecutive year, 
with 2,941 in 2005. IBM ensures that our Nation stays competitive in 
the global economy. Rochester has helped lead that wave of innovation.

[[Page 14157]]

  IBM and its employees and retirees have also been generous supporters 
of education and nonprofit organizations. Through cash and technology 
grants of $3.4 million and more than 185,000 hours of volunteerism in 
2005 alone, they have been a great benefit to Minnesota's communities 
and schools.
  With the people of Minnesota, I ask this Chamber to join in 
celebrating IBM's 50th year of operation in Rochester, MN.

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