Robert C. Cresanti became Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology and chief of the Technology Administration (TA) in March 2006.   His top priority is to promote United States competitiveness in the global economy by examining issues and promoting national policies to exploit and maximize the benefits of U.S. technological progress.   His goal is “to make the United States the place to do business.”

As new technologies, new issues, and new actors have arrived on the global technology stage, TA’s core activities naturally have evolved since its creation in 1988. Under Secretary Cresanti is carrying forward President Bush’s vision to grow the economy through the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) and related policies and programs.

Cresanti provides direction and oversight to the TA policy analysis staff, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). Leveraging these and other resources, he is taking a fresh look at how the United States can continue to extract value from its research and development (R&D) investments, accelerate the transfer of knowledge to innovative, commercial applications, and better understand the role and potential of knowledge- and services-based industries in America’s economy.

Cresanti serves on a number of executive branch policy councils that consider and act upon issues affecting America’s competitiveness: Among them,

• The President's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), where he co-chairs the Committee on Technology that examines nanotechnology policy and other cross-cutting technologies
• The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), an advisory panel consisting of private sector and academic leaders who advise the President on technology, scientific research priorities, and math and science education
• The federal Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Intra-governmental Council, which he co-chairs, to promote standards and ensure that government, industry, and consumers understand RFID’s potential and benefits, and its information security and privacy aspects, and
• The American Health Information Community (AHIC), chaired by the Health and Human Services Secretary to help create electronic health records for all Americans by 2014.

Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez appointed Robert Cresanti to serve as Commerce’s Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) in July 2006. Cresanti coordinates with the Department’s Chief Information Officer and other Departmental staff to ensure internal privacy, particularly the integrity of the Department’s information systems.

Mr. Cresanti was nominated by President George W. Bush in November 2005, and took the oath of office in March 2006, following Senate confirmation.

Earlier, he served as Vice President of Public Policy at the Business Software Alliance, and as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Information Technology Association of America. He served as Staff Director for the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem, and as Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Financial Services and Technology for the Senate Banking Committee. Mr. Cresanti received his B.A. degree from Austin College and his J.D. degree from Baylor University.

May 2007

Secretary Gutierrez officiated at Robert Cresanti's public swearing in ceremony on May 19, 2006. His wife, Colleen, and other family members, friends, and colleagues also attended the ceremony.