[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9978]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            IN RECOGNITION OF LINDA BEST UPON HER RETIREMENT

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 20, 2013

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my 
colleagues Congressman Mike Thompson, Congressman Jerry McNerney, 
Congressman John Garamendi and Congressman Eric Swalwell to recognize 
the outstanding career of Ms. Linda Best, a dynamic leader in the 
community, and congratulate her as she retires after more than thirty-
two years in service to the people of Contra Costa County.
  In 1981, after earning a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree 
from Stanford University, Linda began her successful career as the 
Executive Director of the Coalition of Labor and Business. Three years 
later she became Executive Director for the Contra Costa Council, an 
organization she would help shape and expand throughout her tenure. 
From 2004 on, Linda has served as President and CEO of the Council and 
continued her strong commitment to the organization and the communities 
which it serves.
  In her nine years as President, Linda has been the heartbeat of the 
organization and shown a remarkable command of the issues most critical 
to business, education, the environment, transportation, and workforce 
development. Under her leadership, the Council has been an engine for 
economic development, public policy formation, and an informed 
decision-making voice for the region. Linda has been instrumental in 
building the Workforce Development Initiative, which brings together 
business and education in support of high school academics. What was 
once an organization only affiliated with business has now grown to 
include labor, education, health care, and nonprofit interests. In 
fact, the Contra Costa Council's scope has become so widespread, that 
it recently changed its official name to the East Bay Leadership 
Council.
  Linda's spirit and energy is not only apparent in her work with the 
Council, but also encompasses her work with the many Boards on which 
she has served. Included in this long list are; the Board of Directors 
for John Muir Health, the Eugene O'Neill Foundation, the DVC 
Foundation, Opportunity Junction, the West Contra Costa Business 
Development Center, STAND for Families Free of Violence, and the United 
Way Leadership Council.
  Throughout Linda's tenure, she earned many awards and distinctions, 
including the San Ramon Valley Chamber of Commerce ``Woman of the Year 
Award,'' the Eugene O'Neill Foundation Open Gate Award, the Contra 
Costa Child Care Council Kiddie Award, and the Contra Costa Times Woman 
of Achievement Award for Business and Technology.
  We invite our colleagues to join us in commending President & Chief 
Executive Officer Linda Best for her committed and diligent service to 
the citizens of Contra Costa County. We are pleased to congratulate 
Linda on an outstanding career and wish her the very best as she begins 
a well-deserved retirement.

                          ____________________