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SSTI Digest
Geography: Washington
People & TBED Organizations
Steve Bazinet has been hired as executive director of the Maine Center for Enterprise Development.
Rahindra Bose is Ohio University's new vice president for research and creative activity and dean of the graduate college.
David Fouts was selected as the next president and chief executive of MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network. Fouts replaces Fatima Weathers, who served for a year as acting president.
Denichiro Otsuga was named the first director of technology transfer at South Dakota State University.
Harris Pastides was selected to replace Andrew Sorensen as University of South Carolina system president. Sorenson retired after six years at the helm.
People & TBED Organizations
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.
People & TBED Organizations
Lori Broyles was appointed coordinator of the Women's Business Center in Oklahoma City.
Recent Research: Measuring the Effectiveness of State R&D Tax Credits
Two weeks ago, Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter vetoed legislation to repeal state R&D income tax credits for Idaho companies. Among his reasons for the veto, Gov. Otter claimed removing the credits would put Idaho at a competitive disadvantage because surrounding states over similar incentives. Was he right?
People & TBED Organizations
Egils Milbergs was appointed director of Washington's newly formed Economic Development Commission.
Five Zones Share $4.3M to Promote and Develop Regional Economies in Washington
Washington State is attempting to replicate the success of North Carolina’s Research Triangle in promoting regionalism and industry clusters through a new Innovation Partnership Zones initiative.
Gov. Christine Gregoire announced last week the designation of 11 Innovation Partnership Zones throughout the state -- five of which were also awarded state grants totaling $4.3 million allocated in the fiscal year 2007-09 capital budget (see the April 30, 2007 issue of the Digest).
Private Funding Gives Washington Life Sciences Discovery Fund Early Boost
With the first round of state funding not expected until April 2008, private foundations have stepped in to provide a jumpstart for the Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF). Last week, six Washington-based research teams were awarded more than $4.5 million in private funding to support projects that improve health care quality and capitalize on economic development opportunities within the state.
Created in 2005, LSDF is a state agency that operates like a foundation, authorized to use $350 million in tobacco settlement funds over a 10-year period to support life science research (see the May 16, 2005 issue of the Digest). When leveraged with federal sources and private investment, the fund’s total impact is expected to exceed $1 billion.
People & TBED Organizations
Graham Evans has joined Washington Technology Center as director of research and program operations.
TBED People
John Gardner will be vice president for economic development and extension at Washington State University, effective July 1. Gardner has been the vice president for research and economic development at the University of Missouri system.
People
Anna Ehnmark was appointed executive director of the Technology Alliance Group for Northwest Washington.
People
Tiffany McVeety stepped down from her post as director of the Northwest Women's Business Center to become a business banker for Shoreline Bank. Rebecca Villareal replaces McVeety.
People
WSA (formerly the Washington Software Alliance) announced that Kathy Wilcox will step down as the organization's president and CEO at the end of 2006. Wilcox intends to work with for-profit and nonprofit businesses as an advisor on operations, business development, board structuring and fundraising.