2012 Route to Feature New Mountain Climbs, a Challenging Time Trial Course and a

Return to the Pacific Coastline

 LOS ANGELES (February 8, 2012) – After intense planning and careful consideration, details for the 2012 Amgen Tour of California professional road cycling race have been announced. The 2012 edition of America’s premier cycling race will feature new cities, new challenges for the world-class group of teams and riders, and breathtaking California scenery while returning to some of the fans’ and riders’ favorite California landmarks, including Big Bear Lake and Mt. Baldy. The seventh-annual event will travel more than 750 miles over eight days from May 13 – 20, 2012.

Beginning in three-time race champion Levi Leipheimer’s hometown of Santa Rosa, the 2012 race will wind its way south through redwood-lined country roads and spectacular coastline drives before ending in the City of Angels, Los Angeles. Also, for the first time in race history, Stage 8, the final stage of the race, will begin on one of the most famous streets in one of the most recognized cities in the world, Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills.

In celebration of the route announcement, each of the 14 Host Cities produced videos highlighting their respective stages which are now posted on the official race website at www.AmgenTourofCalifornia.com. Each video includes specific route details, as well as individual city highlights, all of which combine to create an exciting first-hand look at what is sure to be a thrilling race.

“We take great pride in developing the route for the Amgen Tour of California, not only because it attracts the world’s elite cyclists, but because it puts an international spotlight on California for eight days,” said Kristin Bachochin, executive director of the race and senior vice president of AEG Sports. “We spend countless hours poring over possible route scenarios and taking into account fan and rider suggestions before determining the final course; it is a true labor of love. We want to thank our Host Cities for creating the videos that highlight their stage route details and show what an amazing race this will be.”

Drawing the world’s top cyclists, including Tour de France competitors, Olympic medalists and world champions, the Amgen Tour of California is one of most anticipated professional cycling races on the international calendar. Highlights of the 2012 route include:

Stage 1, Presented by Rabobank: Santa Rosa to Santa Rosa (Sunday, May 13)

Start/Finish Location: 3rd St. and Santa Rosa Ave.

The first day of racing  of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California will start and finish in Santa Rosa, California, the city that helped establish the race as the premier professional cycling event in the U.S. and home to three-time race champion Levi Leipheimer. Expect to see spectators perched in the trees, rooftops and in windows near the finish line as they vie for the very best view of the final sprint.

The stage will start with two neutral laps around the city before heading out to the open roads of beautiful Sonoma County. Within 30 minutes, the race will reach the Town of Windsor and the first of several of the stage’s featured Sprints. The peloton will then head south, passing by several of Sonoma County’s world-famous vineyards. In Graton, the racers will turn east and head back into Santa Rosa for another Sprint, followed by a straight shot towards the coast and into the quaint town of Occidental. From here, the stage heads north on Bohemian Highway and follow a portion of Levi Leipheimer’s “King Ridge GranFondo” route.

In Cazadero, the racers will start to feel the cool Pacific Ocean breezes as they begin a climb up to the top of Fort Ross Road. They say “what goes up must come down” – and in this case, Meyers Grade Road presents amazing views of a spectacular coast line, but it’s the white-knuckle descent down to Highway 1 that will quickly grab the rider’s attention. A left onto Highway 1 will take the racers south 12 miles to the quintessential northern California climb of Coleman Valley Road, which is long, twisty and steep. The technical descent back into Occidental will test the skills of every member of the peloton as they compete over the last      16 miles on redwood lined country roads to the finish in Santa Rosa. For the first time, the riders will race right to the finish line in Santa Rosa without any finishing circuits, ensuring a climactic, crowd-pleasing end to Stage 1 of the 2012 race.

Stage 2, Presented by Visit California: San Francisco to Aptos in Santa Cruz County (Monday, May 14)

Start Location: Marina Green at Marina Boulevard in San Francisco

Finish Location: Cabrillo College on Cabrillo College Drive in Aptos

Cycling fans who love the electric feel of race starts will be hard-pressed to find anything better than the Stage 2 start of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California in San Francisco. Beginning at Marina Green in San Francisco’s Marina District, the start line will run right to the break wall of San Francisco Bay. The backdrop? Breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island and the Marin Headlands. However, the riders’ stay in the great city of San Francisco will be short-lived because within a few minutes, the race will have passed through the Presidio with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. From here, Stage 2 will continue south on Highway 1 through the San Francisco suburbs of Pacifica and Daly City. Making its way down the Devil’s Slide, north of Half Moon Bay, the peloton will enjoy the most spectacular coastline in the world. The stage will then turn inward and start the assault up Bonny Doon, which, in previous editions of the race, has determined the winner of the stage.

With the stage finish moving to Aptos this year, the riders will face another 42 miles of racing and another KOM. The last several miles of the stage are downhill, followed by a short run down Soquel Avenue to the finish. Stage 2 of the Amgen Tour of California will certainly be a long and difficult stage, but it won’t be a surprise to see a large pack of riders contest the finish in an exciting Sprint.

