Oregon governor appoints Internet panel
Gov. John Kitzhaber charges commission with reviewing the state's online profile and position in the digital economy
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber recently announced his appointments to the Oregon Internet Commission, which is charged with reviewing the state's online profile and position in the new economy.
The commission was created by House bill in the 1999 legislative session and will make recommendations on how to best encourage Internet commerce in Oregon. The governor appointed 11 members, eight from the private sector and three from the public sector, including the state's chief information officer Don Mazziotti.
The group's three main focus areas are: Oregon's education and work force training methods; ensuring that no state resident is left behind in the technological revolution, and examining ways to support state businesses in the new digital environment.
In his recent State of the State address, Kitzhaber also proposed a program that would double engineering graduates from Oregon institutions in the next five years and create a Tier One engineering school in the state by 2010.
"As a part of this effort, I will expect a substantial private contribution from Oregon's technology industry to match the public commitment to meet this objective," the governor said.