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.

SSTI Board member Phillip Singerman has been named as the Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services for the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He will assume this position on January 31.

Alabama Gov.-elect Robert Bentley named former house speaker Seth Hammett as the director of the Alabama Development Office.

Ann Arbor SPARK is seeking qualified applicants to become their next CEO. The CEO will be responsible for continuing the momentum and positioning SPARK as a key leader in economic development. The ideal candidate has demonstrated P&L experience, preferably as a CEO; can build and manage a high performance team; has outstanding communication skills; has a strong financial and fundraising skillset and experience base; is able to quickly and effectively develop strong partnerships and relationships.

Maine Governor Paul LePage named Phillip Congdon as the new commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. Cogndon is a licensed professional engineer who spent more than 20 years with Texas Instruments in Dallas. He replaces Acting Commissioner Thaxter Trafton.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced plans to direct $200 million in existing funds to establish 10 regional economic development councils to allocate funds and provide business assistance programs across the state. At the same time, the governor would consolidate programs supporting high-tech companies currently administered by the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) with the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) — a move he says will eliminate duplicative functions and save the state $1.9 million in the coming year.

With support from the Greater Cleveland Partnership, NorTech (the Northeast Ohio Technology Coalition) is accepting applications for the two positions below:

The fourth installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, and Vermont. The first three installments are available in the Jan. 5, Jan. 12 and Jan. 19 issues of the Digest.

Hosted by TechColumbus, SSTI's 15th Annual Conference will be held at the Hyatt on Capital Square in Columbus, Ohio on November 8-9, 2011. Past attendees know SSTI's conference is the premier event for sharing ideas on the best ways to encourage technology-based economic development and foster regional prosperity in a global economy. And 2011 will be no exception.

Facing massive government deficits and stagnant regional economies, many states are exploring new options for their economic development activities. Three states recently have taken steps towards eliminating their primary economic development agencies, and replacing them with public-private partnerships, intended to reduce state spending and improve the responsiveness of state efforts.

With no significant boost in funding for Michigan's economic development efforts proposed in the executive budget, Gov. Rick Snyder outlined steps to reform the way businesses are incentivized and modify the state's approach to job creation by better supporting local and regional initiatives as a means to transform the state's economy.

SSTI recently reported on two important bills passed by lawmakers in Michigan late last year and in New Jersey earlier this year that would provide incentives for taxpayers who invest in emerging technology companies. As an update to the Dec. 8, 2010 and Jan. 12, 2011 stories, both former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have taken action on the bills with opposing outcomes. Gov.

The Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance is seeking a new president who will play a leading role in developing strategy for modernizing Oklahoma's industrial base. The successful candidate will possess strong leadership skills, demonstrated administrative ability, entrepreneurial management skills, organizational awareness, political sensitivity, and the ability to establish rapport with numerous constituencies.

The Tennessee Biotechnology Association has changed their name to Life Science Tennessee.

Ann Arbor SPARK recently added Bill Mayer as director of their business accelerator team.

Michigan lawmakers last week passed a measure aimed at increasing access to capital for small businesses by allowing taxpayers to collect an income tax credit worth 25 percent of a qualified investment in emerging industries such as advanced manufacturing and life sciences. Under HB 5921, the investment must be at least $20,000 and certified by the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF). MSF can certify up to $9 million in credits in a single year with up to $250,000 for each business. Gov.

 JumpStart Inc. invites applications for the position of president, JumpStart Advisors. This is an exciting opportunity for a business leader who has significant experience in providing direct consulting services, as well as managing multiple consulting project teams, and would like to lead a nationally significant effort that has the promise to transform the way regions think about their innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems.