to talk of the significance of this to the city. >> thank you, good morning. welcome to the super bowl of innovation. while we did not enjoy the other super bowl, we have been working on hours. i have always referred to san francisco -- and we continue to do this -- as the innovation capital of the world. riverbed's decision to sign a 10-year lease and to work with the city to renovate a building here in south market, to make sure they are staying and growing here is a reflection of not only their interest in making sure they continue to find talent that exists in the city, but that the city, working with our state interests as well as our i.t. companies, continue to do everything we can to make sure they feel comfortable and are creating jobs.

every time you hear about a major company like river bed making a decision like this that is very significant, this is their headquarters, but it is their global headquarters. to suggest a 10-year lease is important. they have over 500 people working today. this additional new space than they have signed a 10-year lease for has 160,000 square feet that will allow riverbed to grow and potentially add over 650 additional jobs on top of their 500. i.t. work is growing in the city. certainly, we want it to grow. we have a lot of i.t. solutions to be had. riverbed's technology is important, allows technologies

to have i.t. management's -- companies to have a i.t. management from the date of filing to storage, all those wonderful things that technology people will have a much better way to explain and i do. i do suggest to you that this is, yet again, another example of how we are working with ceo's to make sure that we sit down and talk. it was literally last fall that we sat down. we knew they were looking, they knew they were growing. it was not going to be in some other place that we would lose them to. we had some great partners. we just came together very well and focused on what we could do to make sure they stayed here. they know there is talent here. that is not a question.

but are there other things that stabilized their ideas come interest to work here long term, and growing here, as we have had that philosophy. we want i.t. companies to stay here and grow. as a result, we are evolving our policies on a weekly basis to continue attracting companies like riverbed, making sure they feel comfortable. the end result is more people get employed. you will see numbers continue to go down in our unemployment rate. it is at 7.6%, but i am guessing that it will go down further, hopefully, with all the companies that are still talking to us about what we can do to help them. as we do, they are hiring left and right. it is exciting for me to join today with jerry, let him explain what it is they do, in a very detailed way. again, it is the team, what the

city does to make sure we stay as the innovation capital of the world. thank you very much for allowing me to announce this. we will have a chance to visit their bed soon. i think, -- river bed soon. i think, once they get their release started, they will move in in 2014, and then that goes until 2024. i hope to see them continue to grow. we will be down there cheering them on, understanding more about the involvement of their products. >> riverbed started in 2002 and it is exceedingly gratifying from where i stand to see a company of its size and stature in the technology world, make a decision to remain in san francisco and to grow its global headquarters here. with that, i want to introduce the ceo of your bed.

>> thank you. it is exciting for us -- we just announced this internally to our employees on friday. we sent around a photograph of the new building. when you work in technology in the bay area, you realize every day it is a war for talent. we are fighting to get the best and brightest. it is all about and look for property, and that comes from the minds of the people we attract. we found san francisco is a key location for attracting that power. my business partner and i started the company 10 years ago. we will be passing 1700 employees worldwide, over 500 in the city. that number will grow and grow. starting on our second decade in the city and hopefully for a long time to come. we are a little unusual for technology companies in the city. many of them are web-based

companies. we are a deep, in the strongest drink network technology company. we make heavy-duty equipment for the largest government and corporate networks. we are more like cisco foor othr companies like that. i had to have some discussions with my early investors while i was not in silicon valley. i am glad we had that conversation, made the investment. we had a good run here. we just finished a quarter of $200 million, $800 million run rate. we hope to pass $1 billion soon and we soldier forward as we move into our new headquarters in downtown san francisco. >> we would not be here celebrating a police announcement without a building. i encourage you all to look at what 680 folsom street looks at

today, juxtaposing it with these renderings. it is not only good for the economy, but for the urban landscape. i want to thank michael for his work to date for helping to transform this location. >> this is about the 20th project we have done in san francisco. it is visually challenged in its current state, but we think we have put together a great design. our partners and others have hired the best architects with som -- one of the best, sorry. we are pleased with the design. both jerry and his company had decided to go here, but it was also the mayor and city office hoping to keep technology companies here. it is a joint effort. after you take up the skin of the building, it has amazing attribute that you have read about in our press release.

