Here's an announcement provided by i-GATE:
The White House will welcome 13 Local Innovation Champions of Change who have committed themselves to creating a more open and innovative government through entrepreneurship. Whether making local government information and public data more accessible; creating local environments to encourage and support entrepreneurs; or developing workforce programs to provide residents with skills for the high-tech economy, these champions of change work tirelessly to build a better future for the citizens they serve, create jobs in their community, and ensure more efficient and effective government.
Rob White, the i-GATE Innovation Hub (iHub) CEO and City of Livermore Director of Economic Development, was nominated by Mayor John Marchand for his leadership as a co-founder of the i- GATE iHub Initiative, a broad super-regional partnership that is focused on Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories/CA as economic engines.
White is engaged in researching, assessing, and developing the ecosystem for regional innovation networks. Recognized by regional, federal and international organizations, White has been acknowledged as a thought leader in local government-led collaborative networks, public policy assessment in support of entrepreneurship, and economic development frameworks that focus on technology growth and innovation.
“Over the last 30-months, the i-GATE efforts have created a proactive, two-way link between national laboratories and entrepreneurs, industry, innovation networks, venture capital firms, universities, business support services, and economic development resources,” said White. “These have helped to accelerate the commercialization of innovative energy technologies and grow a cohesive innovation ecosystem”.
“I am constantly inspired by the hard work of the women and men who serve their country by working in government,” said Todd Park, Assistant to the President and U.S. Chief Technology Government Officer. “Entrepreneurs at the local and state level are leading the way with so many innovative solutions to some of the most vexing problems facing America today. As I work to make the President’s innovation agenda a reality, I look forward to even more projects such as the ones honored today, so we can truly out innovate the rest of the world.”
As a result of their efforts, citizens across the country have access to a more transparent government, more opportunities for participation in the activities of their city or county, and tools that catalyze new types of collaboration between the public, private, non-profit, and citizen sectors of the local community.
These leaders showcase the amazing movement of innovation in government across America. In addition to celebrating success, the Champions of Change event provides a great opportunity to share innovative city government products, services, and business models with other cities and discuss how to scale these innovations to others, challenging all cities across the nation to similar levels of improvement.
The recognition includes an award ceremony, brief presentations by each awardee, and a panel discussion on the future of local innovation today at 1:00 p.m. EST at the White House Eisenhower Executive Office Building and will be streamed on Youtube.com for later viewing.
The other 12 local government officials being recognized today include:
- Phil Bertolini, CIO and deputy county executive, Oakland County, Mich.
- Mary Bunting, city manager, Hampton, Va.
- Adel Ebeid, chief innovation officer, Philadelphia
- Michael Flowers, analytics director, New York City
- Carolyn Hogg, CIO, Fresno, Calif.
- Michele Hovet, deputy city manager, Arvada, Colo.
- Nigel Jacob and Chris Osgood, co-chairs, Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics, Boston
- Doug Matthews, chief communications director, Austin, Texas
- Jay Nath, chief innovation officer, San Francisco
- John Tolva, CTO, Chicago
- Ted Smith, chief of economic growth & innovation, Louisville Metro Government, Kentucky
Mayor Marchand recognized White for his work in aiding to “bring a new focus on the region as a center of innovation and research and helped to significantly increase awareness of the LVOC and two national labs as opportunity drivers in supporting a technology-driven economy across the entire i-GATE region”.
“I am humbled and honored to be selected as a Champion of Change. From this recognition, I hope all local government employees are reminded that the public sector, too, can be entrepreneurial, have a positive impact and contribution to economic and business ecosystems, and can create change that propels our nation’s efforts on the forefront of innovation,” said White.
The i-GATE iHub Initiative has garnered additional awards over the last year. In September 2011, i-GATE was recognized by the International Economic Development Council with its “Partnership Award for Regionalism and Cross-Border Collaboration.” In April 2012, i-GATE received the Alliance for
Innovation’s top national award, the “Thomas H. Muehlenbeck Award for Excellence in Local Government”. i-GATE was also selected a presenter at the conference. And in August 2012, the Federal Laboratory Consortium Far West Region recognized i-GATE with the “Outstanding Partnership” Award.
With over two decades of cross-sector experience, White is engaged in researching, assessing, and developing the ecosystem for regional innovation networks and is currently a candidate for the Doctorate in Policy, Planning and Development from the University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy. Recognized by regional, federal and international organizations, Rob has been acknowledged as a thought leader in local government-led collaborative networks, public policy assessment in support of entrepreneurship, and economic development frameworks that focus on technology growth and innovation.
For more information, visit the i-GATE website.
