SSTI Digest

Bill Richardson, Governor-elect of New Mexico, has named Rick Homans as secretary of the state's Economic Development Department. Fritz Bittenbender will become president of the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Association in December. The New Hampshire High Technology Council has announced Paul Houle is the new president and chief executive officer and Mary Collins will serve as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Gary Mahn, director of the Idaho Department of Commerce, has announced he will resign from the position at the end of the year. Pam McDonough, director of the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs for the past four years, has been appointed to the Illinois Labor Relations Board by outgoing Governor George Ryan. Joseph Hannon will serve as the department's director for the remainder of Ryan's term, which ends in January. Carla Patterson is the new director of the Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Cian Robinson, executive director of Infotech Niagara, has left the position to consult privately. Carolyn…

Bill Richardson, Governor-elect of New Mexico, has named Rick Homans as secretary of the state's Economic Development Department.

Fritz Bittenbender will become president of the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Association in December.

The New Hampshire High Technology Council has announced Paul Houle is the new president and chief executive officer and Mary Collins will serve as executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Gary Mahn, director of the Idaho Department of Commerce, has announced he will resign from the position at the end of the year.

Pam McDonough, director of the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs for the past four years, has been appointed to the Illinois Labor Relations Board by outgoing Governor George Ryan. Joseph Hannon will serve as the department's director for the remainder of Ryan's term, which ends in January.

Carla Patterson is the new director of the Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Cian Robinson, executive director of Infotech Niagara, has left the position to consult privately.

Carolyn Stark is the new director of the Austin Technology Council, filling the position vacated by Paul Toprac.

Lara L. Vande Walle is the new president of the Washington DC Technology Council (DC Tech).

While the 2002 election marked the return of Republican control of the U.S. Senate and the departure of a number of governors that had been strong supporters of investing in science and technology (e.g., John Engler of Michigan, Angus King of Maine, and Roy Barnes of Georgia), it may also mark the beginning point of a new group of governors that embrace technology-based economic development as a focal point of their administrations. Of the 24 new governors, 14 outlined specific initiatives designed to build tech-based economies. Holding with tradition, support for science and technology crossed party lines and geographic region. Developing more capital sources for companies was raised by seven during their campaigns. Bringing broadband to all sections of the state was also a common theme with six indicating this as a major goal for their administration. Other areas of emphasis included working to better commercialize university technology, encouraging entrepreneurship, and expanding R&D tax incentives. A sampling of some governors-elect positions on issues of interest to the tech-…

Some of the 200-plus ballot measures decided in the 2002 General Election held Tuesday were dedicated to promoting tech-based economic development (TBED). The results were generally mixed, however. Promoters of Michigan's Life Sciences Corridor were pleased with the failure of an initiative that would have dictated the allocation of the state's tobacco settlement funds, including a smaller amount than the state is currently spending on life sciences research. However, the stock  market's decline over the last two years may have played a role in voters' rejection of several investment-related measures. Below, SSTI highlights some of the TBED- and university-related measures and initiatives that were addressed by voters in a dozen states. Those that passed include the following: Arizona voters passed Proposition 104, which exempts from aggregate state spending limits the revenue derived from a sales tax rate increase for education approved by voters in 2000. Voters in California gave way to Proposition 47, a measure allowing the state to issue $13.05 billion of general…