SSTI Digest

Jeanne B. Berdik has announced her retirement as Vice President of Workforce Education and Development at the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Catalyst Connection. See next article for job posting. The Massachusetts Technology Council named Carol Meier as its new Executive Director, succeeding Katherine Raphaelson who is relocating to Washington D.C. The Rhode Island Technology Council has appointed Katherine O'Dea as director of workforce development and JoAnn Johnson as manager of education partnerships. Tom Schumpert, director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation for the past two years, is leaving to become executive director of the metro center of Roger Williams University in Providence. His responsibilities will include strengthening the university's relations with corporations and the community. Meriby Sweet has been appointed technology business counselor by the Maine Technology Institute and the Maine Small Business Development Centers. The Maryland Technology Development Corp. (TEDCO) has hired Lara Vande Walle to serve as director of…

Jeanne B. Berdik has announced her retirement as Vice President of Workforce Education and Development at the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Catalyst Connection. See next article for job posting.

The Massachusetts Technology Council named Carol Meier as its new Executive Director, succeeding Katherine Raphaelson who is relocating to Washington D.C.

The Rhode Island Technology Council has appointed Katherine O'Dea as director of workforce development and JoAnn Johnson as manager of education partnerships.

Tom Schumpert, director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation for the past two years, is leaving to become executive director of the metro center of Roger Williams University in Providence. His responsibilities will include strengthening the university's relations with corporations and the community.

Meriby Sweet has been appointed technology business counselor by the Maine Technology Institute and the Maine Small Business Development Centers.

The Maryland Technology Development Corp. (TEDCO) has hired Lara Vande Walle to serve as director of membership and business development.

SSTI Affiliate, the Pittsburgh Technology Council (PTC) seeks candidates to become the organization's Vice President for Workforce Education and Development. The senior-level position is responsible for the management of all Catalyst Connection and Pittsburgh Technology Council education programs and services and IT workforce development and recruitment strategies. PTC is looking for a senior professional with 10-15 years experience in workforce development, education, the development of business-education partnerships, federal and state-related workforce initiatives, and in working in or with industry, particularly at the smaller company level. The deadline for submission of resumes is August 31. A more detailed description of the position, including contact information is available at: http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm

With more than 30 sessions and keynote addresses by Michigan Governor John Engler and U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development David Sampson, SSTI's Sixth Annual Conference promises to be the year's best and most comprehensive conference on tech-based economic development. Building Tech-Based Economies: From Policy to Practice will be held October 2-3, 2002 in Dearborn, Michigan, with pre-conference activities on October 1. Sessions focus on a variety of topics, including: universities roles' in building tech-based economies, including the spin-off of companies and commercialization of technology, strategies to involve all areas in a tech-based economy, including rural areas, changing approaches to making capital available for tech companies, evaluating the success of tech-based economic development programs, and building support for investing in science and technology. The conference will have a unique blend of three types of sessions: best practices, policy, and roundtable discussion. For the first time, four roundtable discussions will permit a free…

Earlier this week, New York Governor George E. Pataki and NY Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno unveiled a new funding program designed to recognize and support outstanding scientists and engineers who, early in their careers, show potential for leadership and scientific discovery in the field of biotechnology. The James D. Watson Investigator initiative is part of the $225 million Gen*NY*sis program (Generating Employment through New York State Science), which was created to maximize the R&D potential of the life sciences research being conducted at New York State's public, not-for-profit and private academic research institutions. Russell W. Bessette, M.D., Executive Director of the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR), said, "By creating this unique program, we're encouraging early career biotechnology scientists to stay and conduct their research here in New York State. In doing so, these scientists will be positioned to make the important advancements in biotechnology that will lead to our future economic growth." NYSTAR was…

Two Department of Energy national laboratories and two land-grant universities announced on July 17 that they will work together to form a new research institute for the production of energy and industrial products from biomass resources. The new Northwest Bioproducts Research Institute will combine the talents of DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, DOE's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Washington State University, and the University of Idaho. Under terms of the agreement — signed last month — the participating universities and federal research laboratories will collaborate to form a nationally renowned, multi-disciplinary research and development program. They will examine and develop methods for converting agricultural and food processing residue and wastes into bio-based fuels, power and industrial products, such as chemicals for plastics, solvents and fibers. Industry, processors and growers will be able to use and profit from the institute's products and technologies and, in some cases, will profit from the discoveries through licenses. Using their…

On July 2, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the Emerging Venture Network (EVN) launched the MBDA Equity Capital Access (MECA) Program to increase minority entrepreneurs access to capital. MBDA hopes the initiative will help address the fact that minority firms receive only two percent of all private equity. The MECA program is one of the first to offer minority entrepreneurs equity capital training of this kind at a national level. The program’s first major project will be a business plan competition organized through the five MBDA regional offices. MBDA and EVN will identify up to 200 entrepreneurs to assess and give a scored evaluation with written comments on strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement. Of those 200 entrepreneurs, 25 will be selected to participate in an intensive training session, or "boot camp," where selected applicants will be drilled in the fundamentals of obtaining venture capital. The boot camp will take place during the National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) week-long conference in…