Stage 3: San Jose to Livermore (Tuesday, May 15)

Start Location: Berryessa Community Center on Berryessa Road in San Jose

Finish Location: Livermore (M Street and 1st Street)

Stage 3 will begin in San Jose, the only city to have played host to the Amgen Tour of California all seven years of the race. This year, the typical downtown start has been moved to north San Jose, just a few miles from the infamous Sierra Road climb. While the riders won’t be expected to tackle a Category 1 climb just two miles from the start as they have been in the past, the route into Livermore is one that the race has taken before: Calaveras Road and Highway 84.

While Livermore will be hosting their first stage finish in 2012, riders have raced through the town during previous editions including the Stage 4 start in 2011. Home of the renowned Lawrence Livermore Labs, the City of Livermore (established in 1869) played a prominent role in California’s Gold Rush history and is home today to a thriving wine industry.

Just 28 miles into the race, the riders will contest a challenging Sprint to the finish but the race will just be getting started. Heading out north on Livermore Avenue, the riders will likely face a stiff headwind coming down the valley. After passing through the town of Danville, the Amgen Tour of California will grant a wish that has been made for the past six years by riders and fans, “Please climb Mt. Diablo.” For the first time in the history of the race, the riders will climb Mt. Diablo. One of the most revered climbs in California, race organizers, cyclists and fans alike are excited to have this climb as part of Stage 3 of the 2012 race.

After a fast and technical descent into Walnut Creek, the race will then head east into the Town of Clayton where the second Sprint of the stage will take place. From Clayton, the race will connect back to a familiar route into Livermore. Just nine miles from the finish, the riders will likely tackle blustery winds as they battle the final KOM of the stage up Patterson Pass Road followed by a quick descent that will take the race onto Cross and Tesla roads. On Livermore Avenue once again, it will be just a few miles to what is sure to be a sprint finish in historic downtown Livermore.

Stage 4: Sonora to Clovis (Wednesday, May 16)

Start Location: Sonora (Yaney and Washington)

Finish Location: Clovis (Bullard and Pollasky Aves.)

At 130 miles, Stage 4 is the longest stage of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California, and possibly the most difficult. This will be the race’s first visit to Sonora, a town that many consider to be the most preserved Gold Rush town in California. There is no question about the important role that Sonora played in the Gold Rush, and today it serves as both the gateway to Yosemite National Park (just 30 miles away) and the seat of Tuolumne County. Sonora has California history written all over it, and you need to look no further than the location of the Stage 4 race start. As the riders roll south from the start, it will be easy to imagine what it was like more than 250 years ago as wagons rolled down the same roads.

As the riders head south towards Mariposa and Oakhurst (both Sprint cities), they will enjoy the incredible beauty and challenge of historic Highway 49. As they skirt Yosemite, they will encounter everything from numerous KOMs, twisty and technical descents, and raging rivers, but very few sections of flat roadway. Once through Mariposa, Highway 49 widens a bit, but two more KOMs will await the cyclists as they head to the final Sprint in Oakhurst. The riders will no doubt be fearless as they attack the final 40 miles into the return to Clovis, perhaps recalling the snow and ice along this same route in 2009.

What better way to help celebrate Clovis’ 100th anniversary than to watch a thundering peloton sprint to the same finish won by Mark Cavendish in 2009. Clovis is another city belonging to California’s Gateway to Yosemite and is home to the world-famous Clovis Rodeo.

Stage 5, Presented by Rabobank: Individual Time Trial (Thursday, May 17)

Start/Finish Location: Bakersfield (Bakersfield College – Panorama Drive)

The finishing circuit at the end of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California’s Stage 5 in Bakersfield was a gut-wrenching fan favorite, so it was only natural to return to the scene and turn that circuit into an 18.4 mile Individual Time Trial course.

Right from the start, the riders will go from zero to nearly 60 mph in a matter of seconds. The start ramp will launch them onto an immediate descent to Alfred Harrel Highway. From there, it will be a straight – but not exactly flat – route to the turnaround point at Lake Ming.

In May, it’s likely going to be hot and windy, and there will not be much in the way of flat roadway to catch your breath. The route is full of 100-foot rollers, and as the riders approach the finish, they’ll be able to see it… up on a 300-foot bluff.

The prepared rider will have saved a little for the China Grade, which presents an eight percent climb to the top and then a hard left, and it won’t be over there. The riders will still face a slightly uphill, .44-mile run to the finish.

For those who think Stage 5 of the Amgen Tour of California sounds like a fun 40 minutes on the bike, come out and be part of a select group of amateurs that will get to race the course just before the pros start.

Stage 6, Presented by Visit California: Palmdale to Big Bear Lake (Friday, May 18)

Start Location: Marie Kerr Park, 2723 Rancho Vista Boulevard, Palmdale.

