SSTI Digest

Ohio Gov.-elect Ted Strickland announced he will nominate Lieutenant Gov.-elect Lee Fisher to be the state's development director.

Art Garcia has resigned as director of the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund to accept a job with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in his home state of New Mexico.

Dr. Anthony Green has been appointed vice president of regional technology initiatives for Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has appointed Stephan Helgesen as director of the Office of Science and Technology at the state Economic Development Department.

South Dakota State University named Teresa McKnight as the first permanent director of the Innovation Campus at SDSU, the university's new research park.

The Northern Colorado Economic Development Corp. has named Larry Penley, president of Colorado State University, the recipient of its first Regional Economic Development Excellence Award.

The Association of University Research Parks named the Science Center in Philadelphia "Outstanding Research Park of the Year."

Gov. Jim Risch has appointed Nor Rae Spohn to his science and technology advisory council.

Gov. Haley Barbour has named Gray Swoope as the new executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority. Swoope replaces outgoing executive director Leland Speed, who will serve through the end of December.

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch announced he will nominate his deputy chief of staff and policy director, Michael Vlacich, to be the state's next director of economic development.

The University of South Dakota appointed Terry Young as the director of research and development, a newly created position.

Science Foundation Arizona (SFAz) has released its strategic investment plan for fiscal year 2006-07, which includes grants to support university research, new high-tech businesses, and K-12 STEM education. The investment strategy will guide SFAz’s grant award decisions during its first year of operations and represents a starting point for the organization, which hopes to develop the plan into a long-term strategy for economic development.   The state’s 21st Century Fund, an initiative established by the governor and state legislature during the last session, provides public funding for SFAz’s grant programs. An initial allocation of $35 million will support SFAz’s five cornerstone programs, including: $18 million for Strategic Research Groups, which seed partnerships between research institutions and the private sector; $5 million for Competitive Advantage Awards between $100,000 to $400,000 to support in-state R&D;