Governor Schwarzenegger Appoints Carl Guardino to the California Transportation Commission; CEO of Silicon Valley Leadership Group Has Extensive Experience in Transportation Issues

The Silicon Valley Leadership Group announced today that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has appointed Carl Guardino, CEO of the Leadership Group, to a four-year term on the California Transportation Commission. The nine-member commission is responsible for the programming and allocating of funds for construction of highway, passenger rail and transit improvements throughout California.

"The governor made an outstanding choice," said Mike Splinter, CEO of Applied Materials and chairman of the Leadership Group board of directors. "Carl brings a wealth of experience and adds a key Bay Area voice in important transportation issues."

"Transportation is a vital element to the success of the employers and employees of Silicon Valley and the state," said Guardino. "I am honored and humbled by the governor's appointment and look forward to making a solid contribution to the work of the commission." Guardino begins his duties with the commission on March 1.

Guardino has led or co-led a number of efforts and initiatives that have benefited our region's employees, employers and economy. Among them:

He led the 1996 Santa Clara County transit sales tax measures A and B, which generated $1.4 billion in local funding for 19 specific road and rail transit improvements, all finished on time and on budget
In 2000 he co-led Santa Clara county's 30-year half-cent sales tax measure, which went into effect April 1, 2006 He led Santa Clara County measure A in 2002 to direct funds for important local road needs
He has volunteered as an advisor to numerous county transportation measures, including successful initiatives in San Mateo, Contra Costa, Alameda and Marin Counties.

Guardino was recently awarded the American Public Transit Association's (APTA) National "Businessman of the Year" award, only the second person in the country to ever receive it.