Los Angeles corporate leaders will visit legislators in Sacramento on Tuesday, April 10, to discuss the importance to the California economy of the state’s investment in research and academic preparation.

“Our public research university, the University of California, is critical to developing our workforce, creating new jobs, inventing new industries, and keeping California’s economy competitive,” said Richard Ziman, Chairman of American Value Partners, LLC.

“In addition to educating some of the most talented and promising students anywhere, the university operates a research enterprise that is critical to continued innovation in California, and it works with students in many of our state’s lowest-performing schools to boost achievement and help make the dream of college a reality. We are going to Sacramento to make clear that, recognizing the many fiscal constraints on the state, these programs are a high priority to the business community in California and ultimately benefit everyone in California.”

The visit is focused on two central priorities:

Californians need greater research and innovation investments. The governor’s 2007-08 budget would provide much-needed operating funds for the California Institutes for Science and Innovation – four UC-based research centers developing new technologies and new applications to support the state’s continued economic growth – and also would provide funding for several “green technology” projects to help ensure California continues its environmental leadership and is “the” place the world looks to for solutions to the challenge of global warming.

Californians need to maintain investments in UC’s K-12 academic preparation programs. A successful economy requires an educated population. UC academic preparation programs, working in low-performing schools across California, have been proven to get more educationally disadvantaged youths achieving at higher levels and prepared for college. The governor’s budget has proposed removing all $19.3 million in state funding for these programs.

The following individuals will be joining UCLA representatives for the Corporate Advocacy Day: Richard Ziman, Chairman, American Value Partners, LLC; Richard Bergman, Chief Executive Officer, Bergman Group Inc.; David Fisher, Chairman, Capital Guardian Trust Group; and Shari Staglin, Chief Executive Officer, Staglin Family Vineyard.

To arrange interviews with any of the corporate leaders participating in the visit, contact Belinda Barragan at (310) 794-6830 or cell (818) 472-9846.

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