SSTI Digest

On the evening of Oct. 31, SSTI's conference participants will be treated to a fun-filled evening of dinner, drinks, art, culture and entertainment thanks to the overwhelming generosity of the conference's 22 local hosts.The event will be held at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, a stunning 100 percent non-publicly funded cultural art museum and research center. Whether you're unwinding after one of the intensive SSTI pre-conference workshops or just arriving in Oklahoma City, the Opening Reception affords a wonderful, relaxed environment to reconnect with colleagues and network with other conference attendees, speakers and our local hosts. Festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. Shuttle transportation will be provided between the conference hotel and the museum beginning at 6:00 pm.

SSTI's is very excited to be holding its 10th Annual Conference in Oklahoma City, Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2006. The event has become the premier professional development experience for the tech-based economic development community, the only event to bring together representatives from every aspect of transforming state, regional and local economies through science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. One of the most respected elements of the conference each year is the series of 20-24 intimate breakout sessions that allow participants to explore the more important issues of tech-based economic development with their peers from around the country. The conversations are educational and advanced, stimulating new approaches and ideas to take home to your local or state TBED efforts. The full agenda will be released soon, but SSTI is pleased to give regular Digest readers the first peek at just some of the topics to be included at this year's conference:

As the authors of the recent Swedish report, The Internationalization of Corporate R&D, pointed out, industrial R&D may increasingly be found concentrated around public and private research institutions with strong research capabilities related to the specific corporation's interests. As companies become increasing global in their structure, so, too, will the location of the research expertise that they draw on. State investments to strengthen university R&D capacity and expertise, then, could be a logical approach for regions to remain or become significant players for the knowledge economy. Fortunately, that's a fundamental approach for many state TBED strategies.

SSTI, a growing nonprofit organization serving the nation's tech-based economic development (TBED) community, seeks a policy analyst to research and prepare reports, articles and papers on TBED and assist with SSTI events. Excellent research abilities, strong writing and verbal skills and solid understanding of government are required. Candidates must have ability to work independently or as part of a committed team and be dedicated to creating a quality product. Those with a passion for economic development and/or government will have an edge. Salary commensurate with experience. Position located in Westerville, OH. Send cover letter, resume, and list of references to: SSTI, Human Resources; 5015 Pine Creek Dr., Westerville, OH 43081 http://www.ssti.org or via e-mail to hr@ssti.org.

This week's Funding Supplement will be sent on Thursday, June 29. With the Fourth of July holiday, neither the SSTI Weekly Digest or Funding Supplement will be published next week.

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.