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Gov. Martin O'Malley has appointed Clarence Bishop to serve as interim secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, replacing Aris Melissaratos.
Gov. Martin O'Malley has appointed Clarence Bishop to serve as interim secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, replacing Aris Melissaratos.
Gov. Jim Douglas plans to merge the Vermont Departments of Economic Development and Housing and Community Affairs.
Four recipients selected as best practice models in technology-based economic development were honored during an awards ceremony last week in Cleveland during SSTI's 12th Annual Conference. The awards follow a national competition emphasizing impact and replicability in approaches to building and sustaining tech-based economies.
Technology-focused incubators are an important component to fostering entrepreneurial development in a region by nurturing businesses in the earliest stages of development and helping them grow into larger companies that employ high-wage workers and bring new technologies to the market. The following select announcements provide an overview of new incubators from across the nation, illustrating the vital role of entrepreneurial development in growing high-tech regional economies.
Wes Blakeslee is the new acting director of the Office of Licensing and Technology Development at Johns Hopkins University. Blakeslee replaces Jill Sorensen, who resigned last month.
Ray Dizon is the new managing director of the Maryland Venture Fund, replacing Elizabeth Good.
SSTI is pleased to announce that Mr. Kevin Plank, chairman and chief executive officer of Under Armour Inc., will be a keynote speaker at SSTI's 11th Annual Conference on Oct. 18-19 in Baltimore.
National Governors Association
Gov. Martin O’Malley announced this week a proposal to build Maryland's reputation as a global leader in biosciences with a $1.1 billion investment.
The Aerospace, Manufacturing and Information Technology (AMIT) Cluster of Southern Arizona has consolidated its operations with the Arizona Technology Council.
Offering customized workspace such as wet laboratories and specialized research equipment is one of the many benefits provided by technology-focused incubators. Access to university research, business mentoring and administrative support services often accompany the reduced rent facilities with the goal of growing technology companies into successful, self-sustaining enterprises. Following are select announcements of recently launched incubators and partnerships from across the nation.
John Austin is the newly appointed executive director of the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan.
Tom Cech announced he will return to the University of Colorado at Boulder next year to pursue laboratory research and teaching after eight years as president of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development appointed Christine Plater as its new director of small business programs.
The State of Maryland has created a new Small Business Programs unit as part of the Governor's Office of Business Advocacy and Small Business Assistance.
The Beaver County (Pa.) CO-OP announced it will change its name to StartingGate. The incubator will continue to assist entrepreneurs and new business start-ups and help expand existing businesses.
Joe Dedman was chosen as the first executive director of the Southeast Indiana WIRED.
Brian DuBoff was named the director of Maryland's southern region Small Business Development Center, which is hosted by the College of Southern Maryland.
Aaron Greenfield will serve as the new director of the Anne Arundel County Economic Development Corp. in Maryland.
Roger Kilmer was appointed director of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Kilmer served as acting director since Kevin Carr's departure last June.
Bill Badger announced he will resign as president and CEO of the Anne Arundel County Economic Development Corp. to take an executive position with M&T Bank.
Toucan Capital announced the appointment of Dr. Phillip Singerman as a new Venture Partner.
One of the continuing challenges for TBED organizations is successfully documenting how their investments and activities influence the economic landscape of their states and regions. SSTI has selected a few recent state reports as examples of impact assessment, each identifying and utilizing certain measurements to help them tell their story. Their approaches may be of interest to other TBED organizations looking to gauge and share their impact with others.
Phillip Singerman resigned as executive director of the Maryland Technology Development Corp.. Renee Winsky will serve as interim executive director until a permanent replacement is named.
The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development appointed Benjamin Wu as the assistant secretary for the Capital Region and senior advisor for technology policy.
Funding for several TBED-focused initiatives aimed at increasing the state’s biotech portfolio is prominent in Gov. Martin O’Malley’s fiscal year 2009 budget proposal. Under the recommendation, stem cell research, biotechnology and nanotechnology are targeted for investments to grow the state’s economy, building on the actions of the 2007 legislative session (see the April 16, 2007 issue of the Digest).
The Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland, College Park named Dan Goodman as its first technology commercialization fellow.