SSTI Digest

SSTI's ninth annual Tech Talkin' Govs series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from governors' state of the state, budget and inaugural addresses. The first installment of the series includes excerpts from New York and North Dakota.

New York Gov. David Paterson, State-of-the-State Address, Jan. 7, 2009 "We should also understand that our current Empire Zone program does not work and we need to reform it. ....  That's why we set an aggressive target to have Empire Zone participants produce 20 dollars of benefits for every dollar of state money. With the savings generated by reforming Empire Zones, we will make strategic investments in the job-creating industries of tomorrow, such as biotechnology and manufacturing, and we will offer R&D tax credits to foster innovation. .

Aiming to close a $1.7 billion budget shortfall in the current fiscal year and address a projected $13.7 billion deficit in FY10, New York Gov. David Paterson yesterday unveiled a deficit reduction plan as part of his FY 2009-10 executive budget request. The combined executive budget and deficit reduction plan propose consolidating the state's three economic development agencies and redirecting funds to support a new grant and loan program for targeted investments in select industries.

Gov. Jim Douglas plans to merge the Vermont Departments of Economic Development and Housing and Community Affairs.

Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

Tony Armstrong, Indiana University executive director for engagement, has been chosen as the Indiana University Research and Technology Corporations new president and CEO. Jeff Costantine will retire this fiscal year as president of the Nashville Technology Council. The board of directors has begun the search for a new president. Joseph G. Danek stepped down as executive director of the EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation. He will continue work at the foundation as its senior advisor and will also remain senior vice president of the Implementation Group, a Washington consulting firm. James B. Hoehn, a senior associate at the foundation, became its executive director. 

A complete description of this opportunity and others is available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

High Tech Rochester (HTR), a nonprofit economic development organization focused on the Greater Rochester, N.Y., technology and high growth business sector, is seeking someone to serve as its president and CEO. This position will report to an active and engaged Board of Directors and be responsible for the overall performance of HTR and its programs, among other responsibilities. An undergraduate degree (technical degree preferred) and an MBA or other relevant graduate training or experience is required. Candidates also should have 10 years of business experience and managerial responsibility in a fast-paced entrepreneurial setting.

President Bush announced he will nominate Assistant Secretary of Commerce Sandy Baruah to serve as the administrator of the Small Business Administration.

The Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce has created the Economic Development Partnership to help businesses relocate to or expand in the county.

Barbara Fleisner has been hired as executive director of Centergy, the Central Wisconsin Alliance for Economic Development.

Dr. Lee Herron has joined the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) as vice president of commercialization. Herron previously was general manager, Biosciences, for the Advanced Technology Development Center.

Linden Rhoads was named vice provost of the University of Washington's TechTransfer department. Rhoads replace Jim Severson, who left to join a start-up company.

New York City officials recently announced the launch of a $2 million seed fund to boost entrepreneurship and the local venture capital market. NYC Seed will provide up to $200,000 for seed-stage New York-based businesses and will offer mentoring and other support for client companies. The initiative is a partnership between several city and state organizations, including the Industrial Technology Assistance Corporation (ITAC), the New York City Investment Fund, the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR), the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and PolyTechnic University.  

The Aerospace, Manufacturing and Information Technology (AMIT) Cluster of Southern Arizona has consolidated its operations with the Arizona Technology Council.

Automation Alley was one of 19 organizations chosen to receive 'E' and 'E-Star' Awards, given by the president to recognize American export excellence. The nonprofit Automation Alley, an SSTI affiliate, supports Southeast Michigan's economy through a collaborative culture that focuses on workforce and business development.

Raymar Dizon has resigned from the Maryland Venture Fund to become director of technology transfer at Mitre Corp.

Jim Hayes, the president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, passed away on June 6 after a long illness. Hayes was considered one of the state's top experts on economic development.

Although the U.S. broadband infrastructure has expanded rapidly over the past decade, 45 percent of rural areas still lack access to high-speed Internet services. A recent issue brief from the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices provides a number of strategies that have proven effective in expanding broadband access, particularly in underserved rural areas.   The brief highlights a number of state efforts that have been successful in expanding and improving service in recent years. These include the California Broadband Initiative, ConnectKentucky, Maine's ConnectME Authority and the New York State Council for Universal Broadband. Together, these profiles offer an overview of how states are approaching the digital divide.   NGA also presents a number of specific strategies that can be implemented in states with high-speed Internet gaps to create a comprehensive broadband access initiative. For example, the report provides a guide to 14 state tax credit programs that have been used to increase demand for broadband services or to encourage the development of new broadband infrastructure.  

Earlier this month, the governors of Oregon and New York both outlined changes to the structure of their states’ lead economic development organizations.   Before Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed Executive Order 08-11 to reorganize the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD), it consisted of three components: The Business and Trade Development Division, which performs business recruitment and efforts to engage small business and provides international trade and regulatory assistance; The Innovation and Economic Strategies Division, which primarily develops and administers programs to promote innovation, sustainability, and clusters within the state; and, The Community Development Division, which assists public infrastructure projects, such as building portable water and wastewater systems, in addition to administering Oregon’s Community Development Block Grants.

Dr. Michel Bitritto was named director of the new business incubator being run by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.

Dr. Peter Reczek was appointed executive director of the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology.

Don Siegel, president of the Technology Transfer Society, will be dean of the School of Business at the University of Albany, SUNY, beginning in fall 2008.

Michael Skaggs, former president and CEO of Next Generation Economy Inc., was named executive director of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development.

Paul Wetenhall stepped down as executive director of High Tech Rochester (HTR) to become president of the Ben Craig Center in Charlotte. David Hessler, an HTR entrepreneur-in-residence, was appointed interim president in Wetenhall's stead.