Finish Location: Snow Summit Ski Area on Summit Boulevard in Big Bear Lake

After a hiatus during the 2011 Amgen Tour of California, Big Bear Lake is back on the race map, challenging riders to face a daunting Stage 6, which will feature the first of the race’s “Daily Double”: Big Bear Climb and Mt. Baldy. If the 2010 route was a killer, this slightly toned down route will be a crusher. Stage 6 will be all about strategy as the riders will still be feeling the sting of the Bakersfield Time Trial from the day before. Will riders leave it all on the mountain climbs on Friday in hopes they can survive the brutal ascent to Mt. Baldy on Saturday? Or will they match the move of their nearest rivals and let Mt. Baldy decide the ultimate winner of the Amgen Leader Jersey? Or will there be a standout star that is capable of attacking both the Big Bear Climb and Mt. Baldy?

After a cruise down historic Sierra Highway, the racers will head into the Angeles National Forest. After a short stretch on Angeles Forest Highway, the route will turn onto Mt. Emma Road. Following the first climb of the day and then a descent to Fort Tejon Road, the first KOM at Mountain High ski area will be reached via a 12-mile climb to a 7,000-foot summit at Angeles Crest Highway. There will be a brief respite as the riders descend into Wrightwood and then over to Highway 138. The route will once again go vertical as it passes through Crestline and Lake Arrowhead, and then onto the Rim of the World Highway. Entering the Big Bear area, the riders will take the northern route around Big Bear Lake and then tackle the last ascent to the finish at a more than 7,000-foot elevation at the Snow Summit ski area.

Stage 7: Ontario to Mt. Baldy (Saturday, May 19)

Start Location: Ontario Convention Center

Finish Location: Mt. Baldy Ski Resort

If the Stage 6 climb to Big Bear Lake created some separation between the contenders and the chasers, Stage 7 of the Amgen Tour of California will be the ultimate test of the rider’s resolve to capture the Amgen Leader Jersey. Did they leave it all on the roads to the Big Bear Climb, or did they hold back enough to survive one of the most difficult stages in the history of bicycle racing in the United States?

It’s been called the “Queen’s Stage” and compared to the epic stages of the European Grand Tours – a return to the mountain top finish that thrilled so many during Stage 7 of the 2011 race. This is the training ground for many of the local racers in southern California, but only a handful have done the entire route, and none have done it after six days of racing more than 750 miles. It is very possible that the winner of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California will be decided on the final 15 switchbacks to the finish on Mt. Baldy.

The race will begin in the thriving city of Ontario. Situated just 35 miles east of Los Angeles, Ontario is the center of commerce in southern California. Just a few miles from the start, the riders will start a 13-mile climb to the Village of Baldy. After an acute left, the racers will face another mile of climbing up Glendora Ridge Road to their first of three monster KOMs. From there, they will have 12 miles of narrow and twisting roads that gradually descend to a fast and technical descent down the backside of Glendora Mountain Road. Riders and fans alike can expect spectacular vistas throughout the Angeles National Forest.

Another descent down East Fork will take the riders to Highway 39 and the town of Azusa. Heading east, they’ll race through the City of Glendora for the only Sprint of the day. At this point, the remaining number of flat miles for Stage 7 will have dwindled to less than two,

and there are still nearly 30 miles to the finish.

A left turn onto Glendora Mountain Road and it will be game on. The next KOM will be a nine-mile climb, followed by 12 miles of a slight climb back to Baldy Village. A left turn back onto Baldy Road will see the race gain 1,000 feet in just three miles…and the real climbing has not even started! At Ice House Canyon, the route will make a hard left turn where the sign to the ski area points towards the sky. Over the next 2.5 miles, the riders will face 10 switchbacks on a road that is so steep that many of the race vehicles cannot make it to the top. With 1.2 miles to go, the road will straighten out and the finish will be seen ahead. At .25 miles to go, the route will make a hard left and the racers will face the final five switchbacks to the finish line. This will be the stage where legends are made and winners are decided.

Stage 8, Presented by Amgen: Beverly Hills to L.A. LIVE – Los Angeles (Sunday, May 20)

Start Location: Beverly Hills – (Rodeo Drive and Brighton Way)

Finish Location: Los Angeles – L.A. LIVE (Figueroa Street and Chick Hearn Court)

Stage 8 of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California will start in what is quite possibly the most quintessential L.A. city – Beverly Hills. A first in the history of the race, the start line will be just across Rodeo Drive, where the Ferraris, Lamborghinis and the occasional Bugatti Veyron will be replaced with Giants, Treks, BMCs, and Specialized bikes. Designer dresses will give way to high-tech lycra. What better way to start the final day of America’s premier cycling race!

