SSTI Digest

Oklahoma's Higher Education Day, when students and faculty are given the chance to discuss their concerns with the state legislature, recently provided a golden opportunity of sorts for Gov. Brad Henry. Held March 9 at the State House, the event enabled the governor to advocate support for a bond issue that would fund endowed chairs at Oklahoma's colleges and universities.

According to Gov. Henry's budget figures, $44 million in private donations are waiting for matching state funds for the endowed chair program. The governor is proposing a bond issue to match those donations. Funding endowed chairs, which enables a college or program to recruit and retain faculty whose reputations elevate its prominence, is a key component of the governor's $1 billion Economic Development Generating Excellence (EDGE) initiative (see the Jan. 23, 2004, issue of the Digest).

Kay Wade is the new president of the Oklahoma Professional Economic Development Council. Ms. Wade retains her position as director of the Center for Business Development at the Meridian Technology Center.

The satisfying flavor of success in tech-based economic development is whetting Oklahoma's appetite for more. Lots more.

The past two weeks in the Sooner State have seen the release of the third annual impact report from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), Gov. Brad Henry's appointment of a science and technology advisor, and the culminating $1 billion action plan of the governor's Economic Development Generating Excellence (EDGE) task force.

Sonya Buckner has resigned her position as director of the small business incubator for the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce to become vice president of special projects for the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce. Douglas Jones will assume leadership of the Montgomery Incubator.

Correction: In last week's People column, Tom Walker's new title was incorrect. Mr Walker is executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center.

Tom Walker has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center.

Greg Main, Oklahoma's former secretary of commerce, has been named president and CEO of the Oklahoma Technology Development Corp., which runs the Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center.

Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry has named Tulsa businesswoman Kathryn Taylor to serve as Secretary of Commerce. The position oversees the state's economic development, commerce, and  tourism activities. David Lopez, a retired officer of SBC Communications, will serve in the voluntary, unpaid position as the Governor's economic development advisor.

The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) has provided the state an 8:1 return on its $78 million investment since 1993, according to From Concept to Commercialization, a new OCAST impact report, and accompanying press release. The state's leading organization for building a tech-based economy finds its client companies also have enjoyed a 90 percent survival rate.

Formed in 1987 by state government leaders, OCAST nurtures start-up companies in the biotechnology, telecommunications and manufacturing industries through a spectrum of financial and technical assistance programs that ranges from early research through commercialization. The center's impact report highlights the successes of some of these programs.

The Oklahoma Technology Development Corporation (OTDC), a private, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the creation and expansion of high-technology businesses in Oklahoma, is seeking a President and Chief Executive Officer. OTDC operates the Oklahoma Technology Commercialization Center, a state-funded initiative of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology designed to stimulate and encourage technology-based business growth and assist with the processes of technology commercialization and early stage business development.

Randy Goldsmith resigned as President & CEO of the Oklahoma Technology Development Corp to assume the role of President and CEO of the San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative.

Meeting Challenges in the New Economy, recently released by the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), presents a comprehensive look at Oklahoma's position in science and technology.  In the report, an advisory team of 14 individuals suggests future initiatives and action in areas critical for Oklahoma's progress in economic growth. Longitudinal databases are used to provide insight and monitor progress in the areas, which are arranged in the following categories: Funding In-Flows, Human Resources, Capital Investment and Business Assistance, and the Technology Intensive Business Base.  The team selected three areas of emphasis under most categories and compared Oklahoma's national ranking in 1997 (most current data available) with the rank they believe needs to be attained by 2005. Among the team's projections, some admittedly generous in likelihood, are the following: