SSTI Digest

Larry Willard, president of the University of New Mexico Board of Regents, is leaving the position to become chairman of the New Mexico Economic Development Corp.

With a combined annual research budget totaling $4.8 billion, New Mexico's 12 largest research facilities signed a Memorandum of Agreement on May 30 to help turn intellectual property into jobs for New Mexicans. Members of the newly formed New Mexico Technology Research Corridor (TRC) include:

Noreen Scott, former economic development division director for the New Mexico Department of Economic Development, is the executive director for the Rio Rancho Economic Development Corp.

As states and communities consider how to build a tech-based economy, the prospects of centering efforts around hydrogen fuel cell technology has become an increasingly appealing option. Fuel cells may have huge implications for the future, and the technology already is the focus of some states' multi-billion economic development strategies. California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York and Ohio offer a few examples (see May 17, 2002 issue of the Digest). In all, approximately 20 states are believed to be in various stages of hydrogen development.

Gov. Bill Richardson has appointed his chief of staff, David Harris, to serve as executive director of the New Mexico Finance Authority.

Increased funding for equity investments and a new university-industry R&D partnership program are among the pieces of legislation New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed this week, greatly expanding New Mexico's portfolio of programs to grow a tech-based economy. Most of the initiatives were included in the economic development agenda Gov. Richardson outlined during his first State of the State address in January. They are:

New and re-elected Governors gave inaugural addresses in Alabama, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas during the past 10 days. Additionally, State of the State addresses were made in Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah. Building tech-based economies remains a high priority for many Governors, as evidenced in the following:

At the University of New Mexico, Avi Shama has been named Special Advisor to the President on Economic Development. The new position will encourage, coordinate and promote economic development activities of various UNM units.

Bill Richardson, Governor-elect of New Mexico, has named Rick Homans as secretary of the state's Economic Development Department.

As a national security laboratory operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by the Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin company, Sandia’s science and technology competencies are leveraged to support several missions that are synergistic to its primary mission — to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile in the absence of underground testing, indefinitely. Indeed, Sandia designs all non-nuclear components for the nation’s nuclear weapons and works on assignments that respond to national security threats of both military and economic nature. Sandia's strengths are demonstrated in the following disciplines: 

New Mexico

The New Mexico Information Technology and Software Association (NMITSA) has hired its first staff: Randy Burge is the new president, Pete Inman is vice president of policy and development, and David Sahd is vice president of operations and marketing. According to the Council of Regional Information Technology Associations, NMITSA was the last such group to change from all-volunteer staffing.



New York

Joe Magno, former Executive Director of the New York State Science & Technology Foundation, is founder and chairman of the New York State Software Network (NYSSNET). Organized in November, NYSSNET's goal is to sustain, strengthen and grow the software industry of the state. The nonprofit has secured a $1.1 million information technology training grant from the Department of Labor and is holding a SmartStart Venture Forum this fall.



Ohio

Crain's Cleveland Business reports the Northeast Ohio Software Association, based in downtown Cleveland, is opening its first satellite office at the Great Lakes Incubator for Digital Enterprises. The incubator is located in a 250 acre technology park at Lorain County Community College.

Maria Estela de Rios has been named chairwoman of the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership Board of Directors. She is executive vice president of Orion International Technologies, which is based in Albuquerque.