Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Hosts Press Conference with Saab
Saab, Inc. President & CEO, Erik Smith gave brief remarks from the press event held in our advanced manufacturing facility in Syracuse.
On Monday, October 23rd, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and local leaders across the political, academic and business sectors gathered at Saab to announce that the Syracuse-Buffalo-Rochester region was selected as a federal Tech Hub. This prestigious designation, part of the bipartisan CHIPS & Science Act, will enable significant federal support to boost the local economy and puts Upstate New York in a prime position to become America’s semiconductor superhighway. Saab has been engaged from the start of this process as part of a consortium of local businesses working together in pursuit of the Tech Hub designation.
Erik Smith, President and CEO of Saab, Inc., gave brief remarks from the event held in the Surveillance Systems manufacturing high bay with nearly 100 Saab employees in the audience and media present to record the occasion. Attendees included: Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, CenterState CEO President and CEO ​Rob Simpson, and other community leaders.
“It's great to be here at Saab,” Senator Schumer said. “Right now, the work of these men and women here is protecting the United States and helping Ukraine defend itself against aggression. So let's have a round of applause for all the workers here.” Senator Schumer went on to praise Saab as a company committed to U.S. national defense and the local Syracuse community.
“Thank you to everyone who came out and supported the event we hosted, marking the Tech Hub designation for Upstate New York," Erik Smith said. “As a company rooted in our community, we are proud to show off our facility in Syracuse where some of the most important radars and sensors in operation protecting America and its allies are being designed and manufactured."
Hosting this event also gave Saab the opportunity to showcase our world-leading defense technologies made in Central New York. In addition to a brief tour of the advanced manufacturing facility, Erik Smith gave Senator Schumer an update on our Syracuse programs and thanked him for his past and present support for Saab’s priorities on Capitol Hill.
“I’d like to thank Senator Schumer who's been a long-time champion of Saab. His support for our programs, including CEROS, ADRT, LCS, SPN-50, FAA programs and recent additional funds for G/ATOR, has been important for our continued growth and success," Erik explained. “Senator Schumer has always been a fighter for communities across Upstate New York, most recently through his CHIPS bill that will create a Semiconductor Superhighway from Buffalo to Binghamton."