Mayor Daley, IL Director of Commerce Welcome BIO 2006 to Chicago
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 6, 2006) –Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development Director Jack Lavin, and Abbott Chairman and CEO Miles White joined Jim Greenwood, President of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), at a press conference at the Chicago Cultural Center to officially welcome BIO 2006 to Chicago.
BIO 2006, BIO’s annual international convention, will be held at McCormick Place convention center from April 9-12th. The conference is expected to draw more than 18,000 scientists, investors, biotech executives, and government officials from more than 60 nations and all 50 states. Plenary speakers include former President Bill Clinton, Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, former Central Intelligence Agency Director R. James Woolsey, Governors Rod R. Blagojevich (IL) and Mitt Romney (MA), Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Fox Network anchor Neil Cavuto and celebrities Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Bernie Mac.
“We chose to hold this meeting in Chicago to showcase the convergence of all applications of biotechnology, from health to agriculture to industrial. This is an opportunity for Chicago, Illinois and the Midwest to put themselves on the map as a biotech hub to the 60 countries and 50 states that will be represented at the convention,” Greenwood stated. “This conference has the potential to generate tens of millions of dollars of revenue for the state and region in collaborations and investments in regional biotech companies. With clean technologies and higher than average wages, the biotechnology industry is a highly desirable driver of economic development.”
“BIO 2006 gives Chicago an opportunity to display the depth and breadth of biotechnology in the Midwest to the international leaders in the field,” said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. “Everything a company might want is right here. We have some of the world’s greatest research universities and institutes. We’re a leader in pharmaceuticals, agribusiness and nanotechnology. We have great transportation to all parts of the globe. We have an outstanding, well-educated workforce. And we have a quality of life that appeals to researchers, professionals and business people.” The Mayor will address attendees at the plenary luncheon on Monday, April 10th, from 12:30 – 2 p.m.
“Scientists are using biotechnology to try and find solutions to everything from cancer and Alzheimer’s to safer food for our children. This research is cleaning our air and fighting crime. We are also putting science to work in Illinois by taking discoveries and turning them into new companies, marketable products and high-paying, high-tech Illinois jobs. Our state has been recognized as a national leader in this emerging science, and BIO 2006 is going to help us achieve things we haven’t even thought of yet. This is a rare opportunity to import ideas, create companies and jobs in Illinois that will leave a lasting impact on our state long after our guests go home on April 12th,” Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich said. The Governor, who was represented at the press conference by Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development Director Jack Lavin, will personally welcome attendees to the city at the morning plenary session on Monday, April 10th, at 7:30-9 a.m.
“Bringing BIO 2006 to Chicago is helping to define the city and Illinois as the Midwest hub of a large, diverse bioscience region," said Miles D. White, Abbott Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “The opportunities for companies interested in partnering, licensing and expanding are unlimited at BIO. This vast exchange of ideas and information makes the entire industry stronger and better able to deliver biotech healthcare, agricultural, and industrial products that improve quality of life for people around the world.”
For more information on BIO 2006, please visit http://www.bio.org/events/2006/. Media registration is complimentary for credentialed members of the news media. Reporters and editors working full-time for print or broadcast news organizations may register onsite with valid media credentials. Freelance journalists and online publications may not register onsite.
BIO represents more than 1,100 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and 31 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.
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