 Ladies and gentlemen, thanks very much. When one of our first tasks, when we got to Washington three years ago, was to assess the various departments, agencies, and commissions. And as this evaluation progressed, we discovered untapped potential in agencies and commissions which have given the right direction and leadership had great promise. And this commission on executive exchange is a good example. It was originally charged with bridging the gap between government and business. And I had a definite feeling that there was such a gap. And it had been in existence for all too long. It's said that when all is said and done, there's usually more said than done. And I was fortunate to find a high-energy individual for this commission to get things done. And when June Walker was appointed executive director nearly three years ago, she moved quickly to rebuild the commission and to set it on a course to fulfill its mandate. A prestigious slate of commissioners from the private and public sectors was brought on board. I want to congratulate June and I want to thank each one of you. What has been accomplished these last three years? The total revitalization of this commission has been a triumph. Under Jim Burke's astute leadership, the commission has progressed far beyond our initial expectations. And Jim, a special thanks to you. Now, together, we've seen the commission headquarters relocated to Jackson Place, the staff reorganized and reconstituted, the program updated to attract key executives, and the qualifications for acceptance raised and tightened. An exciting new dimension has been added to this program by sending business executives to visit U.S. ambassadors abroad. An executive from TRW, with high technology background, is presently serving in the U.S. Embassy in Japan and has proven to be an extraordinary value to the ambassador and his staff. Most recently, Leon Gibbs, president of Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, has been appointed to a position in the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica, where there you are. Yes, he'll serve as regional director to the Caribbean Basin Initiative, assisting the ambassador in the State Department in coordinating investment planning, marketing, and exporting trade. And I know you're here now because I sought you out, but we wish you well in this challenging position. Other positions in France and Mexico are being explored. Again, this new effort will reap rewards of knowledge and understanding both by government and business, in this case, international business. And anyone who gets the assignment to Mexico will have no talk about Montezuma. But the current level of enthusiasm and activity, your commission's credibility, is at a new high point. I understand you receive calls from senior administration officials looking to fill specific decision and policy-making positions, and the top executives that you've helped put into key government positions speak well of the job that you're doing. It also reflects a new credibility in both the government and the business community. I have to tell you, some years ago when I was governor, the president asked me to do a mission for him abroad. No, this was not one of his missions. This was an invitation for me to address the executive institute in London, Albert Hall. Six thousand members of boards of directors of private corporations from the United Kingdom. And there they were, and of course it was like it was really an easy assignment because that was at the height of the labor government, and they were feeling pretty lonely. And I did quite a talk on private sector and what the private sector could accomplish and all. And I made a point one time of saying that they were obligated to serve in government, and when positions were offered to make some sacrifice and take a position. And I said, and don't, you know, give your cast-offs or anything. I said, send your best. And when they return to the private sector, it would be better than they were before they had a chance to learn about the inside of government. And later on at lunch, I was sitting with the chairman of the entire event and some other people and up came a gentleman who was introduced to me and then he turned to the chairman and he said, you know, he's right, pointing to me. He says, you know, with us. He said, when we give someone to government, he said, we say, oh, good, there's a chance to get rid of old Trubshaw. And I've always remembered that, that he had decided that they weren't going to get rid of old Trubshaw anymore, they were going to give them a little higher caliber. But I want to thank the corporate world for contributing to the efforts of this commission. Other executive officers have nominated highly motivated and qualified executives. They have been and are involved in critical long-range decisions which will help determine the relationship between business and government for years to come. With us today are executives in the business world who are accepting the challenges of demanding federal positions. And I can only say good luck. This program was established so that each of you will continue your business acumen or contribute, I should say, your business acumen and corporate experience while gaining a perspective on the inner workings of government. On the flip side, the commission is placing senior government executives in responsible and challenging positions in the private sector for a year's duration. And I want to pay tribute to these top-notch executives. Federal executives at times have been vastly underrated. And I think you've done much to counteract that false assumption. I commend and applaud your outstanding performance and your dedication. We look forward to your continued successes and expect that you'll get some new ideas that will be useful when you get back to your federal job. It's no secret that one of the primary goals of this administration has been reducing the growth in federal spending. The President's Commission on Executive Exchange has done its part here too. I'd like to especially applaud the plan now in legislative form to permit corporations to fund the full salary of the private sector executives while on assignment to the government under this program. The spirit which all of you, commissioners, private sector executives, government officials personify is solid evidence that partnership between government and business has an enormous potential. Here, before, there's been too much partnership between government and business, but government was always a senior partner. In the past, it seemed like an adversarial relationship. And we're showing what can be accomplished when we work together. It used to be like those two hikers who spotted a grizzly coming over the hill. One of them bent down real quick, fumbled in his bag, came up with a pair of tennis shoes and started to put them on. The other one said, you don't think you can outrun the grizzly? And he said, I don't have to. I just have to outrun you. But we're building a different spirit than that with this exchange of executives. In the final analysis, we're all Americans all trying to do our best. And this program is designed to help us all do just that. So I thank you again for what you've done and God bless you.