35,000 feet square plates. floor to floor slabs in the city, which is unusual. that tenants in this building will have some amazing space, some amazing views, and our r ehab will be as good as anyone. we are happy to be involved with the city. thank you very much. >> it really did take a team of folks to bring this deal together. we had great assistance from david from lasalle in helping to close this deal for the city and riverbed. >> good morning, everyone. it was a real honor to represent their best technology in this transaction, a 14-month process. i want to thank and congratulate jerry and his real estate team for the pro-active way they have managed their headquarters,

getting a head start. mike and his solid team of putting this building together. mayor lee and jennifer for the continued great work they are doing in helping us represent some of the leading technology companies, here in san francisco. it is a real pleasure to be here. thank you very much. >> we are going to break and then the mayor will take questions. not at the podium.

>> and on behalf of the society, its board of directors, and want to welcome you to the celebration of the 2012 black history month kickoff program here at city hall. on behalf of our sponsors, comcast, represented by linda today, i believe, and mr. chang, from comcast, on behalf of our co presenters who are in the audience and listed on the back of your program -- i will read

them off to you and ask that they would stand as i read the groups of. the alpha kappa alpha sorority. we have the bayview ymca urban services program. please remain standing, if you would. we have the black women organized for political action in the crown. we have a black women's during the waters with us today. gamma phi delta sorority. the museum of the african diaspora. the national coalition of 100 black women, san francisco chapter. the it san francisco chapter of the links inc.. let us give them a round of applause. [applause] these are all code-presenters of this event. it is a portrait these organizations are here. the theme for black history this month is black women in american culture and history. all these organizations are organizations of black women who

do an outstanding and amazing job. i would also like to acknowledge members of the official family, supervisor malia cohen, supervisor, fifth district, supervisor chu, supervisor olague, and supervisor weiner. i am going to miss some people. we have port commissioner kim brandon with us today. [applause] and a host of others. i am sure i will get the names as they come up. i would like to thank you for being here, and welcome. we are going to start the program with an indication by reverend carolyn dyson. reverend dyson, who is going to do the indication for us, also has the signal honor of being

the first woman ordained in the baptist church in the city and county of san francisco, back in 1982. join me in welcoming rev. dyson, please. [applause] >> good afternoon, everybody. an indication. we come as a community today, calling for the validation and good things on this occasion, in celebration of black history. we have gathered at this moment in time so that historical truths would be this month pepys celebration foundation, as the city once again owners the contributions of african- americans. let the scribe's record that on the third day of february, in the year 2012, in the city of

st. francis, time stood still as the historical accounts of african americans in america and in san francisco were acknowledged for their contributions that helped to build the nation and the city. as we allow this invitation to lend itself to truth, i pray that there can be an understanding, that there can be no history that does not weaved into the fabric of its record the true, undistorted account of the slaves, the negros, black folks, and african americans, calling forth the truth of our journey today. and truth be told, while our babies were being sold, our men were still call boys, and our women were referenced as dell's and girls. black people, my people, our

people even then, were daring to make differences and contributions to american history. you can say amen. from harriet tubman to slave porters in the underground railroad, to michelle obama and today's white house. the footprints on history from african-americans cannot be washed away. and the bells of greatness, ingenious, artistic talent, philanthropy, and leadership cannot be on rum -- cannot be unrung. we have come this far by faith. we celebrate and embrace this theme of the african american women, culture, and history. wellcome will not allow me in this discourse to call the role of great women in african american history. let me pray that their numbers

are many, and the stories of them tell the truth of women, african american women, in culture and history. for our women have been on the move. our women have refused to be moved. and our women continue to move mountains in african american history. and now, in closing, let me cradle this month's celebration in the history -- in the city of st. francis, with a sense of gratitude and neutral respect. the we black, white, brown, or red, we are all god's children. mavis in vacation -- may this invocation be accepted and the record show that in the city of st. francis, black history 2012 celebrated in truth the contribution, culture, and history of african-americans,

and their contributions to this nation and to this great city. let us say a man. -- amen. >> thank you, reverend dyson. ok. with that, we are going to move to the next item on the agenda, which is the singing of "lift every voice and sing," the negro national anthem. it is in your program. the words in your program. we are only going to sing the first stanza. we are not going to sing all three versus of it. in your program. please stand. >> everyone join in with singing the national anthem, "lift every voice and sing," by james weldon

