SSTI Digest

Bill Mahoney is the new president of the South Carolina Research Authority.

William "Bill" Mahoney is the new president and CEO of the South Carolina Research Authority.

Jason Williamson is leaving his position as vice president of community development for the South Carolina Technology Alliance to become a founding partner in a new start-up tech firm.

Business community advocacy for public investments in technology-based economic development (TBED) may make the difference between legislators appropriating programs $1 million or $100 million. Most importantly, active private sector engagement in establishing, implementing and overseeing a state or community's TBED agenda speeds realization of the true benefits of public-private TBED partnerships: more competitive and innovative companies, more high-yield investment opportunities, more high paying jobs, and a more skilled workforce.

South Carolina Research Authority president Larry Druffel has announced he will retire next year.

SSTI congratulates Tom Persons, president and CEO of the South Carolina Technology Alliance, for receiving the Individual Achievement Award from the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

Joe James, director of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, has resigned his position with the S.C. Department of Commerce.

A new economic development council formed in South Carolina has been charged with two objectives: help reshape the state’s economy and raise its per-capita income. Members of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, a group of business, academia, government and economic development leaders, were announced earlier this month.

The South Carolina Technology Alliance calls it the most significant victory for South Carolina's research universities and tech entrepreneurs in the last 50 years. An idle exaggeration? Probably not.

In last week's Tech Talkin' Govs II article, we inadvertently listed Mark Warner as the Governor of South Carolina. Gov. Warner leads the Commonwealth of Virginia. Mark Sanford is Governor of South Carolina. SSTI regrets the error.

With $90 million already secured in state and private support, a 400-acre automotive research campus to be developed by Clemson University promises to make South Carolina a hub of the nation's automotive and motorsports industry.

The new position of vice president of research and health services at the University of South Carolina will be filled by Harris Pastides.