SSTI Digest

Voters in more than 30 states will go to the polls to choose a governor later this year. For TBED professionals, gubernatorial elections can mean uncertainty. Will the next administration put economic development and technology on the agenda? Will the new governor support existing agencies and programs, or will he/she introduce new initiatives? What will happen to the budget for TBED programs? We know you have questions. That's why SSTI's 14th Annual Conference will feature leaders who can speak with unparalleled authority about the view from the governor's mansion and what it takes to create and sustain successful statewide initiatives. SSTI is honored to have three of Pennsylvania's governors for a plenary session in which they can share their perspectives and experiences. They are: The Hon. Edward Rendell, Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania The Hon. Tom Ridge, President and CEO, Ridge Global LLC The Hon. Dick Thornburgh, Counsel, K&L Gates LLP Pennsylvania has long been a national model for state and regional economic efforts. Much of this success has been due to three decades of governors who have seen the connection between science, technology,…

What are the steps in building a successful regional alliance? How can my region benefit from the Obama Administration's vision for innovation? Where should I look for funding now with state budgets so tight? These questions are probably similar to questions that you are facing in this tough fiscal climate. SSTI's annual conference allows you to structure your conference experience around the most vital issues for accelerating your region's innovation successfully. A new addition to the 2010 conference allows you better tailor your conference experience to resolve your questions! At the 2010 conference, there will be six thematic "tracks" to cover the most pressing concerns of the TBED community. The tracks for the 2010 conference include: Federal: An understanding of where the federal government is heading on innovation and how you can tap into it Capital: Proven ideas for increasing tech companies' access to capital Commercialization & Entrepreneurship: New perspectives and approaches for commercializing technology and encouraging entrepreneurship Universities:…

Several states recently enacted spending plans for the upcoming fiscal year, which started July 1 for most states. In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal signed into law the LA GRAD Act, granting universities more flexibility to raise tuition in return for meeting certain performance goals. Lawmakers in Massachusetts allocated $10 million to continue the state's investment in life sciences, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell signed a jobs bill providing $8 million for green economy projects, and in Tennessee, an $80 million expansion of TNInvestco, a program that allocates tax credits to create pools of venture capital, was approved. Louisiana Starting with the 2011fiscal year, Louisiana universities can begin raising tuition and fees in exchange for achieving specific, measurable performance objectives to improve graduation rates, better meet the state's current and future workforce and economic development needs, and increase research productivity. The Louisiana Granting Resources and Autonomy for Diplomas (LA GRAD) Act allows the universities to increase tuition and fees by up to ten percent annually, without legislative approval, until they reach the average cost of their…

TBED People Michael Burcham has been named the first president of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center. Burcham currently serves as a clinical faculty member at Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management. Austin Burke, longtime president of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, is being nominated secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Burke will replace George Cornelius, who is leaving his post to become the president of Bridgewater College in Virginia. Former National Science Foundation official Deborah Crawford has been appointed Drexel University's vice provost for research. Crawford will begin her tenure at Drexel in September. New York state senators confirmed Dennis Mullen as president and CEO of Empire state Development Corp. and commissioner of the state Department of Economic Development. Mullen has been serving as acting head of Empire State Development since June 2009, when Gov. David Paterson tapped him to succeed Marisa Lago. Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle announced the appointment of Aaron Olver as the secretary of the Department of Commerce. Olver, the department's current…

SSTI's interview with Bob Starzynski of Innovation Works' Innovation Adoption Grant Fund, 2009 recipient of the Excellence in TBED Award in the category Improving Competitiveness of Existing Industries, provides an honest, in-depth account of best practices and lessons learned that earned this program national recognition. Click here to listen to the interview and learn more about the program.

