TBED People
SSTI board members Rob Atkinson and Rebecca Bagley and SSTI member Stephen Tang were appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce Innovation Advisory Board. The 15-member board will guide a study of U.S. economic competitiveness and innovation to help inform national policies.

Much of the recent economic recovery plans coming from governors across the country have focused on growing and nurturing existing businesses through a regional approach to economic development. The idea is that by identifying and defining the unique needs of a region, policymakers and practitioners can then provide the necessary tools and resources to grow industries likely to succeed within a given region, thus improving the overall economic landscape of the state. This approach is happening both in states and at the local level.

Michigan state agencies in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and several private industries and organizations will offer economic development incentives, startup capital, and support services valued around $3 billion to help grow Michigan-based small businesses in emerging industry sectors. The Pure Michigan Business Connect initiative matches people with resources and strengthens relationships to fuel economic growth, according to a press release.

James Weyhenmeyer has been named the vice president for Research and Economic Development at Georgia State University.

Maine Gov. Paul LePage has nominated George Gervais, the acting commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development as commissioner. His nomination must be reviewed by the Joint Standing Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development and confirmed by the Senate.

Whether you are new to the tech-based economic development (TBED) field or a seasoned practitioner, SSTI's podcast interviews with experts in all areas of TBED serves as a useful learning tool. These short and "to the point" interviews delve into questions such as:

Job Corner

The 2012-13 biennial budget signed into law last month by Gov. John Kasich authorizes the state to transfer the liquor distribution system to JobsOhio, a private nonprofit partnership created to assume the business-incentive and job-creating functions of the Ohio Department of Development. With the transfer, the state expects to generate $1.2 billion in a lump-sum payment, with $500 million deposited into the general fund in FY12 and $700 million used to pay off outstanding bonds supported by liquor profits, according to an analysis by the Ohio Legislative Service Commission.

Pamela Goldberg has been appointed as the executive director of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. Currently, Goldberg serves as director of entrepreneurial leadership at Tufts University.

As state and federal funding for higher education dwindles and the workforce needs of the new economy continue to shift, state and university officials are reevaluating how higher education is funded, its return on investment for the state, and how universities can better drive economic growth. Recent examples in New York, Ohio and Texas demonstrate how states are implementing new policies to adapt to the changing times.

The U.S. Department of Treasury has released details on its latest funding approvals from the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). Eleven states, and Washington, D.C., are slated to receive a portion of the $360 million that will be used to expand state small business lending and capital programs. In order to qualify, states must demonstrate that their relevant programs will generate at least $10 in new private lending for every $1 in federal funding.

E. William (Bill) Colglazier, recently retired executive officer of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council, has been selected the Science and Technology Advisor to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) recently announced the recipients of $25 million in awards from Michigan's 21st Century Jobs Fund. Each of the eight organizations receiving the awards will use the funding to support Michigan entrepreneurs and technology commercialization. The largest single allotment, $10.8 million, will benefit Ann Arbor SPARK, which plans to replenish its Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund with the award. Other recipient organizations will be offering capital and business assistance around the state.

The Kiva City program will extend small business access to microloans in U.S. cities facing the greatest small business stress. Kiva, a nonprofit organization, offers personal microlending services. Building upon Kiva's Internet-based lending model, the goal of the Kiva City program is to spur job growth and economic recovery through microfinance by building connections between Kiva's global network of 592,000 individual lenders and small business owners across the country.

Michigan's InvestMichigan! Mezzanine Fund is slated to become the Small Business Administration's (SBA) first licensed Impact Investment Fund through the agency's new Impact Investment Initiative. The SBA initiative, which is part of the White House's Startup America initiative, uses the existing infrastructure of the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program to encourage small business growth. Participating funds must make place-based investments in small businesses in underserved areas, or investments in the clean energy and education sectors.

JobsOhio, the private, nonprofit corporation authorized to replace Ohio's economic development system, would administer state funded programs and services that have a direct, high-impact on job creation such as business loans, infrastructure grants and deal-closing funds, according to a report to the Ohio General Assembly. At the same time, a newly named Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA) would focus on programs with a more indirect impact on job creation, including federally funded programs and services geared toward communities and individuals.

SSTI is pleased to announce that John Fernandez, Assistant Secretary for Economic Development at the U.S. Department of Commerce, will participate in a plenary session on the changing role of the federal government in TBED at this year's Annual Conference. SSTI's Annual Conference is the only economic development conference this fall with the senior leaders of the Economic Development Administration (EDA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) speaking.

SSTI is thrilled to announce that Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee will be the Keynote Speaker. Dr. Gee has held more university presidencies than any other American. He is the co-author of eight books and the author of numerous papers and articles on law and education. He is both an insightful and entertaining speaker that you won't want to miss.

This year's opening reception will be unlike any other. COSI is designed to enlighten, entertain, and amaze you. Attendees will experience science, technology and innovation at work through more than 300 interactive exhibitions and more than 100,000 square feet of exhibit space, including the country's only high-wire unicycle. One of the newest exhibits is the Labs in Life, a state-of-the-art laboratory where researchers from The Ohio State University conduct studies on physical activity, nutrition, and body composition using cutting-edge equipment.

No longer limited to a niche group of practitioners, promoting growth through innovation and technology has achieved widespread acceptance as the key to our economic prosperity. You'll find it in blog posts and opinion pages from across the political spectrum, and in virtually every corporate or civic dialogue today on revitalizing America's economy.

SSTI's Annual Conference is the only economic development conference this fall with the senior leaders of the Economic Development Administration (EDA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) speaking. John Fernandez of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Sean Greene of SBA and Phillip Singerman of NIST will kick off an important dialogue among all conference attendees on how we communicate the value of investments in innovation, encourage collaboration, and adapt to changing economic and fiscal conditions.

This year's conference will kick off with an Opening Reception hosted by TechColumbus at COSI. Attendees can experience science, technology and innovation at work through more than 300 interactive exhibitions and more than 100,000 square feet of exhibit space while reconnecting with colleagues and networking with conference attendees, speakers and our local host over drinks and hors d'oeuvres. The reception will begin Monday, Nov. 7 at 6:30 PM.

Beyond the numerous breakout sessions and insightful plenary sessions, SSTI's 15th Annual Conference offers attendeesseveral activities that other conferences typically don't offer including networking with other practitioners at some of the city's finest restaurants (Dine A-Rounds), maintaining your normal exercise regimen (a morning 5k run/walk) and sharpening your mind (morning Hatha Yoga).

This year's SSTI Annual Conference will provide attendees with many opportunities to explore the issues that drive technology-based economic development. When planning your conference experience, make sure to check out our breakout sessions, which will allow participants to focus on the topics that interest them.

Featured topics at this year's conference include:

As an SSTI conference sponsor, you have the chance to showcase your organization with the decision makers responsible for crafting and implementing local and state-level policies and programs that directly contribute to the nation's competitiveness. Today's marketplace is about belonging and staying connected. No other event brings together so many of the nation's top players in the TBED community.