Sen. Harry Reid this month was honored
by the technology industry.
The Nevada lawmaker was awarded the
Legislator of the Year award by the
Information Technology Industry Council,
a large industry trade group that represents
members Cisco, Microsoft, Sun
Microsystems and others.
Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com CEO, presented
the award to Reid at a ceremony held at
Twelve Horses North America LLC, an
email-marketing firm located in the Reno
Tahoe Tech Center in Reno.
"Senator Reid is widely recognized for
his integrity and guts," said Bezos during
the presentation. "He has also been very
supportive of the technology industry."
Bezos referred to the Export
Administration Act, legislation allowing the
exportation of PCs that Reid was instrumental
in getting passed.
"Being the legislator of the year means a
lot to me," said Reid. "And I congratulate
you, three years later, for being the man of
the year."
Reid was referring to Bezos being
named Time magazine's Man of the Year.
Bezos was chosen to present the award
because Amazon.com runs a 75,000-
square-foot fulfillment center in Fernley,
which houses and sends out books, music
CDs, videotapes and other Amazon products,
to all of the western United States.
Reid said Nevada was pleased to have
Amazon in the state. "We're glad to have
the jobs and we're glad to have a prestigious
company like Amazon."
About one-seventh of Amazon.com's
more than 5,000 employees are employed at
its Fernley facility.
"It's great to operate out of Nevada," said
Bezos. "Nevada has a great workforce. I
grew up in Texas and my grandfather had a
ranch. People there were a hardy stock.
Workers here, too, are a hardy stock."
