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Diane Wirth is new executive director of the Valley Economic Development Corp., a public-private organization for the San Jacinto Valley.

Arizona

Gov. Janet Napolitano, State of the State Address, Jan. 12, 2004

Kristin Jones recently was hired as senior manager for life sciences under the Indy Partnership, an economic development organization for the Indianapolis region.

Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher has named Derrick Ramsey as deputy secretary of the Commerce Cabinet.

Kristin Jones recently was hired as senior manager for life sciences under the Indy Partnership, an economic development organization for the Indianapolis region.

Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher has named Derrick Ramsey as deputy secretary of the Commerce Cabinet.

Dr. Catherine Renault is the new program manager for the Center for Technology Applications at RTI International, Inc.

Leland Speed has been named the new executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority.

Janice St. Onge has resigned from the Vermont Department of Economic Development to pursue career opportunities at the University of Vermont. St. Onge, whose resignation is effective Jan. 30, served for four years as the state's technology business development director.

Ann Quinn was recently named managing director of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Venture Capital Fund.

The beginning of 2004 finds many folks in the tech-based economic development community making career changes:

Deborah Fleischaker has been appointed deputy secretary for the New Mexico Department of Economic Development.

Deborah Fleischaker has been appointed deputy secretary for the New Mexico Department of Economic Development.

The Greater Baltimore Alliance, now renamed as the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, has appointed David Gillece as chief executive officer and Christian Johansson as managing director.

Maryland's Department of Business and Economic Development has reorganized into three geographically defined divisions. Robert Hannon has been named to run the regional program.

During its annual meeting in December, members of the National League of Cities have elected Charlie Lyons, a selectman for Arlington, MA, to serve a one-year term as president.

The Acting Director for the Idaho Department of Commerce is Roger Madsen. Madsen also is serving as director of the state Department of Labor.

Joe May, president of Colorado's community college system, announced his retirement, effective in February.

The Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance has appointed Tony Moon as its new president.

Robert Olsen, the director of the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority, will become the head of the Economic Development Administration's regional office in Denver.

Robert Pozen, secretary of economic development for Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, announced his resignation, effective at the end of 2003.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has named Sandy Ring to the new position of vice president for economic development policy.

Kelvin Simmons is the new director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, replacing Joe Driskell who held the position for 10 years. Simmons had been serving as chairman of the state's Public Service Commission.

Leroy Williams has been named as the new technology secretary for the state of Colorado. Williams, previously the state's chief information officer, will manage the Governor's Office of Innovation and Technology.

Much of the U.S. policy debate regarding the impact of globalization has focused on workforce preparedness and the need for American industry to sustain innovation. Bills before Congress urge increased spending on R&D, especially in the physical sciences and engineering. Much of the data that has helped fuel the competitiveness discussion has focused on indices and statistical reports presenting the U.S. in comparison to other nations. 

Marketing tech-based economic development (TBED) programs can be challenging, particularly with the diverse nature of its target audiences of entrepreneurs, existing companies, financial sources, university researchers and, oftentimes, legislators. Sometimes, even the name of the program can cause misconceptions, particularly when a new initiative is outside the traditional services or roles offered by the TBED organization. A recent example of this comes from South Carolina.

Summer classes, camps and special programs to stimulate and sustain K-12 students' interests in science and math will be found all across the country during the next few months. A less frequently occurring phenomenon will be taking place in the Great Lakes Region of Iowa, helping a select group of college students to combine entrepreneurship, rural economic development, and recreation.