Technology industry honors Reid

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."