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U.S. manufacturing competitiveness will continue to decline, according to the 2010 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index (GMCI). Index projections suggest, by 2015, Brazil will have overtaken the U.S. for fourth in the global rankings behind China, India and the Republic of Korea. The report concludes the increasing talent pools worldwide, coupled with higher U.S. wages, have placed U.S. manufacturing at a disadvantage in the global markets. However, the U.S.

On June 11, Gov. Donald L. Carcieri signed the Job Creation Guaranty Program. Sponsored by House Finance Chairman Steven M. Costantino and Senate Finance Chairman Daniel Da Ponte, the legislation establishes a $125 million dollar loan-guarantee program for the knowledge and technology-based sectors. Under this program, the state will not directly issue any loans. Instead, it will provide state backing to facilitate private loans. The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) will administer the program.

Based on change in Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP), four of the nation's top 100 metro areas are beginning to rebound sharply, moving from the worst impacted by the Great Recession to some of the fastest growing for the most recent quarter: Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA; Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH; Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, FL; and Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ. These upbeat conclusions, drawn from Brookings' latest quarterly MetroMonitor, are coupled with troubling signs for many metro areas across the country.

A $3 million grant from the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan recently was awarded to a group of four business accelerators working together to support area entrepreneurs and grow Michigan's knowledge-based economy. The grant will support efforts of the newly formed Business Accelerator of Southeast Michigan, which includes Ann Arbor SPARK, Automation Alley, Macomb-OU INCubator, and TechTown.

A job creation program to replace New York's Empire Zone Program, often criticized by Gov. David Paterson for its lack of results and soaring cost, was approved this week by lawmakers. The Excelsior Program carries a much smaller price tag than its predecessor and limits the focus to seven industry sectors seen as having high job growth potential. Funding for the program is capped at $50 million per year for a total $250 million when fully implemented. Annual Empire Zone expenditures exceeded $550 million, according to the governor's office.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev plans to spur Russia's economic modernization through the Skolkovo innovation center. Currently in the planning stage, the research hub will be at the heart of Russia's modernization strategy. Energy, IT, telecommunications, biotechnology and nuclear technology are the five "presidential" research priorities at Skolkovo. On his current American visit, President Medvedev will attempt to attract talent and private investment from Silicon Valley. Cisco already has committed to a partnership with Skolkovo.

Job Corner

The Board of Directors of the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC) seeks a Chief Executive Officer to lead the organization. The CEO is responsible for executing the agency's mission, including strategic development and cultivation of the region's innovation infrastructure. A minimum of a bachelor's degree plus ten or more year's employment in technology-based economic development with at least two years in a supervisory capacity is required.

Holli Baumunk, vice president of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, has been named president and CEO of the Colorado BioScience Association.

Several bills from the 2008 legislative session were signed into law by Gov. Ed Rendell during the past two weeks, including the fiscal year 2008-09 budget, providing enhancements to K-12 programs encouraging science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and a measure to significantly expand the Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) tax incentive program.
 

Though the state of Florida has aggressively pursued research investment over the past few years, particularly in the life science, a new report finds the state is still struggling to build a sufficient pool of highly-skilled workers for its high-tech companies. The study, which was conducted at the behest of 19 local economic development organizations, finds the state has not yet made a complete transition from an agriculture- and real estate-based economy to one built on high-tech industry and innovation.

Do high-growth, tech entrepreneurs require different mentoring and educational assistance than other entrepreneurs? The Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) on successful models, metric and programming for high-growth entrepreneurial mentoring and education. Responses will be used to shape future initiatives at SBA and other federal agencies. Comments must be received by July 12. The RFI and a presentation on the request are available at: http://www.ssti.org/rfi.htm

A group of prominent American businessman recently issued five recommendations on how the federal government should address the nations need for energy innovation. The American Energy Innovation Council, which includes Bill Gates from Microsoft, Jeff Immelt from General Electric, Ursela Burns from Xerox, Norm Augustine formerly with Lockheed Martin, John Doerr from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and Tim Solso from Cummins Inc., proposes a national oversight board for energy technology policy and billions in funding for energy research, commercialization and pilot projects.

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter recently signed legislation to fund initiatives around the state preparing workers for the clean energy economy. The Green Jobs Colorado Program bill, originally proposed last year by Gov. Ritter, was included in a package of sixteen clean energy related bills passed state legislature in May. Gov. Ritter believes that this package of bills will position Colorado as "a national leader in New Energy Economy."

A new Georgia center features a variety of resources to assist life science entrepreneurs. The Georgia Bioscience Commercialization Center, funded by Georgia Bio and the Georgia Research Alliance, offers incubation space, counseling for experienced bioscience executives, entrepreneur education, and connection to TBED organizations around the state. Read more ...

Citing further damage to the state's reputation as a place to do business, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, vetoed SB 2401, a measure to suspend Hawaii's high-tech tax credit, which provides a 100 percent refundable tax credit for investments in qualified high-tech businesses. Lt. Gov.

In support of President Obama's Educate to Innovate campaign, NASA launched a new STEM education initiative on June 10. NASA's Summer of Innovation provides thousands of middle school teachers and students the opportunity to participate in evidence-based summer learning programs in the math and sciences. These multi-week math and science-based pilot programs will occur through the summer at locations across the country.

After failing twice in the U.S. House of Representatives, the reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act passed with a 262-150 vote .

Florida's FY11 budget, signed into law last month by Gov. Charlie Crist, replenishes the Innovation Incentive Fund with $75 million. The recruitment fund was immediately tapped by lawmakers for $50 million toward enticing Maine's Jackson Laboratory to open a branch in Collier County, leaving $25 million for other major R&D projects and create high wage jobs throughout Florida. The state has promised the Jackson Lab project an additional $80 million over the next three years if developed.

Four bond issues totaling $108.3 million appear headed for passage by voters following the primary election yesterday. Two of those measures are aimed at job creation efforts through capital investments, funding for R&D, and renewable energy measures. The Associated Press has projected the $23.75 million economic development bond as winning with a narrow lead of 51-49. The energy bond is passing with 59 percent of the vote.

JDG Associates, Executive Search Consultants, has been retained by the suburban Maryland-based National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to recruit two key leaders:

• The Director for Innovation and Industry Services will focus on technology transfer and commercialization along with the fostering of public/private partnerships and joint ventures; and,

Subra Suresh, dean of engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to be the next director of the National Science Foundation.

Eric Cromwell, president and CEO, and Dan Schmisseur, vice president of operations and strategy, have resigned from the Tennessee Technology Development Corporation.

Coming together for a special one-day session last week, the South Carolina Legislature voted to override a line-item veto issued by Gov. Mark Sanford concerning the funding of the state’s Endowed Chairs program, now called the S.C. Centers for Economic Excellence. The override raises the budget allocation for the program from $20 million to $30 million, which surpasses the original multi-year cap of $200 million set for the Endowed Chairs/Centers of Economic Excellence program, when enacted in 2002.

Arizona legislators approved the fiscal year 2009 budget last week, providing funds for proposals aimed at stimulating the state’s economy through investments in higher education infrastructure and increasing R&D activity.
 
Proceeds from an expansion of the state’s lottery will finance $1 billion in bonding for construction projects across the state’s three universities, including $470 million for completion of the Phoenix biomedical campus and upgrades to several buildings.

The Louisiana State Legislature recently approved several bills as part of a comprehensive package designed to revamp the state’s workforce development programs to focus on job training in emerging industries to ensure these fields have a highly qualified labor pool in the coming years.