U.S. Commerce announces members of New Innovation Advisory Board

WASHINGTON – U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced the members of the new Innovation Advisory Board that will guide a study of U.S. economic competitiveness and innovation to help inform national policies at the heart of U.S. job creation and global competitiveness.

The 15-member board will advise the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the National Economic Council and other federal agencies, on the development of the study – focused on America’s innovative capacity and global economic competitiveness.

“Together with the vast experience and insight of our new board members, the Department of Commerce will work to deliver the most comprehensive review of U.S. innovation and global competitiveness of the 21st century,” Locke said. “With a better understanding of how the U.S. is performing in areas such as education, science and technology and business development, as compared to our economic competitors, we can make more targeted and more effective policy decisions that will create jobs, promote economic growth, and ultimately enable America to win the future.”

The Innovation Advisory Board was established by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, signed by President Obama in January of this year. Board members will offer advice and solicit feedback from stakeholders across the country, serving until the completion of the study – required before January 4, 2012.

The study will analyze the competitiveness of the U.S. economy and its capacity for innovation in comparison to that of our global competition – covering all facets of the economy impacted by national policy, including trade and exports, education, research and development, immigration, technology commercialization, intellectual property and tax policy.

On June 6, the board will hold its first meeting in Alexandria, Va., at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, followed by a second meeting in the fall.

See the full list of Innovation Advisory Board members below.

1)      Robert Atkinson, Founder and President, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
2)      Rebecca O. Bagley, President & CEO, NorTech
3)      Jim Clements, President, West Virginia University
4)      Abby Joseph Cohen, President of the Global Markets Institute and Senior Investment Strategist, Goldman Sachs
5)      Larry Cohen, President, Communications Workers of America
6)      Judy Estrin, CEO, JLabs
7)      Rebecca Henderson, Senator John Heinz Professor of Environmental Management at the Harvard Business School
8)      Irwin Jacobs, Director (Cofounder and former CEO), Qualcomm
9)      Arthur Levinson, Chairman, Genentech, Inc.
10)  James Manyika, Director (Senior Partner), McKinsey & Company; Director, McKinsey Global Institute
11)  Natalia Olson-Urtecho, President & CEO, EG (formerly Ecolibrium Group)
12)  Kim Polese, Chairman, ClearStreet Inc.
13)  Lucy Sanders, CEO and Co-Founder, National Center for Women & Information Technology
14)  Julie Shimer, President & CEO, Welch Allyn
15)  Stephen Tang, President, CEO & Director, University City Science Center