A quick turn after the start will take the riders onto Santa Monica Boulevard and then north on Doheny Drive into the city of West Hollywood. Following the route of the famous LA Marathon, the race will reach Sunset Boulevard and then make a right turn, heading towards

Hollywood. Heads in the peloton are sure to turn as the riders pass the likes of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Kodak Theater, Mann’s Chinese Theater, the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, and the Pantages Theater. The route will then turn southeast and travel past Dodger Stadium.

At Grand and Caesar Chavez avenues, the riders will enter the five-mile long circuit that will take riders through Chinatown, past Los Angeles City Hall, the historic Biltmore Hotel, Disney Hall and the LA Music Center as they race past STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE to the finish line.

The winner of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California will be crowned on a special awards stage in Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE, a suiting location given the countless number of winners who have also tasted victory here, including GRAMMY, American Music Award, Emmy, ESPY, MTV and American Idol winners. At the end of the race, the winner, along with the team who supported him, will take top honors for having survived the longest and most difficult stage race ever contested in the America. This May 13 – 20, a whole new season of racing in America will begin with the prestigious and world-renowned Amgen Tour of California.

“It is a pleasure to continue to work with Amgen as the title sponsor of this race since its inception in 2006,” Bachochin said. “AEG is appreciative of our ongoing partnership with Amgen and we are proud to join them in bringing the company’s Breakaway from Cancer^® initiative to life throughout the state of California during the race and to help educate people about the resources available to those impacted by cancer.”

Breakaway from Cancer  represents a partnership between Amgen and four nonprofit organizations to raise awareness of the broad range of support services available to patients and caregivers – from prevention through survivorship. During the 2012 Amgen Tour of California, Amgen will honor and celebrate cancer survivors through a variety of events including Breakaway Miles, a special one-mile walk that crosses the finish line to honor cancer survivors. The Breakaway Mile will take place on race day in Santa Rosa, Livermore, Clovis, and Los Angeles. A special call for nominees in the search for a local Breakaway from Cancer Champion in each of these four communities will be issued in early March.

Additionally, volunteer registration for the race is now available online. Race organizers are looking to fill nearly 5,000 volunteer positions for the seventh-annual race, a majority of which are for the Course Marshal position, one of the more critical responsibilities during the race. Course Marshals provide support for the 75 professional Course Marshals that travel with the tour and support the local law enforcement authorities in each city. Course Marshals will be assigned a designated area along the race course to assist with the coordination and safety of the field of play for all race venues. They have an opportunity to be on the race route and close to the cyclists, with responsibilities for monitoring pedestrian traffic, barricades and road closures, as well as keeping spectators informed as the race is in progress. Course Marshal positions are for local stages only, not the entirety of the race.

Additional volunteer opportunities, such as media, security and volunteer check-in, are being recruited by the 14 individual Host Cities on an as-needed basis.

People looking to volunteer for the race can apply on the official race website, www.AmgenTourofCalifornia.com. Volunteers must be over the age of 18 or accompanied by an adult.  Shortly after filling out the online form, volunteers will be contacted by the local organizing committee and receive further information.

For more information about the Amgen Tour of California and to view the stage videos, please visit www.AmgenTourofCalifornia.com.

About the Amgen Tour of California

The largest cycling event in America, the 2012 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race, presented by AEG that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course from May 13-20, 2012.

About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures, and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe, effective medicines from lab to manufacturing plant to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, bone disease and other serious illnesses.

With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and vital medicines, visit http://www.amgen.com. Follow us on www.twitter.com/amgen.

About Breakaway from Cancer®

Founded in 2005 by Amgen, Breakaway from Cancer® is a national initiative to increase awareness of important resources available to people affected by cancer – from prevention through survivorship. Breakaway from Cancer is a collaboration between Amgen and four nonprofit partner organizations: Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community (formerly known as The Wellness Community), Patient Advocate Foundation, and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. These organizations offer a broad range of support services complementing those provided by a patient’s team of healthcare professionals. For more information, please visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com or follow us @BreakawayCancer on Twitter.

About AEG

AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Company, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, The Home Depot Center, Sprint Center, The O2, NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE and Best Buy Theater Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), two Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of privately held shares of the Los Angeles Lakers, the ING Bay to Breakers foot race and the Amgen Tour of California cycling road race; AEG Live, the organization’s live-entertainment division, is a collection of companies dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring and a variety of programming and multi-media production. For more information, visit AEG today at www.aegworldwide.com.

# # #

Media Contacts:        Michael Roth, AEG

213-742-7155

mroth@aeg-la.com

Erin Barrier, GolinHarris

213-438-8707

ebarrier@golinharris.com

“As the Capital of Silicon Valley, San Jose is the ideal location for one of Patent and Trademark Office’s new satellite offices,” Mayor Chuck Reed said. “Silicon Valley is home to the world’s most innovative companies and entrepreneurs, who together produce more patents than any other region in the country. I’d like to thank our many other partners for joining this regional effort to bring a Patent and Trademark Office to San Jose.”

The Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Joint Venture Silicon Valley, Silicon Valley/San Jose Chamber of Commerce, San Jose State University, and many local businesses and organizations have endorsed the San Jose proposal.

In addition to its Alexandria headquarters and a satellite office planned for Detroit, the USPTO intends to establish at least two more satellite offices in the next three years.

Among the competitive advantages of locating a USPTO satellite office in Silicon Valley are:

• Five of the nation’s Top 10 Patent producing cities are located in the Silicon Valley, with San Jose leading the way with 10,000 registered patents in 2009.
• The Bay Area has a highly skilled workforce with more than 160,800 engineers (comprising of 4% of the total workforce) and an estimated pool of 1,800 experienced engineers enrolled for reemployment services.
• San Jose State University, Stanford University, Santa Clara University, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of California at Santa Cruz together graduate more than 3,500 engineering students annually.
• Silicon Valley has a unique concentration of multinational corporations and technology start ups that will benefit from close proximity to the USPTO, enhancing service, improving filer’s access to examiners, and decreasing backlog.

Contact:                                                   

Michelle McGurk, Office of Mayor Reed, 408-535-4840

David Vossbrink, Office of the City Manager, 408-535-8170

Steve Wright, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, 408-501-7853

White House, California Investor-Owned Utilities Announce Launch of “Green Button” for Residential Energy Monitoring

PG&E, SDG&E and SCE First in U.S. to Enable Easy Access to Energy Use Data

The Silicon Valley Leadership Group will host Aneesh Chopra, Assistant to President Obama and U.S. Chief Technology Officer, on Wednesday, Jan. 18, to announce the launch of the “Green Button” by California’s three major utilities: Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison.

Last September, Chopra challenged electricity providers to enable consumers to download their detailed usage with the simple click of a “Green Button.”  The Green Button is an industry-developed online tool that allows consumers to download their own data from a utility website in a consumer – and computer – friendly format.

Thanks to the commitment announced today by California’s three major utilities, more than 10 million households will be able to use the Green Button and a growing set of software tools and applications to better manage energy use and shrink their energy bills. The Green Button is soon expected to be implemented by utilities in other states.

The U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology are supporting the industry’s launch of the Green Button with technical assistance and up to $8 million in funding and prizes—first announced by Energy Secretary Steven Chu in November 2011—to improve customer access to their own electricity data.

In addition to Chopra, others participating in this event include CEOs and senior executives from smart grid, energy efficiency and solar financing companies. Through a series of short, to-the-point presentations, they will demonstrate some of the software apps and tools consumers will also be able to use with the Green Button information. This voluntary industry adoption of the Green Button standard by California’s utilities will jumpstart innovation and create new opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators to help Americans make informed energy decisions, such as selecting right-sized solar panels, and save money on their utility bills.

WHO 

Aneesh Chopra, U.S. CTO and Assistant to the President

Hank Kenchington, U.S. Department of Energy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Electricity

David Wollman, NIST, Deputy Director, Smart Grid and Cyber-Physical Systems Program Office

Carl Guardino, CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group

Karen Austin, CIO, Pacific Gas & Electric Company

Chris Baker, Senior Vice President, Support Services and Chief Information Officer, San Diego Gas & Electric

Todd Inlander, Vice-President, Southern California Edison

Adrian Tuck, CEO, Tendril

Dan Yates, CEO, Opower

Yoav Lurie, CEO, Simple Energy

Shwetak Patel, Professor at University of Washington

Michael Murray, CEO, Lucid Design Group

Ted Krantz, Vice-President, C3

Ethan Sprague, Director of Business Development and Government Affairs, SunRun

WHEN:

January 18, 2012, 9-11am PST

WHERE:

EMC Corporation, 2421 Mission College Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95054

INTERVIEWS:

There will be time for interviews available immediately following the event.

Credentialed media only

Contact Steve Wright at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, swright@svlg.org or 408-501-7853.

Michelle McGurk, Office of Mayor Chuck Reed, (408) 535-4840

David Low, Office of Mayor Chuck Reed, (408) 535-4857

Vicki Day, SJC Interim Communications Director, (408) 482-1613

San Jose, Calif. – All Nippon Airways (ANA) today announced new nonstop service between Narita International Airport in Tokyo and Mineta San José International Airport.  The new service, projected to launch during fiscal year 2012-13, was announced today by ANA President and CEO Shinichiro Ito at a press conference in Tokyo.

“We are very pleased to announce the launch of long-haul international services from Tokyo to San Jose,” Ito said in making the announcement.  “This city is an important destination on the US west coast and lies in the heart of Silicon Valley, home to many important software and high-tech companies.  We are confident that passenger demand to fly to San Jose will be high, not only in Japan but other Asian cities.”

