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SSTI Digest
People
Wes Blakeslee is the new acting director of the Office of Licensing and Technology Development at Johns Hopkins University. Blakeslee replaces Jill Sorensen, who resigned last month.
People
William Carney is the new president and CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership, a private, nonprofit regional economic development organization in southern California. Carney replaces Paul Hiller, who left earlier this month to take a similar job in Boise, Idaho.
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Ramiro Cavazos is resigning as economic development director for the City of San Antonio to become director of research and economic development for the University of Texas Health Science Center, effective Nov. 3.
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The Northeast Iowa Business Accelerator named Brian Dalziel as its first regional director.
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Connecticut Innovations has selected Frank Dinucci to fill the position of president and executive director, which was vacated by Chandler Howard.
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Ray Dizon is the new managing director of the Maryland Venture Fund, replacing Elizabeth Good.
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Nathan Feltman was named Secretary of Commerce and president of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC). Feltman, the organization's executive vice president and general counsel, replaces outgoing IEDC President Mickey Maurer.
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Kelly Lovell is resigning her post as president and CEO of the Center for Economic Growth Inc. to head the U.S. subsidiary of International Business Development Group, a consulting company based in England.
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The Supercentenarian Research Foundation, a new nonprofit organization based in Pittsburgh, has selected outgoing Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse CEO Doros Platika as its chaiman.
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Ralph Schultz was named president and CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, effective Nov. 1. Schultz replaces Mike Neal, who resigned in July to assume the top job at the Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce in Tulsa, Okla.
Louisiana Injects $28.5M for TBED
The Louisiana Recovery Authority and the Louisiana Board of Regents recently unveiled a $28.5 million Research Commercialization and Educational Enhancement Program to stimulate economic development within the portions of the state severely impacted by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Funds for this program originate from the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) appropriated by the federal government.
State officials report how Louisiana suffered $400 million in damage to research facilities and infrastructure after the hurricanes. Furthermore, officials report the aggressive recruitment of key research faculty by out-of-state institutions as another threat to future development and economic recovery. While Louisiana had a strong pre-hurricane research capacity, it lacked a coordinated and focused strategy to drive new company creation, market development, and marketing opportunities, according to an action plan developed by the state.
The highlights of the RC/EEP program include the following components: