Southern Growth Seeks Nominations for 2008 Innovator Awards
Each year, Southern Growth Policies Board honors Southern initiatives that are improving the quality of life in the region through its Innovator Awards. The Awards are presented annually to one organization in each of Southern Growth’s member states Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Tech Talkin' Govs 2005, Part One
Most of the nation's governors use the winter months to publicly lay out their agendas, visions and budget requests for the coming year. The text of State of the State Addresses, Budget Messages and, to a lesser extent, Inaugural Addresses, often reveals each governor's legislative priorities and new initiatives to be pursued over the coming months.
People
Jim Petell is the first director of technology transfer and commercialization for the University of North Dakota.
North Dakota Gov. Includes $50M for Centers of Excellence in Budget Request
In an effort to increase the economic impact of the state's university-based research, Gov. John Hoeven has included $50 million in his 2005-07 budget request to create Centers of Excellence on each of the North Dakota 's college campuses.
Southern Region Progressing in TBED, But Lags in Private Investment
Southern states may have a justifiable reason to be proud of their progress in technology and innovation, but their leaders should be concerned with the lack of investment in venture capital and industrial research and development (R&D), suggests a report released last month by Southern Growth Policies Board and the Southern Technology Council (STC).
North Dakota TBED Efforts Receive $1.2M from EDA
Securing the multi-year funding needed to properly ramp up technology-based economic development (TBED) initiatives can be difficult in states with annual budget cycles and tight revenue streams. Fortunately, there is one federal agency that provides financial assistance increasingly toward local and regional projects matching the interests of the nation's TBED community.
People
Richard Baier has been appointed director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
People and Organizational News
Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns has appointed Richard Baier as the state's first rural development director. Baier will work closely with the new Nebraska Rural Development Commission.
People in TBED
The University of Nebraska Technology Park has named Steve Frayser as president.
Centers of Excellence, Tax Credits Key to ND Future, Gov Holds
North Dakota Governor John Hoeven dedicated the lion's share of his State of the State Address to promoting a vision of economic growth for the state based entirely on technology-based economic development. The proposals centered on more than a dozen new university-based Centers of Excellence and new tax credits.
Study Highlights Nebraska’s Position in S&T
Investments in science and technology (S&T) – from higher education to industry research and development (R&D) – are the decisive factors in creating a sustainable economic future, a new study finds.
North Dakota Legislature Clears Path for TBED
In the final week of its 2003 Legislative Session, the North Dakota State Legislature passed sweeping legislation that favors tech-based economic development in the state. The Greater North Dakota Association (GNDA), serving as the state's Chamber of Commerce, subsequently issued a summary of those bills targeted toward job growth. Some highlights of GNDA's summary are presented below:
People
The Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corp. has named Klaus Thiessen as its new president.
Southern Innovation Index Tracks Innovation, Entrepreneurship in South
The Southern Innovation Index, a strategic plan created with the governments of 13 Southern states and Puerto Rico to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth in the South, has been released by the Southern Growth Policies Board, a bipartisan public policy group based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
People
Dan Curran is the new director of the Business Development Division of the Nebraska Department of Development.
North Dakota Governor's Budget to Focus on 'Smart Growth'
To build the state’s economy and create opportunity, North Dakota Governor John Hoeven is launching Smart Growth, a host of programs linking education, job creation and career development to build the state’s economy and communities. The Governor announced his plan with release of the 2003-2005 executive budget.
Smart Growth includes funding for these initiatives:
People
Chuck Henderson has announced he will retire as president of the University of Nebraska's 130-acre Technology Park next June.
People
Carla Patterson is the new director of the Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
Landmark ARC Reauthorization Bill Sent to President for Approval
An historic, five-year reauthorization bill for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awaits only the President's signature after being approved Tuesday by Congress.
President Bush is expected to sign the legislation into law, making the reauthorization of ARC the longest in its history and only the second congressional reauthorization of the agency since the Carter Administration.
The reauthorization bill contains several key provisions:
South Takes on Digital Divide
In an economy driven increasingly by computer literacy and connectivity, leading the nation in the percentage of households not connected to the Internet is a distinction many in the South are working to eliminate. One South, Digitally Divided, the second annual TelecomSouth conference of the Southern Technology Council (STC), and its accompanying report Creating the CyberSouth are efforts in that direction.
STC Launches S&T Planning Initiative for South
The Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science is providing the Southern Technology Council (STC) $150,000 in matching funds over three years to help Southern states increase innovation-driven economic development. A major element of the initiative is annual benchmarking of each state's progress in agreed-upon categories, including: industrial composition, entrepreneurial development, globalization, and human resources.
People
The U.S. Small Business Administration has named Heath Copp as the Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Mr. Copp, 24, is a resident of Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Lincoln Charts TBED Strategy; Calls for Business Leadership
A wake-up call. That's what the final report of the Lincoln Technology Council said the city received after learning one of its top employers was expanding its operations in a nearby city instead of Lincoln because of perceived weaknesses in Lincoln's telecommunications infrastructure.
North Dakota Starts Phase I of Statewide Broadband Network
In an effort to provide quality, high-speed telecommunications services throughout the state, North Dakota has committed $3 million for the first phase of a broadband telecommunications network that is expected to cost the state $20 million when completed. When the first phase is finished later this year, 218 locations in 64 communities will be connected.
North Dakota S&T Starts Over
While many states are adding multi-million programs to their science and technology portfolio, state-led S&T efforts in much of the North Central United States are still suffering. The latest example was the elimination of North Dakota’s two largest programs this summer.