Friday March 26, 2010 > Web Version   > Unsubscribe "By setting this up as a grant, we hope to help companies make that leap of faith with their R&D efforts." - Bob Starzynski Click here to listen to SSTI's Interview with Bob Starzynski of Innovation Works SSTI has an effective new learning tool for TBED policymakers and practitioners seeking guidance in approaches to building and sustaining tech-based economies. Through exclusive interviews with Excellence in TBED Award recipients, find out first-hand how these award-winning initiatives successfully responded to a critical need by applying innovative approaches to generate substantial economic gains for their region. 2009 Winner for the Improving Competitiveness of Existing Industries category The Innovation Adoption Grant Fund (IAG) pairs small manufacturing companies with nonprofit centers of excellence, which help the companies develop new products or create new and better manufacturing processes. Since 2004, the IAG Fund has awarded more than $1.5 million to more than 100…

The fourth installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, and Oklahoma. The first three installments are available in the Jan 13, Jan. 20 and Jan. 27 Digests. Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell, State of the State Address, Jan. 20, 2010 "We will create even more jobs by funding construction of two new statewide buildings, the Anchorage crime lab I mentioned earlier and we will construct the Life Sciences building at [the University of Alaska, Fairbanks]. … "… Where energy is concerned, we will continue reducing dependency on diesel across Alaska. And we are putting $25 million toward more in-state renewable energy projects. … "… With the Governor's Performance Scholarship proposal, all Alaskan high school students can earn tuition for an in-state university or job-training program. They must complete a more rigorous curriculum than what's now required to graduate from high school. Four years each of math, science, and English and three years of social studies. But for students who take this curriculum, better…

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell dropped his previous nomination, Robert Sledd, as his secretary for Commerce and Trade and instead nominated businessman James Cheng. Cheng, whose nomination needs to be confirmed by the Democratic-controlled Senate, was sworn in on January 17. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell said that the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary George Cornelius will step down on June 30 to become the president of Bridgewater College in Virginia. Rick LeFaivre and Tom Clement are joining the UW Center for Commercialization as key deputies to vice provost Linden Rhoads. LeFaive will split his time evenly between the university and his other job as a managing director at OVP Venture Partners, while Clement is expected to work full-time for about 18 months. Kathay Rennels, three-term Larimer County commissioner and longtime public workforce development leader in Colorado, has been named director of economic development at Colorado State University.

In an effort to improve the percentage of city residents with college degrees, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter announced his administration will be opening an office within City Hall to help potential students considering higher education. The “PhillyGoes2College” office will direct residents to assistance with filling out financial aid forms and applications, preparing for standardized admission tests, and writing college essays. In addition, the first-term mayor stated a goal of attaining up to 1,000 fully funded college scholarships for city students from the region’s universities by the end of 2012, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. More details on the PhillyGoes2College initiative is available at: http://www.phila.gov/residents/education/fafsa.html.

Carl Bauer is retiring from federal service and leaving the National Energy Technology Laboratory effective Feb. 28, following a four-year tenure as the laboratory’s director. Joining the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse as executives in residence are Maureen Peszko and Michael Lang. Pierre Queiroz de Oliveira will be joining the program as an executive associate. The North Carolina Biotechnology Center has tapped Gwyn Riddick, director of its Piedmont Triad Office, to lead a new statewide agricultural biotechnology initiative as the vice president, Ag/Bio Initiative.

The recent creation of the Energy Alliance of Southwestern Pennsylvania is intended to advance the energy-related economy of the Pittsburgh region by funding companies, coordinating projects, devising policies, and marketing the region's assets. While staff for the Energy Alliance will come primarily from the Allegheny Conference and Innovation Works, other partners of the effort include the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon, and various energy-related firms in the region. Specific sectors within both the traditional and alternative energy fields have been targeted by the Alliance, including the advancement of natural gas extraction, in part due to Pittsburgh's proximity to the Marcellus Shale – one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world. Read the full press release from the Allegheny Conference..

TBED People Eric Abelquist has been named executive vice president of Oak Ridge Associated Universities and deputy director of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education. Arn Boezaart, who has been interim executive director of the Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center the past six months, will take over the position permanently. Melanie Brandt has been hired as chief operating officer for the Technology Association of Georgia. President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Nicole Y. Lamb-Hale to serve as assistant secretary of commerce for manufacturing and services within the International Trade Administration. James Maher, provost and senior vice chancellor at the University of Pittsburgh, announced his intention to leave that position and return to the faculty at the beginning of the next academic year or as soon after that as his successor can be in place. Steve Martin has been named head of Mississippi State University’s Delta Research and Extension Center. Maine Gov. John Baldacci swore in Thaxter Trafton as the new acting commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development…