SSTI Digest

Geography: North Dakota

Private Sector Partnerships Emphasized in North Dakota's Centers of Excellence Successor Program

A new program that builds upon the successes of North Dakota's Centers of Excellence and Research Excellence programs will fund up to half of the cost of R&D and commercialization projects conducted by the state's research universities. Under Research North Dakota (RND), the development and commercialization of new products will be achieved on a project-by-project basis and state funds will be matched with private-sector cash investment.

Tech Talkin' Govs: Part I

SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series has returned for its 13th annual edition. The series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from governors' State of the State, Budget and Inaugural addresses across the nation. The first edition includes excerpts from speeches delivered in North Dakota, New Hampshire, New York, and Virginia.

Gubernatorial Candidates Make the Case for TBED

On November 6, in addition to the presidential election, eleven state and two territorial gubernatorial contests will be decided. Seven of these races (Delaware, Missouri, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia) include a sitting governor running for re-election, while the remaining six (American Samoa, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Washington) are open races.

TBED People & Orgs

Tony Grindberg, executive director at the NDSU Research and Technology Park, has announced his resignation effective Sept. 30. He has accepted a position as the business unit manager for the Aerospace Business Unit of Appareo Systems, LLC. Appareo Systems is headquartered in the NDSU Research Park on the NDSU campus. Grindberg has been with the NDSU Research Park for the past 10 years.

Research Park RoundUp

As budgets for economic development tighten across all sectors, measuring and reporting impact becomes even more crucial for sustaining support. The Association of University Research Parks points to three impressive impact reports released this year from Indiana's Purdue Research Park, Nebraska Technology Park and North Dakota State University Research and Technology Park.

TBED People

TBED People
SSTI board members Rob Atkinson and Rebecca Bagley and SSTI member Stephen Tang were appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce Innovation Advisory Board. The 15-member board will guide a study of U.S. economic competitiveness and innovation to help inform national policies.

Centers of Excellence, Entrepreneurship Grants Funded in North Dakota Budget

Lawmakers last week passed the 2011-13 biennial budget, providing $12 million for the state's Centers of Research Excellence program. Although it is less than Gov. Jack Dalrymple's request of $20 million to expand the program and provide additional funding for three new centers, the legislature's appropriation will allow for continued investments in infrastructure and research capacity at a time when many states are reducing funding for TBED to help fill budget deficits. The approved budget also includes $1 million for technology-based entrepreneurship grants and establishes a program to provide matching grants for startup technology businesses.

Tech Talkin' Govs: Part I

The 11th Annual Tech Talkin' Govs series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from governors' State of the State, Budget and Inaugural Addresses across the nation. The first edition includes excerpts from speeches delivered in the following states:

Gov's Budget Includes $20M for ND Centers of Excellence

With an overall projected reserve of about $1.2 billion at the end of the 2011-13 biennium, North Dakota is well positioned to invest in growing economic sectors during a time when most states across the country are cutting programs to fill massive budget deficits. Gov. Jack Dalrymple outlined a budget for the next two years that would capitalize on the state's institutions of higher education and energy industry. Proposals include extending the Centers of Excellence program with an additional $20 million, establishing an Office of Energy Development to focus on the state's growing energy sector, and increasing funding for higher education to hold down tuition.

North Dakota Centers of Excellence: $16.56 Impact for Each State Dollar spent So Far

Providing strong evidence for how public investments in research and TBED pay off even on a short time horizon, a recent impact analysis calculated the total impact from the first $19.9 million North Dakota spent over the past four years for the establishment of 20 Centers of Excellence across the state. The analysts from North Dakota State University reported a combined cumulative impact of $329.5 million for the 30 months ending June 2009. The total includes both direct reported results and estimates for indirect impacts. Already, the centers and their client businesses reported direct employment growth of 921.5 jobs. The centers also had captured $115.5 million in match and federal research leverage from the state’s initial investment. The analysis concluded because of the Centers, seven new spin-off companies were created, five companies expanded within North Dakota, and five companies expanded to the state. An additional $42.4 million has been disbursed to the centers or awaits future allocation by the state. The full report is available at: http://www.commerce.nd.gov/news/detail.asp?newsID=610

TBED People and Organizations

The Piedmont Triad Research Park laid off Bill Dean, director of the park, and Nancy Johnson, marketing director. Park officials said that the park's project manager and executive assistant also were laid off.

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter announced that he has tapped Don Elliman, director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development, to serve as the state government's first chief operating officer.

The Florida STEM Council, funded by a $580,000 grant from Workforce Florida, has been created to connect education, workforce, business and economic development leaders to identify opportunities to build and measure the state's supply of workers with skills and knowledge in these fields to support innovation in existing and emerging industries.

Malcolm Kahn has been appointed vice president for enterprise development & licensing at Stevens Institute of Technology.

Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation has named Kevin Carr as interim CEO, replacing Tracy Taylor, who resigned last month.

Jill Kline has been named the new Wyoming Entrepreneur.Biz associate state director. Kline, previously the NE Wyoming SBDC regional director, replaces Debbie Gorski.

Jennifer Kmiec has been appointed Marshal University's associate vice president for economic development effective, July 1.

Larry Pederson has been named director of the Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering at North Dakota State University.

Utah's Lt. Governor Gary Herbert tapped Jason Perry, the state's director of economic development, to lead Herbert's transition into the governor's role.

Frances Scarlett has been named regional director of the Small Business & Technology Development Center at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Enterprise Florida President and CEO John Adams has announced the appointment of Crystal Sircy as senior vice president for the Business Retention and Recruitment division. She succeedsBob Rohrlack, who in April became the president and CEO of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.

M&T Bank chairman and CEO Robert Wilmers has resigned his pro-bono position as chairman of Empire State Development Corporation (ESD). Wilmers' resignation follows, Marissa Lago'sdeparture from her post of president and CEO for the state's primary economic development agency. Dennis Mullen, has been named by Gov. David Paterson as ESD's chairman. Mullen, also assumed Lago's duties. He has been ESD's upstate president.

As Budgets Tightens, State TBED Investments Grow More Targeted

With less money to spend on risky endeavors, many states are taking more targeted approaches toward economic development, seeking out sectors of the economy they consider most likely to grow and be sustainable beyond current conditions. In Hawaii, for example, lawmakers established an Aerospace Advisory Committee this session seeking long-term growth in aerospace-related industries. Missouri legislators, meanwhile, passed an "emergency jobs bill" expanding tax credits for technology business projects, and North Dakota lawmakers increased funding for agricultural research and infrastructure. The following overview provides highlights of approved budgets and legislation from the 2009 sessions in Hawaii, Missouri and North Dakota.

Pages