Search

Kenneth Alfred will become the first executive director for the new Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition.

Diane Duff is the new director for the National Governors' Association economic development and commerce committee. Duff formerly was executive director of the Alliance for Rail Competition.

Robin Schabes, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's special assistant for technology, has announced her resignation. Schabes staffed the Mayor's Council on Technology Advisors.

Mass Ecomm has changed its name to the New England Business & Technology Association to better reflect its regional nature and broader mission.

Publisher's Note Since 1999, SSTI has reviewed each of the governor's State of the States and inaugural and budget addresses for references involving tech-based economic development. Since 2001, we've provided relevant excerpts as part of the SSTI Weekly Digest. This year's coverage begins with this issue, and as you'll see, it's clear that innovation and workforce are playing a major role in this year's speeches.

Americans increasingly recognize the nation's status as the world's economic superpower is threatened, based on research findings released by the Business Roundtable last Thursday.

A new report from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) places North America at the top, in terms of participation in high-expectation entrepreneurial activity. The report looks at the prevalence of high-expectation activity internationally and analyzes bivariate relationships between high-expectation prevalence rates and entrepreneurial framework conditions.

The challenge for industry, academic leaders and policymakers in Massachusetts over the next few years is to translate the competitive strengths of the state's economy into new companies and new jobs, the ninth annual Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy indicates.

The new executive director of the Virginia Piedmont Technology Council is Gail Milligan.

Tucked in the fine print of Illinois' budget bills was language to merge seven financing agencies, according to the June 11 edition of The Bond Buyer. Among the agencies included in the merger are the Illinois Development Finance Authority, the Illinois Research Park Authority (inactive), the Illinois Community Development Authority and the Illinois Rural Bond Bank.

Capital for start-up and early-stage business ventures should become more plentiful in Vermont based on legislation, S. 178, passed in late May. A spokesperson for Governor Jim Douglas appraised the act's total impact as representing a $105 million investment into the state's economy.

On Tuesday, voters in Maine approved Governor John Baldacci's request to issue $60 million in bonds to finance several research infrastructure, economic development and housing related projects. Packaged and marketed as the Jobs Bond, the measure won easily with 60 percent of the vote in this special election. The tech-based economic development portion of the bond will be allocated as follows:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the selection of 97 loan and grant recipients in 24 states that will receive $20.1 million in rural business development funds. The loans and grants are expected to assist in creating or saving nearly 10,000 rural jobs and supports 772 business ventures as part of the Bush Administration's efforts to spur economic development in rural areas.

Following extensive public consultation, the French Ministry for Industry and Research has announced a revamped national strategy to boost support for research and development (R&D) activities in France. The plan, to be implemented in 2004, aims to make financial resources for innovative companies more accessible and to increase France’s appeal to the international R&D community.

Some of the key measures include:

In 2003, the nation's 20 top metropolitan areas will generate $4 trillion in output, or 36 percent of the national economy, according to a new report by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Conference’s Council for Investment in the New American City. However, overall employment growth this year is predicted to be 0.1 percent in those same metro areas, with nine experiencing either no job growth or continued employment contraction.

U.S. businesses spent $180.4 billion in non-federal funds for research and development in 2000, according to the National Science Foundation's (NSF) annual Survey of Industrial Research and Development. The figure reflects 13 percent growth over 1999 findings and the 47th consecutive year of increases. Federal funding for industrial R&D, however, fell to $19.1 billion in 2000, a 15 percent drop from 1999.

Meeting short-term budget demands are consuming more and more of state, local and academic tech-based economic development practitioners' time. However, keeping an eye on the long-range funding picture is critical for sustained success. One of the most important federal sources for supporting the research enterprise is the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) has begun a review of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) that will examine the program's mission and execution. MEP requested the independent analysis.

G. Michael Alder has been named executive director of the Biotechnology Association of Alabama.

Thomas Anderson is the new director of the Automation Alley Technology Center in Michigan.

G. Michael Alder has been named executive director of the Biotechnology Association of Alabama.

Thomas Anderson is the new director of the Automation Alley Technology Center in Michigan.

Colorado Governor Bill Owens has appointed Tim Fritz as the director of the Office of Aerospace and Aeronautics.

Hempstead (New York) Mayor James Garner was elected to serve as the 61st president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors during its annual meeting this week.

The Arlington Technology Incubator (Texas) has selected Geoffrey Grant to serve as the new director beginning July 1.

The Charleston Gazette reports Ron Hatfield, director of jobs development for the West Virginia University Institute of Technology's Technology Research and Development Corp., will also serve as the new executive director of the Upper Kanawha Economic Development Corp.