[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 4 (Monday, February 1, 1993)]
[Page 112]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Nomination of John A. Rollwagen To Be Deputy Secretary of Commerce

 January 29, 1993

    The President today nominated John A. Rollwagen, the head of the 
world's largest manufacturer of supercomputers, to be the Deputy 
Secretary of Commerce. Rollwagen is the chairman and CEO of Cray 
Research, Inc.
    ``The Department of Commerce will play a leading role in the 
development of a high skill, high wage economy,'' President Clinton 
said. ``Having presided over a high skill, high wage corporation for 15 
years, John Rollwagen can help us bring this about. As a proven CEO of a 
high technology company, Rollwagen is an innovative thinker and highly 
respected manager. He combines business savvy, international experience, 
and high technology knowledge. I'm convinced that he is the best choice 
to work together with Secretary Ron Brown to make the Commerce 
Department a powerful part of our administration's work of restoring the 
competitiveness of American business,'' said the President.
    ``In talking with leaders in the high tech industry,'' said 
Secretary Brown, ``two things kept coming up. The first was the sense 
that this Department has the potential to facilitate an explosion of new 
job opportunities in the areas of high technology and 
telecommunications. The second thing that kept coming up was John 
Rollwagen's name. I'm thrilled that John has agreed to serve in this 
administration, and I'm thrilled that we have our first choice,'' said 
Brown.
    Rollwagen, 52, has been president of Cray Research since 1977, and 
chief executive officer since 1980. He joined the company in 1975 as 
vice president of finance and led a successful campaign to capitalize 
the company as it moved into commercial production. His other business 
affiliations include memberships on the boards of directors for Apple 
Computer, Inc., Dayton-Hudson Corp., and Minnesota Public Radio. In 
1987, Rollwagen was appointed by President Reagan to the Advisory 
Committee for Trade Negotiations. President Bush reappointed him to the 
position in 1990.
    Rollwagen earned a master's degree from Harvard Business School in 
1964 and an electrical engineering degree from the Massachusetts 
Institute of Technology in 1962.