People
Gov. Bill Richardson has appointed his chief of staff, David Harris, to serve as executive director of the New Mexico Finance Authority.
New Mexico Gains TBED Tools
Increased funding for equity investments and a new university-industry R&D partnership program are among the pieces of legislation New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed this week, greatly expanding New Mexico's portfolio of programs to grow a tech-based economy. Most of the initiatives were included in the economic development agenda Gov. Richardson outlined during his first State of the State address in January. They are:
Brain Drain Update: States Look to Avoid Losing Their Minds
A technically-skilled workforce is one of the elements required for a tech-based economy, so the issue of stopping the brain drain is of critical importance to some regions and states. The choice for some states, it has been observed, is to turn into retirement homes or to retain their college graduates; in short, to avoid losing their minds. Maine, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are just a few of the states that have been looking at the issue.
New Mexico Adds Tax Credit, Loan Program to TBED Portfolio
Tech firms in New Mexico received happy tax news on April 4 as Gov. BIll Richardson signed several bills to encourage economic growth across New Mexico.
People
Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher appointed Denise Bentley to serve as liason to the Louisville Metro and Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government councils under the Governor’s Office for Local Development. The position is newly created.
People
Eric Davis, president of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corp, resigned last week.
People & TBED Organizations
Rick Homans announced that he will step down as executive director of the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, effective July 27.
People & TBED Organizations
The New Mexico SBIR Outreach Center exists again, following a year's hibernation.
People & TBED Organizations
The Northern Kentucky E-Zone has become a part of the Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corp. The E-Zone will operate as a program of Tri-ED, with Casey Barach, the former head of E-Zone, leading the program as vice president of entrepreneurship services for Tri-ED.
People
Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher named John Hindman, retired former vice president of strategic communications and public affairs for UPS Airlines, to run the state's Economic Development Cabinet.
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.
2007 Election Results: New Governors Promote TBED Strategies; Ballot Items Reveal Mixed Results
The 2007 state elections resulted in two newly elected governors, both promoting TBED strategies as a means to grow the states’ economies. In both cases, the new governorships reflect a change in party affiliation. A third gubernatorial race resulted in the re-election of Gov. Haley Barbour to a second term in Mississippi.
Kentucky
New Mexico Governor Proposes Education, Research and Energy Initiatives for 2007
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson recently announced a series of budget requests for the 2007 legislature intended to increase access to public universities and to support research and investment in emerging technologies. Together, the requests call for more than $120 million in state investment in higher education quality and affordability, supercomputing and stem cell research, and new energy initiatives.
Higher Education
People
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.
People
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has appointed Stephan Helgesen as director of the Office of Science and Technology at the state Economic Development Department.
People
Marvin Strong, Jr. announced he will resign as secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, effective Jan. 31.
New Mexico Gov. Wants $100M for Private Spaceport
Nearly 40,000 people in 120 countries have placed deposits with the British commercial space company for the opportunity to become tourists in space, according to Virgin Galactic. Last Tuesday, New Mexico's governor said he wants the state to spend $100 million over the next three years to help get them there.
People
Eric Griego was appointed assistant secretary of economic development for the New Mexico Economic Development Department.
New Mexico Governor Signs Budget Bills, Vetoes Capital Package
New Mexico’s 2008 legislative session wrapped up last week, resulting in no final action on several TBED-related bills and leading Gov. Bill Richardson to call a special legislative session to address his health care reform agenda.
New Mexico Legislature: Tax Credits, Energy Initiatives among Successes of 2007 Regular Session
With the close of its 2007 regular session, the New Mexico State Legislature wrapped up "one of the most productive sessions in state history." Those were the words of Gov. Bill Richardson, following the legislature's adjournment last month. The governor had outlined a number of economic development and energy initiatives in his 2007 State of the State Address that he hoped would be brought to bear (see the Jan. 15, 2007 issue of the Digest).
Patents, Graduates Key to Fighting Kentucky's Persistent Poverty?
It’s no secret that research and education are important to a state’s economy, but for many poorer states, they may be even more vital than previously believed. A few recent studies suggest that increasing the number of patents and the education level of residents in a state could be a valuable first step in overcoming persistent poverty.
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.
People
Thomas Bowles was named science advisor to New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, succeeding a number of fellow Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists serving the governor.
People
Sigfried Hecker, the director of Los Alamos National Laboratory, announced that he is stepping aside in order to participate more closely in scientific collaboration between US and Russian researchers. Hecker has headed Los Alamos since 1986.
ConnectKentucky Unveils Maps to Identify Gaps in Broadband Service
Moving forward with the governor's statewide broadband initiative, the ConnectKentucky Steering Committee and Gov. Ernie Fletcher recently unveiled Phase I Maps to illustrate service gaps and to serve as an economic development resource for communities.