Congresswoman Lofgren, industry leaders headline Silicon Valley Wireless Symposium Nov. 9

House Representative Zoe Lofgren, Wireless Communications Alliance President David Witkowski and other leaders will be on hand November 9 for Joint Venture’s regional Wireless Communications Symposium. The event will bring together elected officials, municipal and county staff, governmental agencies, business leaders and wireless service providers to discuss the state of the industry and the role of public policy in building a 21st century communications infrastructure.

Participating organizations include AT&T, the Broadband Institute of California, Cities Association of Santa Clara County, CTIA and the California Wireless Association. The half-day event will be held at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m..

Presentation topics include the emerging wireless applications expected to have the most immediate impact (health care, education, e-commerce), how mobile technology will affect the Digital Divide, the public’s concerns about RF emissions from wireless facilities, and the impact on real estate values and emergency preparedness.

There is no charge for the event, but space is limited to the first 100 to respond.

Click here to register.

Joint Venture project wins national energy award

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council has presented its Innovation Award for Local Government Projects to Joint Venture for its Renewable Energy Procurement Project.

Optony vice president Ben Foster, a member of Joint Venture’s Climate Prosperity Council, accepted the award in ceremonies at the Solar Power International Conference and IREC’s annual meeting in Dallas on October 17.

Each year, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council recognizes individuals and organizations that have implemented innovative projects during the past year that promote and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy technologies.

Eligible programs or activities include education, energy policy, legislation, regulatory actions, demonstration projects, training programs, or innovative financial business models.

Click here to learn more about the IREC awards.

Click here learn more about the Joint Venture SV-REP project.

Register now for State of the Valley, February 10

Registration is now open for Joint Venture’s 2012 State of the Valley conference at the McEnery San Jose Convention Center.

Author Michael Mandelbaum (That Used to Be Us) will be among the keynote speakers and there will be panels on jobs and competitiveness, as well as Silicon Valley’s role in leading America to a new energy future. The 2012 David Packard Award will also be presented.

To register for State of the Valley click here.

Joint Venture welcomes Climate Corps to sustainability team

Joint Venture has added Climate Corps field member John Sztukowski to its team as a climate coordinator to assist the Public Sector Climate Task Force and other sustainability projects.

Climate Corps members participate in a comprehensive ten-month training program to learn about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions assessments and reductions that cities and counties must undertake in accordance with the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32).

Sztukowski, who holds a master’s degree in sociology from Colorado State University, will help Silicon Valley cities to update their GHG inventories and support Joint Venture in a variety of other energy efficiency activities.

Click here to learn more about Climate Corps Bay Area.

Click here for more information on Joint Venture’s climate change initiatives.

November on “Inside Silicon Valley”

November guests on “Inside Silicon Valley,” Joint Venture’s weekly public affairs radio program on 1590 KLIV, include Joint Venture wireless communications initiative director Leon Beauchman, political strategist Jim Cunneen, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, and Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino.

Joint Venture CEO Russell Hancock hosts the hour-long program, which airs every Friday at 7 p.m. and again on Sunday at noon on 1590 KLIV.

Click here to listen to podcasts of previous programs.

Article of the Month
“The US employment challenge: Perspectives from Carl Camden and Michael Spence” - McKinsey Quarterly

The U.S. economy has lost seven million jobs since 2007 and remains in the grip of a weak and largely jobless recovery that could take five more years to restore prerecession levels of employment, McKinsey research indicates. In this article from the McKinsey Quarterly, the CEO of a global staffing firm and a Nobel laureate economist discuss the changing face of U.S. employment and the obstacles to job creation.

Click here to read the complete article.

Our November Spotlight
JESSICA VON BORCK
Town of Los Gatos and Chair, Silicon Valley EDA

Maybe Jessica von Borck should have been a structural engineer, if her love of building bridges is any indication.

Of course, von Borck loves building bridges in the figurative sense, creating connections that link businesses and the community, but the goal is the same: producing a crossover infrastructure that supports both.

To read her full profile, click here.