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.
Iowa Group Offers Health Care to Self-employed Entrepreneurs
With the rapidly rising cost of health insurance, entrepreneurs frequently find themselves unable to pay their premium in the early stages of business ownership. Often, this means going without health insurance or abandoning plans to launch a new firm. The North Central Iowa Alliance (NCIA) has announced a new initiative to lower this barrier facing new business owners.
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.
Louisiana Injects $28.5M for TBED
The Louisiana Recovery Authority and the Louisiana Board of Regents recently unveiled a $28.5 million Research Commercialization and Educational Enhancement Program to stimulate economic development within the portions of the state severely impacted by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Funds for this program originate from the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) appropriated by the federal government.
People
The Northeast Iowa Business Accelerator named Brian Dalziel as its first regional director.
Iowa Governor Wants $50M for Advanced Manufacturing
On the heels of the release of two roadmaps calling for increased state support for advanced manufacturing and information technology (IT), Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack announced plans to spend $50 million "to attract leading scientists to Iowa and spark new research and product development," according to the Des Moines Register.
People
Gov.-elect Bobby Jindal has appointed Stephen Moret as secretary of the Louisiana Department of Economic Development. Moret will assume his new post on Jan. 14, leaving behind his duties as president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce.
Iowa Researcher Finds Limits to the Economic Impact of Ethanol
In recent years, Iowa, like many midwestern states, has experienced a boom in ethanol production. Iowa's natural competitive advantage in growing and processing corn has helped it to move to the forefront of the emerging biofuels industry. The state provides numerous incentives and assistance programs through its Department of Natural Resources to help spur the creation of ethanol-related companies and jobs.
Funds to Improve Existing Industries Prominent in Louisiana Budget
Gov. Bobby Jindal unveiled his fiscal year 2008-09 budget to the legislature last week, focusing heavily on improving the existing workforce and creating a business climate that encourages entrepreneurship.
Reports Examine Two States' Experience with Economic Incentives
Incentive packages to attract companies are nothing new in economic development. In recent years, though, incentives have been used to recruit technology companies, and these incentive packages are growing in scope and complexity, with some in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Two recent reports that take a close look at experiences in North Carolina and Iowa may be of interest to communities and states using incentive packages to recruit companies to their area.
North Carolina
People
Gov. Chet Culver has appointed Mike Tramontina as director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development.
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
Louisiana State University appointed Brooks Keel as its new vice chancellor for research and economic development.
People
Mary Lawyer is leaving the Iowa Department of Economic Development to be the president and CEO of Des Moines' Downtown Community Alliance, effective Sept. 14.
Iowa Students Head to West Lake Okoboji for Summer Entrepreneurship Studies
Summer classes, camps and special programs to stimulate and sustain K-12 students' interests in science and math will be found all across the country during the next few months. A less frequently occurring phenomenon will be taking place in the Great Lakes Region of Iowa, helping a select group of college students to combine entrepreneurship, rural economic development, and recreation.
People
Gov. Tom Vilsack announced that Mary Lawyer will serve as acting director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Mike Blouin resigned from the position last week to launch his campaign to become the state's next governor.
People
Pauli Jacobi, director of the Louisiana State University System Research and Technology Foundation, is resigning her position but will remain an LSU employee.
Louisiana Creates New Orleans Bioscience District
With hopes of creating a geographic concentration of academic and private bioscience research and commercialization, the Louisiana legislature ended its 2005 session with passage of a bill creating a new development authority.
Iowa Recommits $500M for Values Fund
After being struck down by the Iowa Supreme Court in 2004, the state legislature recently passed legislation re-creating a $500 million version of its Grow Iowa Values Fund. The bills commit $500 million over 10 years to support tech-based economic development and other economic development initiatives. Gov. Tom Vilsack signed the measures on June 10.
Louisiana Business & Technology Center Awarded for Sustained Success
Louisiana State University's Business and Technology Center (LBTC) recently received the National Business Incubation Association's (NBIA) 2005 Randall M. Whaley Incubator of the Year award, recognizing overall excellence in business incubation programs. The award is NBIA's most prestigious honor, presented as a tribute to NBIA's first chairman.
People
Vic Johnson, Director for Policy, Planning & Technology in the Louisiana Department of Economic Development (LDED), is taking the position as manager of the Technology Transfer Office of the Louisiana Business & Technology Center. Mark Galyean will be handling Vic’s responsibilities at LDED.
People
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco has appointed Michael Olivier to serve as Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development. Olivier was president and CEO of the Harrison County Development Commission in Gulfport, Miss., for 17 years.
Louisiana Tech Fund Gets $2.3M for Startups
Two years following its creation, the Louisiana Technology Fund has $2.3 million to help the early-stage technology companies for which it was intended, the Baton Rouge-based Advocate reported earlier this month. The fund stems from 2002 legislation that revived Louisiana's Certified Capital Companies (CAPCOs) program.
Website, Reports Stress Importance of States' Fuel Cell Incentives
While the federal government supports fuel cell research, nearly every state across the country has taken a more active role in advancing the development and commercialization of fuel cell and renewable energy technologies, according to two recent reports from the North Carolina State University Solar Center. A web-based directory of more than 875 state and federal initiatives managed by the center helps prove that point.