“We are delighted by this news and thank ANA for its confidence in San José and Silicon Valley,” said San José Mayor Chuck Reed, who travelled to Tokyo in February this year to meet Mr. Ito.  “Whether on business or visiting friends and family, Bay Area residents will discover that ANA’s new route from San Jose to Narita International Airport provides a convenient gateway to Asia and the Pacific Rim.  I’d also like to thank Carl Guardino and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group for their leadership in recruiting this flight to San Jose.”

“On behalf of all Californians, I want to thank All Nippon Airways for their decision to add direct service to Silicon Valley, the global epicenter of the tech economy,” Governor Jerry Brown said.  “This multi-million dollar investment in our state will generate jobs and strengthen bonds between Japan and California.”

San Jose officials have been in discussions with ANA since 2008.  Last February, Mayor Reed, along with Carl Guardino, CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and other City and Airport staff, traveled to Tokyo to speak with Chairman Ito and other ANA executives about the benefits of a direct flight between Tokyo and San Jose.  The Silicon Valley Leadership Group, San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce have been actively engaged in the effort to recruit direct service to Tokyo, which was identified as a priority travel route for the region’s business community.

“For the past two years, the Leadership Group’s 345 Member Company CEOs have championed direct flights between San Jose and Tokyo, and to other Asian destinations beyond,” said Guardino.  “Mineta San Jose International Airport is much closer to most Silicon Valley companies and their employees than the Bay Area’s other airports.  It’s a waste of time to have world-class talent stuck in traffic inching up Highway 101 to SFO.  SJC is easy access and leads the Bay Area and the nation in on-time departures and arrivals.”

ANA is expected to use its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on the Tokyo Narita-San José route.  Built mainly from carbon fiber composite material, the 787 features increased fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.  ANA was the launch customer of the 787, ordering 55 of the aircraft in 2004. Two of the new aircraft have been delivered and are in service in Japan, with a total of 20 expected to be delivered by March 2013.  After training long-haul crews on the new aircraft, ANA will initiate the new international service.

The news was also celebrated by members of the San Jose City Council’s special committee on airport competiveness.

“A direct flight to Tokyo is great news for our local companies and speaks to the significant roles that San Jose and Silicon Valley play in the global economy,” said Councilmember Rose Herrera, who also serves as Chair of the city’s Community and Economic Development Committee.

“ANA wisely recognizes the advantage of giving Silicon Valley travelers the choice to fly through the airport with the most convenience, best on-time performance, and most technologically advanced facilities of any other in the Bay Area; I expect many other airlines will follow ANA’s lead,” Councilmember Sam Liccardo said.

“As home to one of three remaining Japantowns in the United States, San Jose shares deep cultural and economic ties with Japan; this new flight will help promote both business and tourist travel between our two regions,” Councilmember Nancy Pyle said.

The ANA announcement builds on the Airport’s recent success in adding additional flights to/from SJC.  Hawaiian Airlines will start daily service to Maui January 10, 2012.  Alaska Airlines is offering seasonal service to Mammoth and Palm Springs, increasing their frequency to Kona and Kauai, and starting service to Honolulu April 10, 2012.  SJC has seen a two percent increase in traffic this past year.

SJC currently offers international service to Guadalajara and Cabo San Lucas.  American Airlines operated a Tokyo-SJC route from 1990 to 2006, and routes to Paris and Taipei for a short time in 2001.

About ANA Group

All Nippon Airways (ANA) is the ninth largest airline in the world by revenues and the largest in Japan by passenger numbers.  Founded in 1952, it flies today to 78 domestic and international cities in a fleet of 229 aircraft serving a network of 163 routes.  ANA has 33,000 employees and operates about 1,000 flights a day.  In 2010, it carried 43 million passengers and generated revenues of $16 billion.  ANA has been a core member of the Star Alliance (www.staralliance.com

) since 1999 and more than 20 million members belong to its Frequent Flyer Program (ANA Mileage Club).   ANA is the launch customer for the world’s newest and most advanced passenger aircraft, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. For more news and information, visit the All Nippon newsroom at www.ana.co.jp

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About Mineta San José International Airport

Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) is a self-supporting enterprise owned and operated by the City of San José.  SJC serves approximately 8.3 million passengers per year with approximately 114 flights a day on 13 domestic and international carriers to 28 nonstop destinations.   The $1.3 billion modernization project, completed in 2010, makes SJC the most technologically advances airport and the nation and the first to be awarded LEED Silver certification.  Silicon Valley’s airport is located in San José, California’s third largest city and the nation’s tenth largest city.  For more airport information, visit www.flysanjose.com

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Infusion of Local Jobs Anticipated

San Jose, Calif. – The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s (VTA) Board of Directors voted Thursday, December 8, 2011, to award the first major contract for BART Silicon Valley, to Skanska-Shimmick-Herzog a Joint Venture. This first contract includes completing the design and construction of the line, track, systems and stations for the 10-mile Berryessa Extension Project, the first phase of the 16-mile BART Extension into Santa Clara County.

