SSTI Digest

Andrew Kim is the new policy director for Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen.

Dr. Donald Smith has been named interim chief executive officer of the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse.

Central California's Regional Technology Alliance has changed its name to the Inland Empire techSOURCE.

New and re-elected Governors gave inaugural addresses in Alabama, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas during the past 10 days. Additionally, State of the State addresses were made in Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah. Building tech-based economies remains a high priority for many Governors, as evidenced in the following:

Nevada

Governor Kenny Guinn, State of the State Address, January 20, 2003

Many states and communities are focusing their limited technology-based economic development funds toward cluster development, concentrating on those sectors in which some assemblage already exists within the jurisdiction. Proponents of the approach suggest the public sector is able to maximize its investments in those areas already showing some strength.

But what does a state with a new governor do when it is one of the top states in the country for two of the sexier tech sectors – biotechnology and information technology – and public resources are growing more scarce?

Whether the reason is to spur more innovation among students, fight the brain drain of graduates or simply help to build tech-based economies, many states, communities and universities are targeting a portion of their efforts toward encouraging tech-based entrepreneurship among their young residents and college students.

If the purpose is to encourage students to consider more risk-taking career options like tech-based entrepreneurship after graduation, then business plan competitions may prove beneficial. While only a few team or individual business plans may win the award in a given award cycle, the process of developing the concept and preparing the plan for all applicants can be useful for launching a more entrepreneurial mindset in the college or university.

More rigorous evaluations of local economic development programs and policies are feasible argues a recently released working paper by Timothy Bartik, a senior economist at The W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. Evaluating the Impacts of Local Economic Development Policies On Local Economic Outcomes: What Has Been Done and What Is Doable? stresses the importance of evaluation in local economic development. The ability to distinguish the true impacts of proposed policy in providing economic development benefits is crucial in having well-functioning state and local governments, the report claims.

Midwest Angel Network Association Launched in Illinois

Several Chicago area investors and numerous local organizations have launched MANA, or Midwest Angel Network Association, in an effort to make seed-stage investment a greater reality. MANA will be dedicated to strengthening the existing angel community and providing assistance and education to potential investors looking to join or form an angel fund or network. Although MANA does not provide angel funding directly, entrepreneurs can also look to MANA's website for direction in how to access angel funding and advisors or service providers who want to help start-ups.

Todd Bankofier has been appointed president of the Arizona Technology Council.

Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski has named Edgar Blatchford, a journalism professor at the University of Alaska, to serve as commissioner for the Department of Community and Economic Development.

John Harrison is Governor Bob Riley's pick to serve as director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. Harrison was the Mayor of Luverne, Alabama for the past 14 years.

Ellen Hemmerly has been named president of the nonprofit Association of University Research Parks.

David Iannucci is the new head of the Baltimore County Department of Economic Development.

Todd Bankofier has been appointed president of the Arizona Technology Council.

Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski has named Edgar Blatchford, a journalism professor at the University of Alaska, to serve as commissioner for the Department of Community and Economic Development.

John Harrison is Governor Bob Riley's pick to serve as director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. Harrison was the Mayor of Luverne, Alabama for the past 14 years.