The Indiana Health Industry Forum announced James "Mike" Brooks accepted the position of president and CEO effective July 11.

Randy Goldsmith resigned his position as president and CEO of the San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative (SATAI) Network to become assistant vice president of tech transfer and economic development at the University of Texas at San Antonio. SATAI is currently accepting applications to fill the vacancy (see item below).

Jeff Moseley will replace Jim Kollaer as president and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership.

Purdue University professor Jerry Woodall was chosen to lead the university's Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship.

The San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative (SATAI) Network, a nonprofit organization, is accepting applications from qualified candidates to fill the position of President and CEO. The SATAI Network seeks someone with strong leadership and team-building skills, as well as experience in linking venture capital to venture creation and cultivating an environment and resources for start-up enterprises.

SSTI's annual conference is already considered by many to be the nation's premier educational and networking experience for the tech-based economic development community. However, the ninth annual conference to be held October 20-21, 2005 - keeping with years past - gives certified economic development professionals even more reason to attend.

After being struck down by the Iowa Supreme Court in 2004, the state legislature recently passed legislation re-creating a $500 million version of its Grow Iowa Values Fund. The bills commit $500 million over 10 years to support tech-based economic development and other economic development initiatives. Gov. Tom Vilsack signed the measures on June 10.

The Texas Legislature recently approved $100 million of the original $300 million requested by Gov. Rick Perry for the Emerging Technologies Fund (ETF). Another $100 million is expected to be available from the state's rainy day fund if revenues exceed forecasts.

Catering to high-tech companies built on innovation, the nonprofit regional collaboration dubbed SPARK, hopes to transform Ann Arbor, Mich., into more of an entrepreneurial hub and triple the number of technology jobs within five years.

While the U.S. wrests its way to remain the global leader in nanotechnology (see the May 30 issue of the Digest), some states and regions are wasting no time to secure their own world-class cluster in the field.

California leads the world in biotech research today and likely will continue to dominate in the years to come according to The Dynamics of California's Biotechnology Industry, a new report from the Public Policy Institute of California. The report concludes that California retains a sharp biotech edge, despite reports of firms leaving the state or establishing plants elsewhere.

A study suggests policies enacted in 1999 to encourage cooperative research, establish tech transfer structures and provide venture capital contributed to a dramatic shift in the biotech topography in France.

As rural America undergoes economic restructuring and communities strive to make the transition from traditional to knowledge-based economies, nurturing innovation is an important strategy that is helping rural areas create an environment for business growth and job creation.

Last week, Kevin Carr, the director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, announced that he would be leaving his position and NIST effective June 30. Kevin has led the program since 1994, and under his leadership, MEP became the exemplary federal program for working in partnership with the states.

The Illinois Technology Development Alliance (ITDA) is looking for a Venture Development Director for its Chicago office. Duties include management/operations consulting; client’s screening/selection; coordination entrepreneurship mentoring; consulting/technical assistance; technical review of commercial potential of technologies. Qualified applicants must posses an MBA/B.S. in Engineering with at least five years of experience in the fields of business development/consulting.

MdBio, Inc., a nonprofit organization servicing Maryland's bioscience industry, announced it will be renamed the MdBio Foundation under restructuring and expansion efforts. The 501(c)3 organization will be overseen by a new 501(c)6 nonprofit membership trade association, MdBio, Inc.

MdBio, Inc., a nonprofit organization servicing Maryland's bioscience industry, announced it will be renamed the MdBio Foundation under restructuring and expansion efforts. The 501(c)3 organization will be overseen by a new 501(c)6 nonprofit membership trade association, MdBio, Inc.

Elyse Golob is the new director of the University of Arizona Office of Economic and Policy Analysis. Beginning July 1, Leslie Tolbert will be the university's vice president for research, graduate studies and economic development, replacing Richard Powell upon his June 30 retirement.

John Hanak is the new director of the Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana.

President Bush has nominated Dr. William Jeffrey as director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The nomination is subject to Senate confirmation.

Bob Shriver recently resigned as director of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development. Tim Rubald, the commission's director of business development, has been named interim director.

Yesterday proved a big day for supporters of stem cell research as measures advanced in both Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Massachusetts law described in the May 16 issue of the Digest became law immediately after the state Senate voted 35-2 and the House voted 112-42 to override Gov. Mitt Romney's veto.

The Administration's proposal to replace 18 federal programs targeting different elements of community and economic development with a single, smaller program called the Strengthening America's Communities Initiative (SACI) received another blow last week (see the Feb. 14 issue of the Digest for more information on SACI).

New York's lead agency for promoting tech-based economic development (TBED) in the state soon will have a new name, if not a complete makeover. Under enacted budget legislation, the New York Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR) will become the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation by Jan. 1, 2006.

Louisiana State University's Business and Technology Center (LBTC) recently received the National Business Incubation Association's (NBIA) 2005 Randall M. Whaley Incubator of the Year award, recognizing overall excellence in business incubation programs. The award is NBIA's most prestigious honor, presented as a tribute to NBIA's first chairman.