For three decades, the SSTI Digest has been the source for news, insights, and analysis about technology-based economic development. We bring together stories on federal and state policy, funding opportunities, program models, and research that matter to people working to strengthen regional innovation economies.

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Louisiana Creates New Orleans Bioscience District

With hopes of creating a geographic concentration of academic and private bioscience research and commercialization, the Louisiana legislature ended its 2005 session with passage of a bill creating a new development authority. House Bill 742, the Greater New Orleans Biosciences Economic Development District Act, focuses on an area of several blocks in downtown New Orleans, but the bill grants the district's board the ability to redefine its boundaries by additional properties, including those outside the Orleans parish. The district may issue bonds to support acquisition of land and construction of buildings and other facilities.

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GAO Reviews Defense Technology Transition Programs

Technology commercialization can be a slow and arduous process, often taking years to reap the benefits of the investment. Recognizing that defense technology innovations move too slowly from the lab to the field, Congress created three programs within the Department of Defense (DoD) to speed and enhance the transition.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently reviewed the oversight of the programs and offered recommendations to DoD. The three technology transition programs target relatively small projects and have a budget consisting of a combined $64 million in 2005.

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Useful Stats: SBIR Awards, Proposals by State for FY 2003

With SSTI's compilation of the FY 2003 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposal and award statistics by state, tech-based economic development programs - specifically SBIR assistance and outreach efforts - now have the requisite data to evaluate conversion trends for most agencies during the four-year period 2001-2004.

The use of trends over a number of years, rather than single year "snapshots," can be useful for refining a state or local program's efforts, particularly if the program has held conferences, outreach, proposal assistance targeting specific federal agency solicitations or technologies. Trend data also helps to reveal how Phase I awards made within a state are tracking with the overall proposal, award and conversion rates for each agency and comparable states.

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People

James Epolito, the former president and CEO of Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America, will become president and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) effective Sept. 1. The current MEDC president and CEO, Donald Jakeway, will lead MEDC's international economic development efforts.

President and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, Todd Bankofier, is resigning his position on Aug. 26 to become vice president and general manager for Ensynch Inc., a Tempe-based information technology services and solutions consulting company.

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People

James Epolito, the former president and CEO of Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America, will become president and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) effective Sept. 1. The current MEDC president and CEO, Donald Jakeway, will lead MEDC's international economic development efforts.

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People

President and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, Todd Bankofier, is resigning his position on Aug. 26 to become vice president and general manager for Ensynch Inc., a Tempe-based information technology services and solutions consulting company.

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People

ACCRA, a national nonprofit research organization, has named Jeffrey Blodgett of the Connecticut Economic Resource Center (CERC) as president of the Board of Directors for 2005-06, beginning July 1.

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People

Terry Blum, dean of Georgia Tech's College of Management, will resign her position on June 30, 2006.

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People

The Indiana Health Industry Forum announced James "Mike" Brooks accepted the position of president and CEO effective July 11.

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People

Randy Goldsmith resigned his position as president and CEO of the San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative (SATAI) Network to become assistant vice president of tech transfer and economic development at the University of Texas at San Antonio. SATAI is currently accepting applications to fill the vacancy (see item below).

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People

Jeff Moseley will replace Jim Kollaer as president and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership.

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People

Purdue University professor Jerry Woodall was chosen to lead the university's Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship.

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