SSTI Digest

This issue of the Digest unveils a new format and look for the Digest. Shorter but containing more material at the same time, we think this new format will permit you to get the most important news of the week for the TBED community in a format that works best for you. We consider literally hundreds of items each week for the Digest, so we’re particularly excited to introduce the Staff Picks section that will provide you with links to stories, videos, blog posts, etc. that we think you should be aware of. Let us know what you think by e-mailing us at digest@ssti.org.

NorTech, the Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition, seeks applications for a Vice President of Strategic Outreach. Reporting to the president and CEO, and serving as an integral member of the senior management team, the VP of Strategic Outreach will be responsible for the development of NorTech’s overall communication strategy and building relationships with key stakeholders. The VP of Strategic Outreach will be responsible for the development, integration, and implementation of a broad range of marketing communications and public relations activities relative to the strategic direction and positioning of the organization and its leadership.

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Capturing national attention for initiating successful programs to sustain the nation’s position as a global leader for innovation and competitiveness, six organizations were named recipients of SSTI’s 2009 Excellence in TBED Award. The third annual awards follow a nationwide competition recognizing outstanding achievements in tech-based economic development (TBED) emphasizing impact, strategic value and replicability.

“The impressive stories behind each of these six initiatives illustrate how strategic TBED investments work to promote regional growth through science and innovation,” said Dan Berglund, SSTI President and CEO. “These organizations serve as best practice models in the field for their demonstrated leadership and meaningful impact to state and regional economies.”

Recipients were honored today during a ceremony at SSTI’s 13th Annual Conference in Overland Park, KS, attended by top economic development professionals from across the nation. The following initiatives were selected to receive the Excellence in TBED Award for 2009:

Halfway through its money and its first decade, Ohio's Third Frontier Initiative has helped generate a $6.6 billion impact for the state, according to an independent assessment released by the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) on Tuesday. The report also credits the initiative's investments for creating 41,300 jobs within Ohio over the past five years.

Making an Impact: Assessing the Benefits of Ohio's Investment in Technology-Based Economic Development Programsprovides a supporting backdrop as Gov. Ted Strickland and the state legislature consider whether or not to place a possible extension of the Third Frontier Initiative on the May 2010 ballot. A large component of the Third Frontier's funding comes from a $500 million bond package Ohio voters passed four years ago.

President Obama has named Ron Bloom as the administration's senior counselor for manufacturing policy. Since, February, Bloom has been a senior adviser to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and he sits on the president's automotive industry task force.

Detroit Renaissance and the Michigan Business Leadership Council are uniting to form a new organization called Business Leaders for Michigan. The new organization supports the Michigan Turnaround Plan.

The U.S. Senate confirmed John Fernandez as assistant secretary of commerce for economic development. A former Mayor of Bloomington, IN, Fernadez will oversee the Economic Development Administration.

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

The Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC) has a full time opportunity for a Manager Request for Help Program. EMTEC is a non-profit, collaborative R&D organization located in Dayton, Ohio helping accelerate technologies to market and specializing in advanced technologies. The primary responsibilities of this position include providing technical assistance to EMTEC members, developing member value, and other EMTEC program support. Requirements include an undergraduate degree in Engineering or Materials Science; a minimum of five years experience in industrial product development and manufacturing with strong preference to experience in instruments, controls, and electronics and/or advanced energy industrial products experience; technical sales support experience is a plus.

Funding for higher education initiatives fell victim to Ohio's budget woes as legislators worked to fill a projected $3.2 billion deficit. The enacted budget signed into law earlier this month by Gov. Ted Strickland cuts spending by $2.5 billion and leverages $5 billion in federal stimulus funds, according to the governor's office.

Earlier this year, Gov. Strickland asked lawmakers to continue for a third year the tuition freeze at all public universities. Funding for this request was not included in the final budget, and as a result, universities and colleges are allowed to raise tuition by 3.5 percent each of the next two years. Two schools, Ohio State University and Cuyahoga Community College, announced they would maintain level tuition for the upcoming year despite the cuts.

Rebecca Bagley, who left her position as deputy secretary for the Technology Investment Office within the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, was appointed president-elect of NorTech. Bagley will succeed Dorothy Baunach, the founding staff director of NorTech, as president and chief executive officer. Baunach will become president emeritus, serving as an adviser until December 2010. John Sider has been appointed to succeed Bagley. Prior to his appointment, Sider served as the director of venture investment for DCED.

Steve Crawford is leaving Brookings to take a new job as vice president for policy and research at CFED -- the Corporation for Enterprise Development in Washington, DC.

The lazy days of summer may be the most challenging time to keep students and teachers motivated and engaged in academics. Fortunately, several programs across the country have risen to the challenge. And, with the Obama Administration's pledge to make math and science education a national priority, now may be an opportune time for collaboration among federal and state agencies, private foundations, and industry to reverse the U.S. decline in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Can you afford to miss out on valuable publicity for your organization's outstanding accomplishments, particularly as legislators look for places to cut spending?

SSTI's Excellence in TBED Award can help you build recognition for your organization and gain support to continue your critical tech-based economic development efforts.

Every group working toward building a tech-based economy has a story tell, and we want to hear yours. There is still time to apply for the most prestigious recognition in the TBED field. Simply submit a five-page narrative describing your organization's most successful efforts by the June 16 deadline.

Your application will be evaluated by a committee of distinguished policymakers and practitioners serving as judges. Winners will be recognized during a highly-anticipated ceremony at SSTI's annual conference Oct. 22-23 in Overland Park, KS.

More information about the awards is available at: www.sstiawards.org.

SSTI is hosting an informal phone call on Wednesday, May 13 at 2:00 PM EDT to answer your questions about the 2009 Excellence in TBED Awards.

Who should join the call? 

Anyone considering submitting an application for the 2009 awards cycle or anyone who wants to learn more about the program will find the call useful.

What should I expect?
SSTI will present a brief overview of the program, including its mission and philosophy, followed by ample Q&A time to answer any questions regarding the application process, the entry guidelines and the evaluation criteria. We will also share some helpful hints provided by past judges.

The role of a technology incubator or accelerator for supporting nascent firms generally is regarded with the utmost importance by the tech-based economic development community. Tech incubators provide essential resources for startup companies to develop and commercialize new technologies, leading to the creation of high-quality jobs.

With estimates suggesting there could be as many as 5,000 incubators of all shapes and sizes worldwide, finding the latest and best practices for tech business incubation could be a challenge. Fortunately, award programs, such as the currently open SSTI's 3rd Annual Excellence in TBED Award, can help call attention to some of the most successful approaches.