National recognition for your organization's achievements is priceless. Past recipients of SSTI's Excellence in TBED Award tell us the recognition has helped to generate positive publicity, raise funds, and attract the attention of key stakeholders and legislators. SSTI's 2011 awards program kicks off May 17 with an open call for applications.

Bob Crowley, president of the Massachusetts Technology Development Corp., will step down June 30. Crowley has held the position since 2002 and has been with the quasi-public agency since its beginning in 1978.

Mitch Adams, executive director of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative is resigning after leading the agency for nearly a decade.

Leasing the state's wholesale liquor distribution system to JobsOhio to provide a dedicated funding source of about $100 million annually for job creation is a key component to reforming Ohio's economic development efforts under Gov. John Kasich. The governor unveiled the plan last week as part of the 2012-13 biennial budget. The proposed budget also sets aside $33 million in the second year of the biennium to facilitate the transfer of economic development initiatives from the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) to the newly established nonprofit corporation.

The seventh installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Alabama, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. The first six installments are available in the Jan. 5, Jan. 12, Jan. 19, Jan.

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic announced the plans to form the "Akron Development Corporation Seed Fund" in his State of the City address on Tuesday. The fund, with backing from corporate sponsors, aims to attract biomedical companies to the region. Companies receiving investment would locate in the Akron Global Business Accelerator. Read the announcement...

Recent announcements of new and emerging technology incubators range from Google's selection of Cape Town, South Africa to launch a pilot incubator supporting technology entrepreneurs that it hopes to replicate globally to Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley's plan to create a statewide business incubator focusing on workforce training. Select announcements from across the globe are highlighted below.

Crafting a regional TBED strategy is a difficult proposition. First, you figure out where you are. You check the data, conduct surveys and talk to the right people. Then, you figure out where you need to go. You look at other regions, and, again, talk to the right people. Using that information, you try to chart a course from where you are to where you want to be. The path, however, is rarely a straight line.

Want to know more about the Obama Administration's innovation strategy? SSTI is pleased to welcome two key administration officials to this year's conference. Ginger Lew, Senior Counselor to the White House National Economic Council (NEC) and the Small Business Administration (SBA), and Brian McGowan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce and COO for the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), will discuss the administration's plans to support innovation.

Voters in more than 30 states will go to the polls to choose a governor later this year. For TBED professionals, gubernatorial elections can mean uncertainty. Will the next administration put economic development and technology on the agenda? Will the new governor support existing agencies and programs, or will he/she introduce new initiatives? What will happen to the budget for TBED programs?

What are the steps in building a successful regional alliance?

How can my region benefit from the Obama Administration's vision for innovation?

Where should I look for funding now with state budgets so tight?

Pennsylvania invites all SSTI conference attendees to a networking reception at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Tuesday, Sept. 14. Guests can immerse themselves in 17 distinct botanical experiences while exploring this thriving attraction that showcases advanced green-building practices, sustainable gardening and a new environmental awareness.

The way we interact with our colleagues has forever changed in the face of social networking, teleconferences, and email. But the need for personal, one-on-one interaction to ask questions, bounce ideas off one another, and share best practices is still very much alive.

The transition from finite energy sources such as fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is on. The U.S. government, European Union and China are directing billions into the development of renewable energies. Most states have adopted energy standards to encourage the change. Private investments in renewable energies also have surpassed investments in fossil fuel technologies. Economic opportunities and challenges for regions across the country abound as a result.

After this year's Big Reveal, Wednesday, Sept. 15 at lunch, join practitioners named as best practices in the field of tech-based economic development as they gather during a thought-provoking session to discuss only the most important issues for the TBED community — lessons learned, how to measure impact, and how to communicate success to sustain programs. SSTI is rolling out an entirely new format for the session this year designed to engage audience members through an intimate setting featuring an interview format led by Peggy Shults, President and CEO of Lytmos Group, LLC.

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.

Specialized and high-tech incubators provide crucial services and resources to promote and enhance Commercialization & Entrepreneurship, one of the six thematic tracks of this year's annual conference. Three sessions tied to this theme will be explored during SSTI's annual conference, focusing on direct lessons from successful and proven TBED programs, regional innovation clustering, and more. They include:

• Distributed, Non-University Models for Commercializing New Technologies

Ray Gilley resigned as chief executive of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission after nine years on the job. Gilley was responsible for helping lure the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute to Central Florida.

Peter Ginsberg joined the North Carolina Biotechnology Center as vice president of Business & Technology Development.

Lawmakers called into special session on Friday approved a $75 million incentive package for a Texas-based energy company to build five biofuel facilities in the state expected to generate 1,000 new jobs through a total $500 million investment. The package approved by lawmakers also includes $4 million for a workforce training fund through the state's institutions of higher education and up to $2 million for biomass research at Alcorn State University and Mississippi State University.

Kevin Carr was named CEO of Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp., after serving as interim leader since June 2009. KTEC is a public-private partnership charged with promoting tech-based economic development throughout the state.

Four organizations were named winners of SSTI's 2010 Excellence in TBED Award, serving as national models for states and regions investing in science, technology and innovation to grow and sustain their economies and create high-paying jobs.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the selection of 10 regional economic development and job creation efforts through a new pilot program, Innovative Economies, that supports small business participation in regional economic clusters. SBA's funding is designed to expand the opportunities and the role small businesses play in these regional collaborations. The awardees were selected from among 173 applicants. Awards went to organizations in: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio and South Carolina.

TechColumbus is seeking a director of Information Technology Commercialization responsible for the business development of TechColumbus client companies, including assessment, evaluation and organized assistance to Information Technology/Computer Science client companies, with emphasis on proactive advising and guidance resulting in company success and wealth creation.

Tom Thornton, president and CEO of the Kansas Bioscience Authority, submitted his letter of resignation to the board effective immediately. David Vranicar, president of the authority's Heartland BioVentures division, was named interim president and CEO.