(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) —
The Business Software Alliance (BSA) applauded President Bush for establishing a senior position to combat intellectual property violations at home and abroad. Additionally, BSA hailed praise upon bush's choice of Chris Israel for the position who has a long and accomplished record of achievements on technology and public policy issues. Israel previously served as deputy chief of staff to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez.
"Intellectual property serves as the engine of innovation and economic growth," said Robert Holleyman, president and CEO of BSA. "The theft of intellectual property has profound implications for our nation's economy and consumers worldwide, and protection of these works must be enforced on a global scale. The appointment of Chris Israel to this newly established position allows the U.S. government to address the escalating problems of piracy, utilizing resources across multiple government agencies, in a unified, global effort."
As the coordinator for International Intellectual Property Enforcement, Israel will work with agencies across the Administration to develop policies to address international intellectual property violations and enforce intellectual property laws overseas. In this role, he will head the international work of the National Intellectual Property Law Enforcement Coordination Council (NIPLECC) and coordinate and supervise international intellectual property protection plans among other agencies.
Israel will accordingly play a significant role in the implementation of the Bush Administration's STOP Initiative. Israel has served as deputy chief of staff for the Secretary of Commerce since 2004, where he has helped advance the Bush administration's agenda of growing the economy, promoting trade expansion and protecting intellectual property rights. Prior to becoming deputy chief of staff, he was deputy assistant secretary for Technology Policy at the Commerce Department. Before joining the Commerce Department, Israel was a public policy executive at Time Warner. –Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner
