SSTI Digest

Jeffrey Brancato has recently joined NorTech as vice president. Prior to joining NorTech, Brancato was the associate vice president for Economic Development at the University of Massachusetts. Randal Charlton has announced his retirement as executive director of TechTown, the Wayne State University research and technology park. Leslie Smith, the general manager of TechTown has been appointed to fill the position beginning Nov. 1. Martin Briley has been named CEO and president of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Since 1997, Briley has been executive director of the Prince William County Department of Economic Development. Richard Baier, Nebraska's Department of Economic Development director plans to step down at the end of Oct. to take an executive-level position with the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce. Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval named Steve Hill as the interim executive director of the new Office of Economic Development within the governor's office. Hill is a former chair of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

Lawmakers in several states wrapped up their 2011 sessions in time for the new fiscal year, which begins on July 1 for most states, allocating funds and passing bills in support of tech-based economic development. Read more... Delaware lawmakers established a new Job Creation Tax Credit and extended the scope to include clean energy technologies. Read more... Maine Gov. Paul LePage signed a bill expanding the state's Seed Capital Tax Credit. Read more... Nevada legislators passed a bill reorganizing the state's economic development efforts. The bill also establishes a Catalyst Fund and creates a Knowledge Fund to encourage technology commercialization. Read more... North Carolina's recently enacted budget continues to support the state's life sciences industry, but at a reduced level. Overall, appropriations for life science activities are reduced 3.9 percent in the coming year. Read more... Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed the 2012-13 biennial budget, which includes funding for the state's two major economic development funds — the Emerging Technology Fund and the Texas Enterprise Fund. Another bill passed during the…

Much of the recent economic recovery plans coming from governors across the country have focused on growing and nurturing existing businesses through a regional approach to economic development. The idea is that by identifying and defining the unique needs of a region, policymakers and practitioners can then provide the necessary tools and resources to grow industries likely to succeed within a given region, thus improving the overall economic landscape of the state. This approach is happening both in states and at the local level. New Governors Look to Regional Economic Development to Boost Job CreationMany of the nation's new 28 governors elected last November came into office with bold proposals to create jobs in the sluggish economy by developing regional plans. New York's recently enacted budget provides $130 million in funding and $70 million in tax credits to establish 10 regional economic development councils expected to debut this month. The councils will compete for the funds and prioritize economic development projects in their respective regions. Meanwhile, the re-vamped Michigan Economic Development Corporation plans to distribute a portion of…

During the campaign trail and in speeches delivered during their first few weeks in office, governors in Florida and Nevada announced plans to overhaul economic development efforts without providing many details on how the new systems would operate. Draft legislation recently was introduced in the respective states, providing some insight on the structure and governance of the proposed agencies. Florida Gov. Rick Scott wants to create a new Department of Commerce and establish a position of commissioner to report to him directly. The new entity, called Jobs Florida, would have four divisions to address accounting, community development, business development and strategic planning, according to an article in The Tallahassee Democrat. The commissioner would contract with Enterprise Florida, Space Florida and other public-private partnerships, the article states. Additionally, the Department of Community Affairs and the Agency for Workforce Innovation would be eliminated under a draft bill outlining the structure. The restructuring is estimated to save more than $8 million, according to the article. In his budget proposal unveiled earlier this year, Gov. Scott…

Focusing on job growth and promoting the state for new business development, Gov. Brian Sandoval announced his plans to reorganize the Commission on Economic Development into a public-private partnership and increase funding for the state's economic development efforts by an additional $2.2 million in general fund appropriations each year. The governor also included in his 2011-13 biennial budget $10 million in FY12 for a proposed Nevada Catalyst Fund designed as a closing fund to bring new businesses to the state. Although details on the proposed public-private partnership called Jobs Unlimited have yet to emerge, the governor said in his State of the State address that collaboration and tighter performance indicators would be the metrics of the new system. Many of the economic development proposals touted by the governor build on recommendations from the New Nevada Task Force, convened last year by the lieutenant governor. The 23-member task force presented nine reports, which included recommendations on technology commercialization and renewable energy development. A subcommittee on technology commercialization recommended adopting a program similar to the Utah…

