Cree CEO Talks LEDs with Obama

Chuck Swoboda, chairman and CEO of Durham, N.C.-based LED maker Cree Inc., joined President Barack Obama at the White House earlier this month to discuss the latest developments in energy-efficient technologies. Swoboda was one of eight CEOs representing American companies invited to meet with the president to discuss American innovation in areas such as clean energy and the potential benefits to the US economy. “With President Obama’s support and the current momentum surrounding energy efficiency and sustainability, there are unprecedented opportunities for US companies, like Cree, to deliver innovative technologies and products to address our current energy challenges,” said Swoboda. “Twenty-two percent of US electricity is used for lighting, and the widespread deployment of LED lighting can reduce this by more than 60 percent.”