President Barak Obama traveled to Durham, North Carolina to meet with his Jobs and Competitiveness Council at the corporate and U.S. manufacturing headquarters of Cree Inc.. While at Cree, the President toured the company’s LED lighting product assembly facility, met with the Jobs Council and delivered remarks to Cree employees, Jobs Council members, local business owners and representatives from nearby engineering colleges and universities. President Obama highlighted the importance of the photonics industry for job creation and future economic prosperity.
The Jobs Council is led by GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt and is composed of representatives from various sectors of the economy and leaders in diverse industries. The Jobs Council held their first meeting at the White House on February 24, 2011. Cree’s facility, located in the heart of North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park area, was selected to hold the second meeting.