The fourth installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, and Vermont. The first three installments are available in the Jan. 5, Jan. 12 and Jan. 19 issues of the Digest. AlaskaGov. Sean Parnell, State of the State Address, Jan. 19, 2011"That's why this year I know we can work together to enact the energy strategy that I've submitted. This comprehensive plan puts us on track to achieve the renewable energy goal we established, together, that Alaska will derive 50 percent of our electrical power from renewable sources by 2025. To get there, I'm asking you to move decisively and aggressively with me. Let's work together this year to invest at least $65 million to jump start planning, design, and permitting for the Susitna Hydro Project; provide at least $25 million for renewable energy grants ..." DelawareGov. Jack Markell, State of the State Address, Jan. 20, 2011"And to drive home the message that Delaware is the best place to start and grow a business, we must promote job-creating capital…

The fourth installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, and Oklahoma. The first three installments are available in the Jan 13, Jan. 20 and Jan. 27 Digests. Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell, State of the State Address, Jan. 20, 2010 "We will create even more jobs by funding construction of two new statewide buildings, the Anchorage crime lab I mentioned earlier and we will construct the Life Sciences building at [the University of Alaska, Fairbanks]. … "… Where energy is concerned, we will continue reducing dependency on diesel across Alaska. And we are putting $25 million toward more in-state renewable energy projects. … "… With the Governor's Performance Scholarship proposal, all Alaskan high school students can earn tuition for an in-state university or job-training program. They must complete a more rigorous curriculum than what's now required to graduate from high school. Four years each of math, science, and English and three years of social studies. But for students who take this curriculum, better…

As the Nevada Legislature concluded its biennial session last week, Gov. Jim Gibbons signed several bills relating to renewable energy. In particular, SB 358 creates the position of Nevada Energy Commissionerwith responsibilities - among other duties - to review policies related to the R&D of geothermal energy in Nevada and to work with renewable energy developers in identifying suitable sites for their needs. As the Associated Press reported in their coverage of the bill's passage, the process of attaining land in Nevada is sometimes a cumbersome process because 86 percent of the state is controlled by the federal government. The signed AB 522 also sets the duties of this new position, allowing the Energy Commissioner to grant abatements of property and local sales and use taxes for up to a 40-year period for facilities that generate, process, or transmit renewable energy. This bill additionally renews tax abatements for renewable energy that were going to expire in July. Gov. Gibbons also signed SB 152, which steers federal stimulus dollars from the 2009 Recovery Act to training programs in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy, especially in the…

The third installment of the Tech Talkin' Govs series includes highlights from state of the state, budget and inaugural addresses from governors in Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, and New Mexico. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, State of the State Address, Jan. 15, 2009 "...We should also grow jobs by enacting a green jobs initiative. New opportunities in energy from wind, solar, biomass, biogas, geothermal, biofuels and energy conservation are opening a whole new sector of our economy." Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, Inaugural Address, Jan. 12, 2009 "We'll turn this economy around by making Missouri a magnet for next-generation jobs. We'll invest in new technology. We'll inspire cutting-edge innovation. And we'll embrace science, not fear it. "And not only will we lead with our ideas, we'll also lead with our greatest asset - our people. We must prepare our world-class workers with 21st-Century skills and connect them with the jobs of tomorrow that we will create." Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons, State of the State Address, Jan. 15, 2009 "(M)y 2009 energy bill is designed to…

Dr. Michel Bitritto was named director of the new business incubator being run by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. Dr. Peter Reczek was appointed executive director of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology. Don Siegel, president of the Technology Transfer Society, will be dean of the School of Business at the University of Albany, SUNY, beginning in fall 2008. Michael Skaggs, former president and CEO of Next Generation Economy Inc., was named executive director of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development. Paul Wetenhall stepped down as executive director of High Tech Rochester (HTR) to become president of the Ben Craig Center in Charlotte. David Hessler, an HTR entrepreneur-in-residence, was appointed interim president in Wetenhall's stead.

Mark Rudin, the interim vice president for research and graduate dean at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, will become the vice president for research at Boise State University, effective Jan. 1.

Tim Rubald, interim executive director of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development, was appointed to the position on a permanent basis.