 I'll filibuster along and when the moment comes I'll say this as a person who has Tried to manage things in academic settings and in the business and in government in various departments Sometimes you hear people say That after all it's just dealing with people wherever you are. So management is management. I Think that's baloney Just not true Managing in these different settings and I'll confine myself the government business is quite different and I think that Anyone who works in both sees that and it's important to recognize the differences and why they are what they are I Illustrated the differences in an apocryphal way flip way, which does have a certain truth to it. I Used to get asked when I was out in Sanford Let me officially say thank you very much for coming and introduce the Honorable Edwin Mies the third who's the Attorney General of the United States. Thank you very much Well, I'm very pleased to be here today As some of you may have seen yesterday in the paper My last public appearance was in front of what was described as a semi drape statue receiving the report of the Pornography Commission I want you to know that statue the Department of Justice had was fully clothed prior to Graham Rudman Hollings I Do appreciate this opportunity to be here and to see the both the executive Revitalizing the thinking of the different departments in the government and so we are very pleased to be supportive of this activity over the years in Talking in the informal seminars that we've had It's been very Reassuring to me to get the kinds of questions that are being asked In the discussions that we've had and I know those same kinds of questions by what has been an American tradition Since the days when de Tocqueville wrote about America and that is neighbors helping neighbors people helping each other And that's of course what the private sector initiatives is all about We're interested and the president will be announcing it I think today that there will be soon an international conference on private. No, all right you see It's kind of it's kind of like it's kind of like in the prize fights, you know, they have the warm-up and the semi warm-up Well, well he will be here in a moment. Let me just say a couple of other things One is revitalizing and continuing the sustained growth of the economy and the second is to protect and preserve our national security These are the two objectives the president campaigned on in 1980 and in which he has been consistently providing leadership up to the present time Well, ladies and gentlemen, I understand the president is with us and so at this time may introduce the Outstanding champion of the private sector initiatives and of the exchange of executives the president of the United States Well, thank you. It's a pleasure to be here with you When our administration took place office in 1981 As I think you've probably been told one of our highest priorities was to build America's faith In itself and to make the vision of a shining city upon a hill reality but words and Vision are not enough to bring about that reality as performance and commitment that count an Example of the outstanding performance and commitment is the president's commission on executive exchange And I know that some of you have already completed your years assignment in key positions in the government. So first and foremost thank you and For the executives still serving here. I value your continued contributions This program was established with the idea of making this one of the most personally and professionally rewarding years of your life and While you've been expanding your understanding and skills the government has been benefiting from your talents and your perspectives Immense improvements in the quality and ability of the participating executives are the direct result of more responsible assignments Made available to the commission by cabinet members and agency heads The effect has been electric The commission executive while assigned as director of the Olympic coin program at the Treasury Department Was responsible for raising seventy four million dollars Which was turned over to the US Olympic Committee That's why we're so in debt. We're so generous No, I'm only teasing that one Presidential exchange executives participating in the overseas program in Japan and Jamaica have received outstanding commendations from our ambassadors for the contributions that they have made with us today is Foster Cathcart from Dupont who was a regional economic officer helping develop the private sector in Jamaica as part of the Caribbean Basin initiative and Also in attendance today is Jack Hall from Johnson and Johnson who was responsible for implementing the grace commission recommendations Jack presented the final report to me in the cabinet last fall upon completion of a successful assignment in cabinet affairs Now all of you have done a terrific job There's a story incidentally about a fellow who had a job to do you knew I'd have a story some place along the line This young man named Elmer had been supplying the local restaurants with fish And no one could figure out exactly how he was able to come up with so many and so many big ones And then someone asked the sheriff who happened to be Elmer's cousin to investigate He asked Elmer if he could go fishing with him and early the next morning Sheriff and Elmer rode out to the middle of the lake Elmer took a stick of dynamite out of the tackle box Let it through it overboard It exploded and up came the fish Sheriff looked at his cousin and said Elmer. Do you know you just committed a felony? The Elmer didn't say a word. He just reached in the tax box got another stick of dynamite Let it handed it to the sheriff and said did you come out here to talk or to fish? Seriously though is You go through this year. We want all your insights and ideas When you leave we expect both you and the government will be better off for the time that you spent here And a special word for those of you in government service who are off for a year in the private sector I personally think that we've got some of the most talented Executives in this country working for the federal government With politics public scrutiny and regulated work rules you labor under handicaps beyond the imagination of your counterparts in industry Yet even with those frustrations you managed to get the job done We're grateful for the service that you render and remember we want you back Don't get too comfortable out there in the private sector private industry Last week we celebrated the 4th of July. I hope all of you enjoyed it as much as Nancy and I did One thing that was clear during the festivities is that unlike other countries Here in the United States. There's not a gulf between government and the people This is as Lincoln so eloquently pointed out a government of the people by the people and for the people The executive exchange program is just one of the many examples of the open nature of American government Part of that includes something we call private sector initiatives as a result of the tremendous success that We have enjoyed with this uniquely American concept. There's been a great interest expressed by other countries in implementing similar programs You'd be surprised how many times after a kind of a rough beginning in the Economic summit with the other six heads of state that make up the seven in that that I Now go to one of them and every once in a while I'm button-holded by someone that once an explanation of how we did this or that and it's just been wonderful To tell them about the private sector It's a matter of fact at a dinner I won't name the country to embarrass them, but at a dinner in the White House one night I had ambassador's wife as a dinner partner And I was telling about something that was going on in our country in the private sector and what it was doing And she listened very quietly and then says yes, but that's here. She said you're unique And I said well, I said what what do you mean? She says in your country? Yes But she says nowhere else. She said every place else. They just leave it to the government to do and As I say, I won't tell on her, but I have remembered that and it's something I Know that all of you were dedicated to keeping alive. We are unique Maybe we can pretty soon get the rest of them to kind of follow suit and they'll all be better off but I'm pleased to announce an international conference on private sector initiatives And it is hosted by my board of advisors on private sector initiatives and it will take place in Paris this fall We're proud of America's success as I said in fostering and promoting charitable giving Voluntarism public-private partnerships and corporate responsibility Through this international conference, we'll be able to share our insights and experiences with our friends overseas I want to thank David currents for accepting the chairmanship of the commission And thanks to your executive director June Walker For the tremendous job she's been doing to make this program a success And I also want to express my appreciation To the distinguished members of the commission The staff and the private corporations who are supporting this effort That's commission is public private partnership at its best So good luck to all of you God bless all of you