Tech Exec On Deck For Obama Speech

President-elect Barack Obama is expected to draw an impressive crowd for what is being touted as a major economic speech at George Mason University on Thursday -- and at least one Washington high-tech industry leader was among the guests invited by the transition team. Dean Garfield, the Information Technology Industry Council's recently named president, will be in the audience, sources told Tech Daily Dose. Garfield, who replaced longtime chief Rhett Dawson late last year, is best known for helping to sink illegal Internet file-sharing operations Grokster and Kazaa. Before joining ITI, which represents Apple, Dell Computer, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and other major high-tech companies, he was chief strategic officer for the Motion Picture Association of America.

During his speech, Obama will make the case for urgent action on an American recovery and reinvestment plan that will save or create over three million jobs while investing in priorities like healthcare, energy, and education -- all of which he believes are necessary to keep the country strong and competitive in the 21st century. Additionally, Obama will call for "an open and honest discussion" about the recovery plan and will urge Congress to move quickly, according to excerpts of his prepared remarks released by the transition team. Like many groups inside the Beltway, ITI submitted a handful of recommendations for the new administration. That document can be found here.