Don Gentry, vice provost for engagement at Purdue University, has announced his retirement.

The Indiana General Assembly recently passed legislation that would make permanent a 10 percent research and development (R&D) tax credit, if signed by Gov. Joe Kernan.

Cynthia Helphingstine is the new vice president for business development for Inproteo (formerly the Indiana Proteomics Consortium).

George Swift is the first executive director for the new Southwest Louisiana Partnership for Economic Development.

A $100 million initiative announced last week by the Lilly Endowment Inc. will help Indiana's colleges and universities attract and retain more faculty and students. The Lilly Endowment, a private philanthropic foundation based in Indianapolis, supports community, educational and religious causes.

BioCrossroads, the Central Indiana life sciences network, announced Chuck Schalliol is the organization's new chief executive officer and president.

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

To promote biotech in Baton Rouge, a new study sponsored by Capital Region Competitive Strategy (CapStrategy) recommends constructing an "idea pipeline" to better commercialize the intellectual property and research generated in the region's universities, hospitals and research institutes. CapStrategy, a nonprofit, cluster-based economic development initiative, operates under the Chamber of Greater Baton Rouge and represents nine parishes in the region.

TechPoint, Indiana's statewide technology council, has named Cameron Carter to serve as president and chief executive officer.

Congratulations to Del Schuh and his staff at the Indiana Business Modernization and Technology Corp. (BMT), honored as the Project of the Year in the Economic Development category from the National Association of Management and Technical Assistance Centers. The award, BMT's second in as many years from the group, was for a program entitled, "Moving from Distress to Commerce through Collaboration."

The first director for the new Indiana Venture Center will be Steve Beck.

Indiana Governor Joe Kernan has nominated Katherine Lyon Davis to serve as Lieutenant Governor. Among her past positions, Davis served as manager of Indiana's 21st Century Research and Technology Fund in 1999.

SSTI extends its sympathies to the family of Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon. During his interrupted term in office, Gov. O'Bannon proved to be a strong friend of tech-based economic development efforts in the state.

Within two years, Indiana's agency for promoting economic development will become a quasi public-private partnership similar in concept to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

While in Minnesota, an agreement that resolved the budget impasse gives the state's lead science and tech organization a 12-month timeline to fully privatize from the state's support.

Sylvia Goodman is leaving her position as director of technology and innovation at Louisiana Economic Development.

During a legislative season that was marked by heated discussions in most statehouses on what to cut or save, Indiana is one of a handful of states so far that focused considerable debate on planting the seeds for a stronger future through technology-based economic development.

Many organizations are wondering if, when and how severe their budgets could be impacted by the economy and the continuing fiscal crises in the states. While foundation endowments also have taken a hit by the stock market slump, several are increasing their contributions in building local or statewide technology-based economies. Two recent examples highlight the trend and point toward a funding path few TBED efforts have fully tapped.

Steve Bryant has been named the project director for the Bloomington Life Sciences Partnership in Indiana.

Karl Koehler is returning to the Indiana 21st Century Research and Technology Fund to serve as its director.

Most technology-based economic development programs recognize the need to have more people in their states or communities who have received bachelor degrees or higher. Bringing low-income populations into a knowledge-based economy is particularly difficult because of the two significant obstacles low-income students face for college access: insufficient financial aid and inadequate academic preparation.

Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon unveiled a plan earlier this week to "Energize Indiana" that relies heavily on tech-based economic development.  Gov.

The National Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (NCEC) presented on Tuesday the 2002 NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards to entrepreneurship centers at Babson College, Indiana University-Bloomington, and Saint Louis University.

Anthony Armstrong returns to the Indiana 21st Century Research and Technology Fund as its new director.

Dennis Lower of the Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana is the new leader of the Louisiana Economic Development Council.

John Hightower, executive director of the Baton Rouge Technology Council for the past seven months, has resigned to resume a career in public relations and lobbying. The Council has started a search for his replacement.