Research Park Round Up
The following overview is a synopsis of select recent announcements from research parks across the nation, including groundbreakings and development plans to support vibrant regional economies based on science, technology and innovation.
TBED People and Organizations
Lonnie Emard has been named interim director of the Consortium for Enterprise Systems Management, a recently formed collaboration of business, academic and economic development organizations intended to build information technology (IT) opportunities in South Carolina.
TBED People and Organizations
Kathy Collins has been appointed as the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network (WEN) regional director in Madison. Previously, Collins worked as the technology and financial development manager in the Commerce Division of Business Development.
Ron Cox has been appointed as the assistant dean for economic development in the engineering college at Iowa State University. He retains his current position as director of CIRAS, the Center for Industrial Research and Service.
Illinois Governor's Jobs Plan includes Angel Tax Credits, R&D Matching Funds
Providing access to startup capital, promoting biotechnology, and investing in the green economy to create and grow jobs are among the priorities of Gov. Pat Quinn's Illinois Economic Recovery Plan presented during a speech in December. The governor's plan would establish an Angel Investment Tax Credit program to allow investors making an early-stage investment in a technology startup to receive a capped credit against their Illinois tax bill.
Illinois Stepping up TBED, Broadband Efforts with Flurry of New Legislation
Gov. Pat Quinn recently signed into law a six-year, $31 billion Jobs Now plan and smaller capital bill supporting science and technology research and commercialization and broadband deployment. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will administer several of the grants.
TBED People and Orgs
Mark Lytle has been named the University System of Georgia's new vice chancellor for economic development.
Frederick Cartwright has been appointed the executive director of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research.
Southwestern Universities Reorganizing Their Economic Development, Technology Transfer Activities
Two universities, the University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM) and the University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), are expanding or restructuring their economic development operations to improve commercialization of technology stemming from faculty research and the coordination and business development in their communities.
Iowa Lawmakers Commit Funds for Job Creation, Renewable Energy
Iowa legislators adjourned the 2009 session last week after voting in favor of Gov. Chet Culver's multi-million dollar I-JOBS initiative, providing $35 million for broadband access and alternative energy projects. The compromise plan approved by lawmakers allocates $715 million for investments in infrastructure, jobs, the environment, and flood relief through the issuance of bonds paid for with gaming revenue and existing tax revenues, according to the governor's office.
Tech Talkin' Govs, Part III
Exciting Opportunities Available on SSTI’s Job Corner
Did your New Year's resolutions involve making a career change? If so and you've yet to fulfill that resolution, visit the SSTI Job Corner at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.
In addition to the new opportunities described below, the SSTI Job Corner has openings for these positions:
People
Mike Blouin has stepped down as director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development to become president of the Greater Dubuque Development Corp..
Illinois Boosts TBED Strategy with New Entrepreneurship Initiatives
With rumors of recession building, several of the nation’s governors are announcing new TBED-focused initiatives in 2008 – many of which will be presented to lawmakers for funding in the coming months. In Illinois, Gov. Rod Blagojevich unveiled two new initiatives encouraging entrepreneurship to grow high-technology businesses throughout the state.
People
John McIver is serving as interim vice president for research and economic development at the University of New Mexico while the school searches for a permanent replacement to Terry Yates, who passed away in December.
People & TBED Organizations
Lisa Porter was named the first director of the new Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity. Porter, NASA's associate administrator of the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, said she will leave the agency in February.
SSTI Job Corner
Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.
People & TBED Organizations
The New Mexico SBIR Outreach Center exists again, following a year's hibernation.
Iowa Approves $100M to Fund Renewable Energy Research and Adoption
The 2007 Iowa state legislative session has looked very favorably on TBED. One of the centerpieces of Iowa Gov. Chet Culver’s campaign last year was his pledge to "develop the next-generation energy ecomony in Iowa" through a $100 million state fund (see the Feb. 19, 2007 issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest). The Iowa Power Fund was approved by the state’s General Assembly late last month and closely resembles Gov. Culver’s original plan.
People
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson appointed Fred Mondragon as the director of the state's economic development department. Mondragon had been economic development director for the city of Albuquerque.
People
Gov. Chet Culver has appointed Mike Tramontina as director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development.
People
Rick Homans will step down as secretary of the New Mexico Economic Development Department to become executive director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, effective May 1.
TBED People
Curtis Brown announced that he will resign as executive director of the Mason City Economic Development Corp., effective July 11, to become the economic development coordinator for the City of Ankeny, Iowa.
People
Gary Carter is stepping down as the executive director of the Tax Increment Financing Commission in Kansas City to become a senior vice president of Davenport One, a regional economic development agency in Davenport, Iowa.
People
Randy Weiss will serve as an entrepreneur-in-residence within the University of Iowa Research Foundation.
People & TBED Organizations
Rick Homans announced that he will step down as executive director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, effective July 27.