SSTI Digest

Complete descriptions of the position openings described below are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

120 Other Metro Areas included in Analysis for Northeast Ohio

A study of the Northeast Ohio economy provides a different way of analyzing and tracking the impact of economic development initiatives by mathematically analyzing economic data and determining there are eight key factors of regional economic growth. Dashboard Indicators for the Northeast Ohio Economy, released by the Fund for Our Economic Future, establishes statistical correlations between economic growth in jobs, output, worker productivity and per capita income, and the eight key factors (skilled workforce, urban assimilation, racial inclusion, legacy of place, income equality, locational amenities, business dynamics, and urbanization/metro structure).

The study demonstrates that when regional economies chart strong growth, they tend to score well in most or many of the eight categories, and when regional economies chart weak growth, they tend to score poorly in the eight categories.

Team NEO appointed Thomas Waltermire as CEO of the organization, a private sector-led economic development organization that helps to grow companies in Northeast Ohio.

The Ohio Business Alliance for Higher Education and the Economy named Reginald Wilkinson to serve as its executive director.

The Wright Center of Innovation for Advanced Data Management and Analysis changed its name to daytaOhio and named Paul Cashen as its new president.

Ted Ford, former president and CEO of the Edison Welding Institute, recently was named president and CEO of TECHColumbus.

Steven Weathers is the new president and CEO of the Regional Growth Partnership in Toledo, Ohio.

For more information on the positions below, visit SSTI's online Job Corner at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

Following defeat at the polls two years ago, Ohio's state legislature has agreed nearly unanimously to again have voters decide on whether or not the state can issue bonds in support of the final component of Gov. Bob Taft's tech-based economic development strategy -- Ohio's Third Frontier Initiative.

SSTI is proud to announce the addition of two new staff members to its team. Sheri Stickely will join SSTI on Aug. 15 as a Vice President. Sheri is leaving the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Technology (OCAST) to join SSTI. She has served most recently as Interim Executive Director and has been with OCAST since its inception in 1987.

Sheri has established a track record as one of the nation's most creative and effective leaders in the tech-based economic development community. We're excited that she'll be joining the team. Sheri's experience, respect from her peers, energy, and creativity will allow SSTI to broaden and deepen the services which will have an impact across the country.

Ed Morrison, formerly with the Weatherhead School of Management in Cleveland, opened the Institute for Open Source Economic Development. He will continue to maintain the EDPro weblog.

A ballot initiative designed to bolster the Ohio economy and create jobs by continuing the state’s public works infrastructure program and supporting the commercialization of science and technology-based research was announced last week by Gov. Bob Taft and other legislative leaders. The initiative, to appear on the Nov. 8 ballot, is a second attempt to pass funding for part of the state’s Third Frontier Project, which failed in its first go-round in 2003 (see the Nov. 7, 2003 issue of the Digest).

If approved, the ballot initiative would provide operating dollars to bolster the Third Frontier Project, prepare job-ready sites for industrial development, and renew the public works bond fund, including: