[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14101]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EAST BAY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 
                                ALLIANCE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 10, 2015

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 25th 
anniversary of the East Bay Economic Development Alliance, also known 
as the East Bay EDA. On October 15, 2015, East Bay EDA will celebrate 
its many achievements and partnerships that have helped advance the 
economic vitality of the Bay Area's East Bay region.
  East Bay EDA is a cross-sector partnership guided by the expertise, 
resources, and passion of its public, private, and non-profit leaders, 
who are focused on regional, sustainable solutions to attract, retain, 
and grow businesses in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Founded in 
1990 after a thoughtful and strategic process to create a collaborative 
approach to economic development opportunities and challenges, East Bay 
EDA continues today as a strong regional voice for strengthening the 
economy, building a qualified workforce, and enhancing the high quality 
of life in the East Bay.
  East Bay EDA's unique structure of cross-sector leadership, its 
development of region-specific research, its advocacy that benefits 
business growth and workforce development, and its efforts to champion 
employer-led engagement for education that leads to careers makes it an 
impactful organization for strategic business development. 
International, domestic, and regional businesses depend on East Bay EDA 
to provide access to business resources, access to investments and 
incentives, regional marketing, business-to-business connections, 
leadership introductions, and land use and infrastructure support to 
help businesses succeed and create quality jobs. East Bay EDA invests 
in sustainable strategies to build talented and local workforces to 
meet tomorrow's job opportunities that require strong STEM education 
foundations.
  On a personal note, I salute my friend and colleague, Chairman of the 
EDA, Supervisor Carson. His dedication to the residents of the East Bay 
is both commendable and inspirational. Furthermore, as a former 
entrepreneur, he understands the diverse needs of the business 
community, which helps to successfully execute the East Bay FDA's 
mission of making the East Bay a world-recognized location to grow 
businesses. He has been consistently re-elected as the Chairman for 22 
years because of his passion and leadership for business development.
  On behalf of the residents of California's 13th Congressional 
District, I congratulate East Bay EDA on 25 years of exemplary service 
as it continues to support the changes in the East Bay economy brought 
about by technology, environmental stewardship, and global challenges. 
I wish the East Bay EDA well as it seeks to make the East Bay the 
premier region for business opportunity, innovation, and the quality of 
life.

                          ____________________