People & TBED Organizations
Arizona Technology Enterprises, the organization responsible for overseeing licensing and commercialization activities at Arizona State University, has selected Augustine Cheng as its new managing director.
People & TBED Organizations
Gov. Rick Perry appointed Bill Morrow as the new chairman of the Texas Emerging Technology Advisory Committee. Morrow replaces David Spencer, who remains a member on the committee.
Election Preview: States Consider TBED-Related Ballot Measures
Voters in four states will consider several TBED-related measures at the polls next week, including a $3 billion cancer research proposal, state funding for stem cell research, and an R&D bond proposal to spark job creation in emerging technology sectors.
Texas
Four States Reject Spending Restrictions; Tax Limitation Approved in Arizona
Five states voted on measures that would have the effect of limiting the growth of government expenditures or taxes. Four states rejected the measures, while Arizona narrowly approved its measure.
Science Foundation Arizona Releases Investment Strategy
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.
Maine Ponders Mega Investments for R&D, Tech
$190 million? $200 million? $250 million? Each of these figures has been advanced in Maine to support three different approaches toward tech-based economic development. The bottom line for the 2007 legislative session is Maine’s elected leaders - from the governor and the state assembly - believe a sizable injection of public funding is required to accelerate research and technology commercialization in the Pine Tree State.
Job Corner: University of Arizona Seeks Regional Economist
The University of Arizona's Office of Economic and Policy Analysis seeks a highly qualified and motivated individual to conduct and advance a nationally recognized applied research program in regional economics. Focus areas include regional economic integration, cross border trade and linkages, economic impact analyses, and evaluation of economic development policies.
People
Peggy Schaffer left Maine's Office of Innovation to become chief of staff of the Maine Senate Majority Office.
People & TBED Organizations
Steven Zylstra is the new president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council.
$50M Tech Fund Makes Cut for Maine Bond Package
A $295 million three-part bond referendum package passed by the Maine State Legislature last week includes a number of components central to the state’s TBED strategy, including funds to support continued development of the state’s research enterprise, expanded broadband access and increased rural/economic development financing.
Blueprint Recommends New Approach to Cluster Strategy for Tucson Region
While the Tucson area is growing rapidly, surpassing one million residents last fall, regional economic development officials are concerned about personal income levels keeping pace with the growth. They argue that a highly-skilled and educated workforce within existing and emerging clusters is imperative to raise per capita personal income and to improve the region’s economic growth along with its burgeoning population.
People
Donna Kent resigned as president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council to accept a position with Televerde, a marketing service solutions provider based in Tempe.
People
The Greater Phoenix Economic Council has named Robert Hooley as vice president of emerging technology.
TBED People
George Dycio was hired as an economic development specialist for the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council.
TBED People
Nicole Witherbee has joined the Maine Center of Economic Policy as a federal budget analyst and communications coordinator.
Arizona Approves $35M Tech Fund; Strong Public Support for S&T
Making the single largest TBED related investment in its history, the Arizona legislature approved and Gov. Janet Napolitano signed the state's FY 2006-07 budget, which includes $35 million for the new Arizona 21st Century Competitive Initiative Fund. HB 2477 is the successor in concept to the Innovation Arizona fund proposed by Gov.
Maine Issues Guide for the Creative Economy
Maine Gov. Mark Baldacci has unveiled a new handbook intended to help communities to capitalize upon their cultural resources to spur economic growth. Maine's Creative Economy Community Handbook: Maine State Government Resources for Communities offers advice for community leaders interested in building a creative and dynamic workforce. The guidelines it gives for designing a strategic plan could benefit communities across the country interested in similar initiatives.
Maine Continues $41M Laptop Program
It caught the attention of quite a few people when it was first proposed in early 2001, but Maine's investment in 2002 to provide every seventh and eighth grader with a new laptop - approximately 32,000 students and 4,000 teachers - continues to provide a useful example of the size and type of commitment and risk that elected leaders have to be willing to make to transform the outlook for a state or regional economy. It took strong leadership and determination from then-Gov.
People
Science Foundation Arizona, a new nonprofit organization, has named Bill Harris as its director.
People
The Greater Phoenix Economic Council recently hired Jim Hudson as vice president of strategy.
People
Marie Wesselhoft was appointed interim director for the Arizona Center for Innovation, replacing Jim Fountain who is retiring this month.
Job Corner: Maine Department Seeks Director for Office of Innovation
The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development is seeking a qualified, energetic, collaborative person to serve as director of its Office of Innovation. The Office of Innovation seeks to advance Maine's economic well-being and to expand employment opportunities by encouraging and coordinating the state's R&D activities and fostering collaboration among its higher educational and nonprofit research institutions and the business community.
People
Dr. Janet Yancey-Wrona left her post as director of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development's Office of Innovation to join a new University of New England biotech start-up.
Measuring Creativity in Phoenix
While the Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) has the recipe for a creative economy - people in creative occupations, industries with a creative workforce, and an environment that supports creativity - it falls short of the national average in more than 75 percent of all creative occupational categories, a new study by the Maricopa Partnership for Arts and Culture (MPAC) finds.
Maine to Increase R&D Activity to $1B by 2010
A plan to increase Maine's R&D activity to $1 billion by 2010 was revealed last week by the Department of Economic and Community Development's (DECD) Office of Innovation and the Maine Science and Technology Council (MSTAC). The level of R&D activity in Maine currently stands at $430 million.