TRI-VALLEY, CA – Dale Eldridge Kaye and a small group of Tri-Valley leaders including Sybase (SAP), Chevron, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories agreed in 2010 that despite the Tri-Valley’s wealth of innovation assets and high quality of life the region was not recognized as one of the country’s key innovation hubs. This small group set out to change that perception and enrich and identify the Tri-Valley innovation ecosystem and unique quality of life.
Kaye harnessed the power of leadership working collaboratively in the Tri-Valley region. She nurtured the idea that when public and private sector leaders are willing to transcend self-interests to grow the economy, everyone in the region benefits.
As a Founder and CEO of Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group, Kaye will retire in August. Her legacy includes creating a unique brand voice for the 5 city Tri-Valley region, and delivering 5 years of economic impact, advocacy, and successful marketing programs. Home to more than 450 technology companies, the region is now well known as a hotbed of innovation and entrepreneurship, and is an integral part of the Bay Area economy.
With the purpose of illuminating the assets of collaboration, innovation, and empathy in the region, Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group has grown from start-up to thriving organization under Kaye’s leadership.
“Congratulations to Dale Kaye in her hard-earned retirement, which is a state of life I expect she will re-define for all of us, says Congressman Eric Swalwell. “I grew up in the Tri-Valley and have seen a lot of newcomers move here; I’ve never seen someone learn our area and connect with our community as uniquely as Dale has. Dale loves people and solving problems. As a leader of the Livermore Chamber and Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group, she skillfully boosted our area’s reputation as a place to invest and grow a business. Who knows what is next for Dale Kaye, but I promise she will only move at one speed and one direction: accelerating forward.”
Kaye launched innovative programs including the annual #GameChangers Awards for business leaders, DreamMakers and RiskTakers Awards for youth, and the first Innovation Forum, an annual conference showcasing new ideas and technologies emerging from the region. Kaye also hired a creative team that launched a new brand identity for the region: TRI-VALLEY: The Heart of California Innovation.
“Successful startups require a visionary leader,” said John Sensiba, who served as ITV Chair for four years. “Dale provided ITV with the vision and energy to survive the startup phase and to become a meaningful contributor to the Tri-Valley community and beyond. The collaborative and inclusive nature of ITV directly reflects Dale’s humanity and attracts like-minded individuals and organizations that perpetuate the virtuous cycle she initiated. Her ongoing support and consultation with ITV after she steps down as CEO will be highly valuable.”
“Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group was born because of the collaborative nature of the Tri-Valley,” says Kaye. “It grew because of its mandate to create an ecosystem of innovation and empathy. It flourished because the visionaries on our board are instinctively entrepreneurs with bold new ideas. It will continue as a strong and positive force with the leadership of both the ITV Board and Lynn Naylor.”
Kaye began her career as a political reporter, moving up quickly to serve in senior roles for big city mayors and the Governor of Florida. She spent many years in the film business developing stories for TV and features before becoming the CEO of the Livermore Valley Chamber of Commerce, where she served for 12 years.
Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group’s COO, Lynn Wallace Naylor, will serve as CEO beginning in August.
About Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group:
Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group (ITV) is a collaborative group of business leaders dedicated to the Tri-Valley: The Heart of California Innovation. By bringing together companies, non-profits, and regional thought leaders committed to innovation, ITV is improving the innovation climate of the region, spurring job growth, and expanding the vibrant Tri-Valley community. Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group represents the business, education and government stakeholders in the 5 cities and 2 counties that comprise the Tri-Valley Region.
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Media Contact:
Lynn Wallace Naylor
Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group
925.989.2373
