SSTI Digest

After adjustments for inflation, Gross State Product (GSP) for the nation grew at an average annual rate of 4.0 percent from 1992 to 1999, according to estimated just released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), U.S. Department of Commerce. GSP measures value added in production. The fastest growth rates for 1992 through 1999 were experienced in Arizona (7.3%), Nevada (7.0%), Oregon (6.8%), Colorado (6.6%), Idaho (6.6%), New Hampshire (6.3%), Utah (6.3%), New Mexico (6.2%), Georgia (5.8%), Texas (5.4%), and North Carolina (5.1%). The BEA attributes the strong performance of these states partly to their strengths in business services and in high-tech manufacturing. While real GSP grew in all major industries, it was notably strong in the areas of business services and high-tech manufacturing, trade, real estate, security trading, and communications. The Bureau’s report includes tables presenting GSP statistics for all 50 states and the District of Columbia annually from 1992-1999 and by major industry group. BEA also revised…

New Mexico The New Mexico Information Technology and Software Association (NMITSA) has hired its first staff: Randy Burge is the new president, Pete Inman is vice president of policy and development, and David Sahd is vice president of operations and marketing. According to the Council of Regional Information Technology Associations, NMITSA was the last such group to change from all-volunteer staffing. New York Joe Magno, former Executive Director of the New York State Science & Technology Foundation, is founder and chairman of the New York State Software Network (NYSSNET). Organized in November, NYSSNET's goal is to sustain, strengthen and grow the software industry of the state. The nonprofit has secured a $1.1 million information technology training grant from the Department of Labor and is holding a SmartStart Venture Forum this fall. Ohio Crain's Cleveland Business reports the Northeast Ohio Software Association, based in downtown Cleveland, is opening its first satellite office at the Great…

Jim Tate has been named Science Advisor for the U.S. Department of Interior. Until his appointment, Dr. Tate served as Advisory Scientist for the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. Julia Wilson is the new Executive Director of the San Diego Telecom Council. She formerly was director of corporate and foundation relations for San Diego State University. The Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development has hired Lawrence C. Mahan to serve as the state's senior biotech executive. Maria Estela de Rios has been named chairwoman of the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership Board of Directors. She is executive vice president of Orion International Technologies, which is based in Albuquerque. Return to the top of this page

Jim Tate has been named Science Advisor for the U.S. Department of Interior. Until his appointment, Dr. Tate served as Advisory Scientist for the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.

Julia Wilson is the new Executive Director of the San Diego Telecom Council. She formerly was director of corporate and foundation relations for San Diego State University.

The Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development has hired Lawrence C. Mahan to serve as the state's senior biotech executive.

Maria Estela de Rios has been named chairwoman of the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership Board of Directors. She is executive vice president of Orion International Technologies, which is based in Albuquerque.

Nearly all public schools in the U.S. are connected to the Internet, according to a survey published by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The survey, Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994 – 2000, shows that 98 percent of public schools had access to the Internet by the fall of 2000, representing a 3 percent increase over 1999 and a 26 percent increase since 1997. The survey also shows the number of public schools with instructional rooms possessing Internet connections is on the rise. Seventy-seven percent of such rooms were connected to the Internet in the fall of 2000–a notable increase over the 63 percent in 1999. During this time, the ratio of students to instructional computers in public schools decreased to 5 to 1, while the ratio of students to instructional computers with Internet access improved from 9 to 1 in 1999 to 7 to 1 in 2000. Schools of different settings–city, rural, town and urban fringe–demonstrated little difference in general Internet accessibility. Of all the types, however, town schools…

Is a strong university research component critical to local tech-based economic development? Many argue this position, including SSTI (Using Research and Development to Grow State Economies). Using data on royalties, licenses, and job creation figures, others have demonstrated the economic contributions of university R&D. (See for instance, the annual licensing survey from the Association of University Technology Managers.) But can strong research universities contribute more to local technological innovation than large industrial research laboratories – or can communities achieve the same degree of success in building tech-based economies by concentrating resources toward attracting industrial research laboratories? At issue, are the local “spillover” effects of industrial and academic research. Spillovers may include, for example, new company formations, job creation, increased research contracts, etc. Which type of research on average, industrial or academic, results in more spillovers to the local economy? John Adams, with the Department of…

Arizona In spite of a tight budget resulting in cuts of $600 million, the Business Journal reports the Arizona state legislature has appropriated $3 million to launch implementation of the strategic plan developed by the APNE, the Arizona Partnership for the New Economy (see the Jan. 26, 2001 issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest for a story on the plan). The funds, to be focused primarily on rural telecom initiatives, will be administered by the Department of Commerce. For more information on APNE see: http://www.commerce.state.az.us/neweconomy/APNE.htm Colorado The 12-year-old Boulder Technology Incubator has changed its name to the Colorado Technology Incubator. According to an article in the Daily Camera, the new name better reflects the non-profit's existing presence in Boulder and Longmont and a planned third branch to be located elsewhere in the state this year. Nampa, Idaho A nearly $2 million grant from the Economic Development Administration is paving the way for construction of a 40,000 sq. ft high technology business center…

President Bush has announced his intention to nominate the following people to positions within the federal government that affect state and local tech-based economic development: George G. Williams to be Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. He is presently the President of COLSA Corporation in Huntsville, Alabama. Williams is a graduate of North Carolina State University. Michael W. Wynne to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology. He is presently the Chairman and CEO of the Ixata Group based in San Diego, California. Originally from Florida, Wynne is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, the Air Force Institute of Technology and has received a MBA from the University of Colorado. Mark Lang, CEO of the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania for the past 14 years, has announced his resignation. Lu Cordova is the new President of the Colorado Technology Incubator. The Center for Environmental Enterprise (…

President Bush has announced his intention to nominate the following people to positions within the federal government that affect state and local tech-based economic development: George G. Williams to be Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. He is presently the President of COLSA Corporation in Huntsville, Alabama. Williams is a graduate of North Carolina State University. Michael W. Wynne to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology. He is presently the Chairman and CEO of the Ixata Group based in San Diego, California. Originally from Florida, Wynne is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, the Air Force Institute of Technology and has received a MBA from the University of Colorado.