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| Remarks prepared for delivery by:
SANDY K. BARUAH
U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION OF NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR JOHN HOEVEN
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 | AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY
It is my honor to introduce our afternoon keynote speaker, The Honorable John Hoeven, Governor of North Dakota.Now serving his second term, John Hoeven was sworn in as North Dakota’s 31st governor on December 15, 2000, and immediately began working to build North Dakota's future by focusing on six pillars of growth: education, economic development, agriculture, energy, technology and quality of life.Under his leadership, North Dakota has expanded and diversified its economy. Since 2000, North Dakota has had robust job growth and one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. At the same time, per capita personal income and wages have grown, exports have more than doubled, and gross domestic product rose at a rate faster than the national average. North Dakota used to suffer from outmigration – under John Hoeven’s leadership, North Dakota is now gaining population. Hoeven was born in Bismarck and earned a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in 1979 and a master's degree in business administration from Northwestern University in 1981. He previously served as executive vice president of First Western Bank in Minot, and as president and CEO of the Bank of North Dakota.I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Governor Hoeven is one of America’s very best Governors. He is a guy who “gets it.” He’s brought together the State and local levels of government. He’s integrated key institutions such as North Dakota’s five universities and has focused this array of talent and energy to build the North Dakota economy of the future. The Governor is personally engaged in the State’s economic development efforts. I hear from him personally. I’ve traveled the State with him. He’s been in my office in Washington to discuss the efforts underway in North Dakota. And with each passing year, North Dakota looks more and more like an old fashioned success story in our new world-wide economy. I salute his leadership and congratulate him on his success. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct pleasure to welcome the Governor of North Dakota, the Honorable John Hoeven. # # #
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