City Hall, Fresno, California

Kristen Philipkoski, a reporter at Wired News, has written a fine article about the election of Robert Klein as head of the Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee which will supervise the work of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine as it invests $3 billion in public financing in embryonic stem cell research.

In that article, published online last Friday, Ms. Philipkoski writes:

"A real estate developer who spent $3 million of his own money to get the California stem cell initiative on the state's ballot is now in charge of doling out the $3 billion the program will lavish on stem cell research over the next decade.

"The newly inaugurated Institute for Regenerative Medicine's independent citizens oversight committee, or ICOC, voted unanimously to elect Robert Klein, the only nominee, as its chair."

Now that it's official, many more people may want to know more about the background of the newly-elected ICOC Chair.

Pertinent information about that may be found in an article written by Royal Calkins, a staff reporter at The Fresno Bee and published in that newspaper on May 13, 1984.

This detailed article, made available today for posting on this page by permission of The Fresno Bee offers a wealth of facts and analysis that, read carefully, paint a picture of a young, go-getting financier that corresponds in many significant ways with the older, still-dynamic Stanford-trained, Palo Alto-based lawyer-Democratic Party activist-humanitarian who conceived, wrote, funded, passed, and now stands ready to implement the most stupendously-ambitious bio-medical research project ever attempted by our species, one that was approved by almost 60% of California voters in November after it promised to put an end to disease and human suffering and bestow physical immortality upon all those fortunate enough to partake of its benefits.

To understand the Robert Klein of today, it may be helpful to observe and understand the Robert Klein of twenty years ago. To start that process, just click on the four links to the four sections of Royal Calkins' May 13, 1984 Fresno Bee article below. See if you don't find some hints of what was to come and may still be to come.

"County bond consultant's role questioned, Part 1" in the Fresno Bee, May 13, 1984.

"County bond consultant's role questioned, Part 2" in the Fresno Bee, May 13, 1984.

"County bond consultant's role questioned, Part 3" in the Fresno Bee, May 13, 1984.

"County bond consultant's role questioned, Part 4" in the Fresno Bee, May 13, 1984.

An easier-to-read version of the entire article can be accessed by clicking here.