October 2-3. Dearborn, Michigan. Be There.

With one of the country's largest concentration of industrial and academic scientists and engineers, it is only fitting that Michigan hosts SSTI's Sixth Annual Conference, October 2-3, 2002.



Led by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC), Michigan has consistently been among the leading states for implementing innovative programs and policies to create tech-based economies: the life sciences corridor and billion biotech investment, automation alley, fuel cell commercialization, broadband deployment, university tech transfer, and the list goes on. MEDC, the host sponsor for SSTI's 2002 conference, is itself a product of innovative thinking in 1999 that privatized most of the state's economic development and worker training programs. More information about MEDC's tech initiatives can be learned by visiting its website: http://www.michigan.org

About SSTI's 6th Annual Conference

SSTI's annual conference has become the premier event nationally for the tech-based economic development community. Focusing on practical tools and policies for fostering economic growth through science and technology, SSTI's central goal in holding the conference each year is a quality experience for each participant. Conference agenda is set by SSTI's member organizations, and presented material is open to discussion, as always.



With the phenomenal growth of the Digest's readership over the past year, SSTI fully expects the 2002 annual conference to sell out. Audience size is limited to maintain a personalized educational experience.



Evaluations from past SSTI conferences reveal attendees have prized the event's intimate-yet-elegant qualities as much as the high-caliber breakout sessions. But SSTI keeps an eye on affordability too — taking its non-profit status to heart and making sure participants can afford to send multiple staff members to maximize the conference's impact on their tech-based ED efforts. Many programs' travel budgets will be limited during FY 2003, so SSTI is working hard to ensure the 2002 annual conference is affordable for entire teams of staff.

Elegant affordability is unsurpassed with the selected site for the 2002 conference: The Ritz-Carlton, Dearborn, across from Ford's World Headquarters. The hotel is offering an outstanding sleeping room rate of $139 per night for conference participants. Several limited-seating, in-depth workshop and off-site tour options will precede the conference on October 1.



Mention the SSTI Annual Conference to get the discounted rate when making reservations with The Ritz-Carlton at 1-313-441-2000. More information about the conference will be posted on SSTI’s website and will be available through the SSTI Weekly Digest.