“Today’s vote by the VTA Board keeps faith with the voters and taxpayers of Silicon Valley, who cast visionary votes in 2000 and 2008 that made the dream of BART service to Silicon Valley a reality,” said Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino.

The decision marks a key project milestone and will immediately generate local jobs. Nearly 5500 jobs will be created during the construction of the Line, Track, Systems and Stations elements of the Berryessa Extension. An additional 4,000 indirect jobs are created due to activities related to this contract, and 3800 more jobs are created to support construction of the station campus areas, access roadways, parking structures and transit centers.

VTA conducted an extensive procurement and evaluation process based on the best-value selection criteria. Skanska-Shimmick-Herzog a Joint Venture ranked highest among the four prequalified joint venture engineering and contractor teams, who submitted proposals.

“The extension of BART into the South Bay is the priority project in VTA’s Measure A Transportation Improvement Program. Skanska-Shimmick-Herzog a Joint Venture, was able to propose constructing the Berryessa Extension at $77 million less than the Engineer’s estimate while also accelerating the construction schedule making it possible to deliver BART sooner than 2018,” Stated Margaret Abe Koga, Chair, VTA Board of Directors.

Skanska-Shimmick-Herzog a Joint Venture brings over 150 years experience to the project management team. Skanska USA Civil, Inc., headquartered in New York, is a leading contractor in the US market for civil engineering construction andinfrastructure projects. Relevant project experience includes: the BART Warm Springs Extension Fremont Central Park Subway, AirTrain JFK Light Rail System, World Trade Center PATH Transportation Hub reconstruction, and the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail System.

            Shimmick Construction Co., Inc. (SCCI) is a general engineering contractor based in Oakland, California with an emphasis on heavy construction. SCCI has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in the Bay Area” by the San Francisco Business Times and Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal for the past two years.

Relevant experience includes:  BART Warm Springs Extension Fremont Central Park Subway, BART West Dublin/Pleasanton Station, and Los Angeles MTA Eastside Light Rail extension.

Herzog Contracting Corp., headquartered in St. Joseph, Missouri, operates nationwide, serving government and private sector clients, and specializes in Railroad Transit Construction, Contract Rail Passenger Operations, Highway and Bridge Construction, and other heavy construction disciplines. Recent projects include construction of heavy and light rail projects in Los Angeles, Washington,       DC, Baltimore, MD, San Jose, CA and San Diego, CA. Locally Herzog operates the Altamont Commuter Express and was just awarded the contract to operate Caltrain.

VTA is seeking a $900 million federal grant for the Berryessa Extension Project from the Federal New Starts funding program and anticipates receipt of it early next year. The grant will complete the funding plan and enable major construction to begin by mid 2012. BART Silicon Valley’s Communications and Outreach team will conduct public meetings prior to commencement of major construction activities. VTA continues project development activities for the second 6-mile phase of the project that includes a 5.1 mile-long subway tunnel through downtown San Jose, and ends in Santa Clara near the Caltrain Station. Construction on the second phase of the project will commence as additional funding is secured.

BART to Silicon Valley

BART to Silicon Valley extends the existing Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system to San Jose, Milpitas and Santa Clara. This will extend the current BART system 16 miles beginning at the future BART Warm Springs Station in Fremont and proceed on the former Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way through Milpitas to south of Mabury Road in San Jose.  The extension would then descend into a 5.1 mile-long subway tunnel, continue through downtown San Jose, and end at grade in Santa Clara near the Caltrain Station. A maintenance and vehicle storage yard would be at the terminus of the project in Santa Clara.

About VTA

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district that provides sustainable, accessible, community-focused transportation options that are innovative, environmentally responsible, and promote the vitality of our region.  VTA is responsible for bus, light rail and paratransit operations and also serves as the county’s congestion management agency. As such, VTA is responsible for countywide transportation planning, including congestion management issues, specific highway improvement projects, pedestrian and bicycle improvement projects, and provides these services throughout the county, including the municipalities of Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga and Sunnyvale.  VTA continually builds partnerships to deliver transportation solutions that meet the evolving mobility needs of Santa Clara County.

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National industry consortium selects State Senator Simitian as Solar Hero (Public Sector]; Industry pioneer Danny Kennedy, President of Sungevity, as Solar Hero (Private Sector)

SAN JOSE, Calif. ­– (December 7, 2011)  – SolarTech announced today that the 2011 Solar Hero Awards recipients will be state Senator Joe Simitian and Sungevity Founder and President Danny Kennedy.