johnson. ♪ lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring rang with the harmony of liberty let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies let it resume armed -- resound loud as the roaring sea sing a song full of the hope it has brought us sing a song full of the hope that the

present has brought us facing the rising sun of our new day begun let us march on till victory is won ♪ thank you. [applause] >> i understand that the mayor will be joining us in a minute. i have some other person's i would like to identify it as present. commissioner griffith is with us. also harlan kelly, assistant general manager san francisco public utilities commission, junior partner to our keynote speaker today. [applause] dr. veronica honey cut with the

san francisco community college. a member of the board of education. dr. moses is with us. commissioner linda richardson is with us also. one of the things that is significant -- i mentioned that reverend dyson is the first woman ordained in the baptist church in san francisco, in 1982. it is also very significant that this year -- we should also be aware this is the 160th anniversary of three of the leading religious institutions in the african american community. the zion church, of bethel, and third baptist will all be celebrating their 160th anniversary this year. these churches were established two years after san francisco was established. thank you for joining us.

[applause] the other thing i would like to speak briefly on is the fact that we celebrate black history month annually. black history month was started under the auspices of the association for the study of african american life and history. it was designed as a time when we highlight the contributions and roll african americans have played in society in general, and the world at large. recently, there was a movie that was screened that i have the privilege of being on a panel to discuss a after the movie. it was entitled "more than just a month." there was a discussion going on about the history, whether african american history should be relegated to a month, or whether it should be celebrated

365 days of the year. the effect of the matter is that it is celebrated 365 days a year. this represents a culmination of a specific focus. when we talk about african- american history, we are talking about african american history not as a separate and distinct history, but as an integral part of history -- the history of san francisco, the history of the united states, and of the world. we cannot think about this broader concept of history without understanding the role and contributions people of african descent have played in this broader statement of what history is. this is true not only for people of african descent, but all people. we are all part of history. "we present from the african american perspective is simply that -- a perspective of history that helps fill up that picture. without the understanding of

these covers perspectives, it is difficult to fully appreciate our true history. i am doing the best i can appear. -- up here. i guess we should have some of three stanzas a couple of times. [laughter] we also have ms. jackson with us. a pleasure to have you with us. in your programs, there is also a flier in your programs. it is on the flip side of "lift every voice and sing." it is a flier about a program which will be doing on sunday, february 26. we will be honoring several african american women, consistent with the theme of african american history and culture. those women are identified here. we do have one of them with us

today. i have a supervisor kennedy with us today. she will be one of the people we will be honoring on the 26th. we certainly encourage you all to come out and be part of that event. that is fine. with that, i think what we will do is -- are featured speaker today -- the mayor was delayed with some matters of urgency before him. rather than delay further, we will move on. i will assume the honor. there is no way i can do the justice he would have done to introducing our keynote speaker today. but i will say that in your programs we have a brief biography of our keynote speaker

today, naomi kelly. you can read that at your leisure about her background. suffice it to say that ms. kelly is an extraordinary woman with a great contribution to the city and county of san francisco in her administrative capacities. we have the pleasure of working with her and the city administrator, ed lee, when the society was engaged in working to have the city adopts a slavery disclosure ordinance, which the board of supervisors did adopt. it is on the book. the ordinance would require certain entities that do business with the city to disclose whether their origins -- where they have their origins historic plea, and whether they are in any way related to slave trade. we worked closely with ms. kelley in that regard. the skills, expertise, and

commitment she brought to that challenge was unswerving in terms of its implementation. at the board of supervisors last week, we were there when the announcement -- when she was before committee with regard to her nomination to become the next city administrator. i got up and made a few comments. somebody got up after me. i said to that after him, "i wish i had said what he said." he said we talk about the fact that naomi kelly, hopefully next tuesday, will be approved by the board of supervisors to become the first african- american, first woman as city administrator. we all hope for that. not just because she is the first african american. not just because she is a woman. but because she is absolutely, by far, the best person to do that job. and our experience with her was that she -- [applause]

and as evidence of the wisdom and great insight of san francisco african american historical and cultural society, we invited her to be our keynote speaker before she was nominated, so we knew what was coming up. we would like to welcome to further introduce our keynote speaker, mayor lee. [applause] >>(z