SSTI Digest

Tom Thornton, president and CEO of the Kansas Bioscience Authority, submitted his letter of resignation to the board effective immediately. David Vranicar, president of the authority's Heartland BioVentures division, was named interim president and CEO.

Spencer Eccles, executive director of the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development has named Sophia DiCaro as his new deputy director. Prior to this appointment, DiCaro served as the GOED Finance director.

Ann Arbor SPARK has selected Paul Krutko, a Silicon Valley economic development executive, as its next CEO. Krutko, who currently serves as secretary/treasurer of the International Economic Development Council, most recently led the economic development initiatives of the city of San Jose as chief development officer. Krutko succeeds, Michael Finney, who resigned to become CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

While seeking to spur economic growth through new investments in university-based research, Gov. Sam Brownback also proposes to consolidate the efforts of a longstanding program recognized for creating high-wage jobs and diversifying the state's economy. Under the governor's FY12 budget proposal, many of the programs currently managed by the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC), which provides dedicated support for researchers, entrepreneurs and technology companies, would be transferred to the Department of Commerce.

Eliminating KTEC and folding some of its programs into the Department of Commerce would save $1.7 million, according to budget documents. Overall, the governor's budget proposes elimination of eight state agencies for a cost savings of $9.2 million. A similar plan was proposed by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius two years ago and subsequently rejected by the legislature.

The second installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs' series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Kansas, New Hampshire, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. Our first installment was in the Jan. 5 Digest.

ArkansasGov. Mike Beebe, State of the State Address, Jan. 11, 2011"I want to tie funding for higher-education institutions more closely to coursework completion and graduation rates, not simply to enrollment. These tax dollars must produce college graduates, not just fill up seats. We can and must double the number of college graduates in Arkansas by 2025 if we are to stay competitive. This is a lofty goal aimed at the future, but we must begin implementing it today."

TBED People Walter Bumphus has been named the next president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges. Bumphus currently serves as a professor in the Community College Leadership Program and chair of the Educational Administration Department at the University of Texas at Austin. Bumphus will begin his tenure with AACC in January.

Deborah Clayton resigned as the commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Commercialization and Innovation. She has accepted a position at the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago. Warren Nash, deputy commissioner of the same department, also has resigned.

Kansas Governor-elect Sam Brownback appointed State Rep. Pat George to his cabinet as secretary of the Department of Commerce. George is expected to start after Brownback is sworn in on Jan. 10 and the Senate confirms his appointment.

Kevin Carr was named CEO of Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp., after serving as interim leader since June 2009. KTEC is a public-private partnership charged with promoting tech-based economic development throughout the state.

Jo Anne Goodnight will resign her position as director, Division of Special Programs for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) SBIR/STTR program effective Sept. 17 after 21 years at NIH. Ms. Goodnight has accepted a program manager position in the private sector.

Kerry Taylor was hired as first director of the state-created aerospace innovation hub in Dayton, OH. Kerry, who retired from the Air Force in 2005, will focus on attracting more aerospace companies to the Dayton area.

Job Corner

The Board of Directors of the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) seeks a Chief Executive Officer to lead the organization. The CEO is responsible for executing the agency's mission, including strategic development and cultivation of the region's innovation infrastructure. A minimum of a bachelor's degree plus ten or more year's employment in technology-based economic development with at least two years in a supervisory capacity is required.

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Lawmakers in Georgia and Kansas recently approved scaled-back funding for their states' respective tech-based economic development (TBED) programs in the coming fiscal year. Although many states are struggling to fill large deficits in the aftermath of a national economic downturn, funding for TBED initiatives, even at reduced levels, continues to be a priority for most states as a means to grow and diversify the economy.

Georgia Lawmakers recently approved a $17.9 billion budget for FY11, an increase of $800,000 over the amended FY10 budget. Tackling a budget deficit of more than $1 billion at the start of the session, lawmakers cut funding across several state agencies, including those focused on economic development. Many of the reductions to university-based research initiatives were in line with Gov. Sonny Perdue's recommendations (see the Jan. 20, 2010 issue of the Digest). The Georgia Research Alliance, a public-private partnership that acts as Georgia's lead science and technology initiative, is slated to receive $18.25 in FY11, down from $23.9 million in FY10.

Kansas is home to more than 20,000 green jobs and expects that number to reach 30,000 by 2012, according to a recent survey by the state Department of Labor. The survey of 6,000 Kansas employers reveals that job growth in renewable energy, energy efficiency will drive green job numbers over the next two-to-three years. The biggest employment gains are expected in the renewable energy sector, which is expected to grow by 121 percent. Read the report ...

Silicon Valley, a region often looked to for trends in the technology field, is expected to see a rise in the number of new high-tech incubators and the expansion of existing incubators in the coming months. A recent Wall Street Journal article points to these openings as a sign of revival for technology startup companies amid a relatively slow period last year as startup investment plunged during the recession. Across the nation, specialized incubators spanning clean energy, sustainable architecture and advanced materials have emerged over the past several months to support high-tech ventures.

USTAR announced in January the opening of Utah's first incubator focused on information technology and renewable energy. The Southern Utah Information Technology and Renewable Energy Incubator, located in St. George, will support businesses focused on high technology, green technology and alternative energy.

Gov. Mark Parkinson last week unveiled his FY11 budget proposal, which includes $5.9 million from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund (EDIF) for the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC), down $1.8 million from the FY10 governor’s estimate of $7.75 million. Many of the governor’s budget recommendations, including funding for KTEC and university research initiatives, may hinge on a tax increase proposal, however.

Proposed KTEC reductions include $600,000 in funding that the agency allocated for the Product Development Financing program to make investments in early-stage companies through KTEC Holdings, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidy of KTEC and $143,000 from the Commercialization program used to support the Entrepreneurship Centers and PIPELINE Mentoring program.

Entering its tenth year covering governors’ State of the State, Budget and Inaugural Addresses, SSTI’s Tech Talkin’ Govs series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from across the nation. The first edition includes excerpts from speeches delivered in the following states:

Arizona Gov. Janice Brewer, State of the State Address, Jan. 11, 2010

“… I am taking the following specific actions to make Arizona even more competitive in creating jobs.

First, I am announcing the formation of a Governor's Jobs Cabinet. This team of key state agency directors will cut through the red tape and the green tape to speed job creation.

“Second, I will be allocating a significant portion of remaining federal stimulus funds directly to bring new jobs to Arizona. Specifically, I am devoting $10 million in one-time federal stimulus funds for job training. …

The Kansas Bioscience Authority - Heartland Bio Ventures, and the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation are jointly recruiting for a federal research funding specialist. This new position will provide professional management counseling and technical business assistance to early-stage Kansas companies in the area of SBIR/STTR and technology commercialization, administer and monitor any related programs for participants, coordinate periodic training seminars and workshops, and provide mentoring and intermediary services for businesses with federal agencies and federal laboratories.

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