“Sen. Simitian’s success with making California’s 33 percent Renewable Portfolio Standard law  is a clear policy winner for everyone in the state,” said Doug Payne, SolarTech co-founder and executive director. “And Danny Kennedy’s work on applying Web3.0 technologies to drive consumer adoption while demonstrating solar’s viability heading into an election year has been outstanding. We want to acknowledge their leadership, and then focus our efforts on scaling these approaches into other battleground states to accelerate transformation of our energy mix.”

The award is presented annually to those individuals best exemplifying outstanding contributions to further the solar industry and accelerating the adoption of solar energy solutions across the state or around the country.

 “The solar power industry is a jobs creation engine for our state that has created thousands of new jobs over the past decade.  Sen. Simitian’s exemplary leadership in drafting new legislation that streamlines adoption of solar power is heroic and well aligned with SolarTech’s core mission,” stated Tom McCalmont, SolarTech Board Chair.

Past recipients include No. on 23 Co-Chairs George Shultz and Tom Steyer, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, and Tom McCalmont, CEO of McCalmont Engineering.

“At a time in our state when big ideas often lose out to small-minded politics, Senator Simitian championed the big idea of a 33 percent renewable portfolio standard,” said Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino.  ”This step alone is a giant leap for California job creation, renewable energy innovation and leadership for our entire nation.”

Industry leaders are welcome to attend the 3^rd Annual Solar Hero award ceremony Thursday December 8^th, 6pm – 9pm at SolarTech, 3081 Zanker Road, San Jose CA 95134.

ABOUT SOLARTECH

SolarTech, an Initiative of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, is a national platform for process innovation through its Solar3.0 initiative. Operating at the intersection of industry, consumers, local governments, and utilities SolarTech provides the path to make solar happen through better tools enabling the industry to execute faster at lowest possible cost, accelerating the growth of solar energy at the state and local level. On behalf of our 100 members, Board, and partners, our mission is to develop, deploy and disseminate best practices and standards that make mass adoption of solar a reality through our core initiatives: workforce development, financing, performance, installation, permitting, and interconnection. For information on SolarTech, visit www.solartech.org.

Contact:

Doug Payne

Co-founder / Executive Director

SolarTech Consortium

408-768-0449

SAN JOSE, Calif. – 09/22/11 – Wyse Technology, the global leader in cloud client computing, today announced its support of an innovative Silicon Valley-based education program entitled 1,000 Hearts for 1,000 Minds.  The program, a joint effort by the City of San Jose  and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, has a goal of connecting 1,000 compassionate adults to improve the academic skills of 1,000 young students in Silicon Valley in grade levels K-8 to improve their literacy, math, and science skills.

“Education is a specific passion of mine so we are honored to play a small role in helping students in San Jose get the education they deserve,” said Tarkan Maner, President and CEO of Wyse Technology.  “This program provides the perfect mix of innovation and simplicity.”

“We have extraordinary resources in Silicon Valley to address the educational needs of our kids, but it takes the kind of innovation and leadership from organizations such as 1,000 Hearts for 1,000 Minds to connect the students in need with compassionate companies,” according to Carl Guardino, President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.  “Silicon Valley Leadership Group is privileged to be involved in helping today’s leading companies educate and groom tomorrow’s leaders.”

For more information or to volunteer, please visit: http://hearts4minds.org/

About Wyse Technology
Wyse Technology is the global leader in Cloud Client Computing. The Wyse portfolio includes industry-leading thin, zero and cloud PC client solutions with advanced management, desktop virtualization and cloud software supporting desktops, laptops and next generation mobile devices. Cloud client computing replaces the outdated computing model of the unsecure, unreliable, energy-intensive and expensive PC, all while delivering lower TCO and a superior user experience. Wyse has shipped more than 20 million units and has over 200 million people interacting with their products each day, enabling the leading private, public, hybrid, and government cloud implementations worldwide. Wyse partners with industry-leading IT vendors, including Cisco®, Citrix®, IBM®, Microsoft, and VMware® as well as globally-recognized distribution and service partners. Wyse is headquartered in San Jose, California, U.S.A., with offices worldwide.

For more information, visit the Wyse website at http://www.wyse.com or call 1-800-GET-WYSE.

* All brands and names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.

That is the precise number of jobs created in the entire United States in the month of August.

This week, the President will lay out a “jobs plan.”

In the past two weeks, we have heard “jobs plans” from Governor Brown and members of the state legislature.

Here’s a suggestion – as elected officials lay out their “jobs plans,” first consult those who create jobs . . . Entrepreneurs, CEOs and innovators who invest creativity and capital to actually hire people.

Without a single new job created in America in august, it is not time for the “same ole, same ole.” What are the game changers in your jobs plan that are going to make a difference?

This is why the Silicon Valley Leadership Group is hosting our inaugural “Game Changers” summit the morning of September 13.

In the innovation capital of the world, we will interact directly in spirited discussions with the game changers who create and grow jobs with the specifics of what is needed to get America, California and Silicon Valley moving.

Join us at game changers on September 13. For more information, go to svlg.org.