SBIR Person of the Year 2011 - Senator Mary Landrieu

SEQUIM, Wash., Dec. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Many people have played important roles in the sustainment and growth of the SBIR and STTR programs. However, one person stood out above the rest in 2011. That person is Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA), chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBE).

Not since the early days of the creation of SBIR has one Senator or Congressman invested so much of themselves and their staff in saving the SBIR and STTR programs. Senator Landrieu's actions successfully concluded the most protracted and hard fought SBIR reauthorization in the history of the program.

In an epic SBIR reauthorization battle that started in 2006, America's small business high technology community now has SBIR, STTR and CPP programs authorized and running through fiscal year 2017. These programs are critically important to American innovation, competitiveness, and job creation.

Senator Landrieu led the battle on SBIR reauthorization and fought to keep the program's small business integrity intact so it could benefit not just the nation as a whole, but also the smaller under-served and rural states such as her home state of Louisiana. 

Jere Glover , SBTC executive director, who has been a keystone in SBIR since its inception and has been an important participant in every SBIR reauthorization, stated : "There has never been a Senator that has done more for the SBIR community, and spent more personal time and personal involvement than Senator Landrieu." On the reauthorization process Glover stated "SBIR reauthorization has always been tough, but never like this."

The SBIR Community salutes Senator Mary L. Landrieu , SBIR Person of the Year for 2011. 

http://www.zyn.com/sbir/articles/11poy.htm

Media Contact: Rick Shindell SBIR Gateway, 360-681-4123, rick@zyn.com

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SOURCE SBIR Gateway

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