The Long Island Association Welcomes U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves to Long Island for “What’s New in Washington” Event
Click for pictures of the event
(Photo Credit Craig Cooper Productions)
Woodbury, New York – On April 30, 2024, the Long Island Association (LIA) hosted its annual “What’s New in Washington” event, which offers the business community an opportunity to hear directly from government officials about federal policies that impact Long Island’s economy. This year, the LIA welcomed Don Graves, the Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce, to discuss how the Department drives economic competitiveness, fosters innovation, and spurs the growth of quality jobs in all communities in the nation.Don Graves is the 19th Deputy Secretary of Commerce and brings decades of experience in the private sector, government, and nonprofits to the Department of Commerce and is second in command after Secretary Gina Raimondo. Most recently, he served as Counselor to President Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign. Prior to that, Graves served as Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Responsibility and Community Relations at KeyBank. During the Obama-Biden Administration, Mr. Graves served as Counselor and Domestic and Economic Policy Director for then-Vice President Biden.
LIA President & CEO Matt Cohen said, “Deputy Secretary Graves visits regions across the country, and we are grateful that he made a stop at the Long Island Association to discuss federal policies and programs that directly impact businesses operating here. It was fascinating to hear how the Department of Commerce directly impacts so many different areas of our economy and is implementing critical programs including the CHIPS and Science Law to support the nation’s competitiveness in innovative sectors of the future.”
“It was a pleasure to join the Long Island Association earlier this week to speak with local community leaders about the historic economic accomplishments of the Biden-Harris Administration and the Department of Commerce,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. “While there, I laid out where we started, where we are now, and where we are headed under the leadership of President Biden. I look forward to continuing these dialogues and strengthening these partnerships as we continue our work to build an economy that works of all Americans.”
LIA President & CEO Matt Cohen moderated a discussion with Deputy Secretary Graves on topics spanning the role of the Department of Commerce’s 13 Bureaus in supporting America’s businesses; economic development investments on Long Island; the importance of child care to business success; how to address challenges in Long Island’s legacy industries including manufacturing and fishing; support of minority and women-owned small businesses; and the overall national economy.
Deputy Secretary Graves has a rich family history connected to the Commerce Department. His four-times great grandparents built a successful horse and buggy taxi business in Washington that once stood at the site of the Department’s headquarters. Their son went on to own a premier hotel just blocks away and become one of our nation’s first Black patent-holders through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
For more information on the U.S. Department of Commerce, visit https://www.commerce.gov/.
About the Long Island Association
The Long Island Association (LIA) is the region’s leading non-profit and non-partisan business organization since 1926 and amplifies the voice of the business community. The LIA works to ensure the region’s economic vitality - Long Island’s future is our business. www.longislandassociation.org
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Stacey Sikes VP Government Affairs & Communications
- May 03, 2024
- (631) 493-3000
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