Tech Talkin' Govs, Part VI
The sixth installment of the Tech Talkin' Govs series includes highlights from state of the state addresses from governors in Tennessee and West Virginia.
Tennessee
Gov. Phil Bredesen, State of the State Address, Feb. 9, 2009
TBED People and Organizations
Lonnie Emard has been named interim director of the Consortium for Enterprise Systems Management, a recently formed collaboration of business, academic and economic development organizations intended to build information technology (IT) opportunities in South Carolina.
Nominations Are Now Open For Southern Growth's Innovator Awards
Each year, Southern Growth Policies Board honors Southern initiatives that are improving economic opportunities and quality of life in the region. The 2010 Innovator Awards will be chosen from creative initiatives in the region that aim to help communities recover from the recession. Innovator Awards are presented annually to one organization in each of Southern Growth's 13 member states, and winners are recognized at Southern Growth's Annual Conference. The deadline for nominations is Nov 6.
TBED People and Organizations
The Piedmont Triad Research Park laid off Bill Dean, director of the park, and Nancy Johnson, marketing director. Park officials said that the park's project manager and executive assistant also were laid off.
TBED People and Orgs
Mark Lytle has been named the University System of Georgia's new vice chancellor for economic development.
Frederick Cartwright has been appointed the executive director of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research.
TBED People and Orgs
Chris Coburn, the founding executive director of Cleveland Clinic Innovations, is leaving at the end of May to join Boston-based Partners Healthcare, the largest healthcare system in Massachusetts.
Mary Jo White has been confirmed by the Senate as the new head of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
TBED People and Orgs
Bill Kirkland will head the new Office of Economic Engagement that will begin operations July 1 at the University of South Carolina. The new entity will facilitate business development statewide, and work through USC&'s seven regional campuses.
John Carey, a former state representative, was appointed by Gov. John Kasich as the chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents.
Listen to SSTI's Interview with Dave McNamara of SCLaunch
SC Centers Program Sees Job Creation, Leverage in 5-Year Results
People
New Carolina, South Carolina's Council on Competitiveness, has formed the South Carolina Engineering Cluster. Lee Stogner will lead the cluster and its steering committee, which represents government, economic develoment, academia, engineering companies and professional societies aiming to promote engineering in South Carolina.
West Virginia Governor Proposes $80M for University R&D, Workforce Training
Using one-time lottery surplus funds available for fiscal year 2008, Gov. Joe Manchin wants to invest $80 million in world-class research and specialized job training to propel the state toward a knowledge-based economy. The proposal was unveiled to lawmakers during Gov. Manchin’s State-of-the-State Address last week in conjunction with the fiscal year 2009 budget recommendation.
Delta Regional Authority Aims to Increase Competitiveness
Region Looks to Broadband Access and IT Usage
The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) lacks the access, awareness and affordability of broadband Internet service – a direct bearing on the region’s ability to participate successfully in the national and global economies, a new report from DRA and the Southern Growth Policies Board finds.
Metros in South and West Top Milken's Cities Index
Drawing on its high-tech cluster, Provo, Utah garnered the highest score in the 2008 Best-Performing Cities Index released today by the Milken Institute and Greenstreet Real Estate Partners.
The rebounding technology sector boosted several newcomers to the top 10 in the annual ranking of where America's jobs are being created and sustained. Metros that are highly dependent on resource extraction and export-intensive industries also showed success.
Incubator RoundUp: Encouraging Entrepreneurship and Supporting Tech Commercialization
Technology-focused incubators are an important component to fostering entrepreneurial development in a region by nurturing businesses in the earliest stages of development and helping them grow into larger companies that employ high-wage workers and bring new technologies to the market. The following select announcements provide an overview of new incubators from across the nation, illustrating the vital role of entrepreneurial development in growing high-tech regional economies.
2008 Excellence In TBED Winners Honored For Achievement In Building Tech-Based Economies
Four recipients selected as best practice models in technology-based economic development were honored during an awards ceremony last week in Cleveland during SSTI's 12th Annual Conference. The awards follow a national competition emphasizing impact and replicability in approaches to building and sustaining tech-based economies.
Southern Growth Launches Two New Online Tools
Southern Growth Policies Board recently announced the launch of two new, searchable web-based tools and the redesign of its website.
South Carolina Governor, Legislature Spar Over State’s Investment
Capturing an overwhelming majority of the votes needed to override Gov. Mark Sanford’s veto, the South Carolina Legislature prevailed last week in its efforts to position the state as a leader in hydrogen technology.
People & TBED Organizations
The Putnam County Development Authority (W.Va.) has appointed Heather Lewis as its new economic development project director.
People & TBED Organizations
Jay Moskowitz was named the first president of Health Sciences South Carolina.
State Budgets Target Investments in Workforce, Higher Education
As governors around the country begin their newest terms, their proposed budgets are beginning to take shape. Although few governors specifically target technology based economic development, after the first wave of budgets a variety of initiatives related to workforce development and higher education have garnered support.
Tech Talkin’ Govs: Energy, Workforce Initiatives Prominently Featured in Gubernatorial Addresses
SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series has returned as governors across the country formally convene the 2015 legislative sessions. The series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from governors' State of the State, Budget and Inaugural addresses.
Tech Talkin’ Govs: Workforce, Education Issues Continue to Dominate Gubernatorial Addresses
SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series has returned as governors across the country formally convene the 2015 legislative sessions. The series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from governors' State of the State, Budget and Inaugural addresses.
SC, NJ, Others Announce Funding for Industry-Specific Workforce Development
To build 21st century workforces in key S&T sectors, several new public-private initiatives have been launched in South Carolina, New Jersey, Utah, and Montana. These initiatives are intended to better align the educational training of students with the needs of industries that each respective state has identified as a key industry cluster. Target industries include advanced manufacturing, aerospace, biotechnology, chemistry and plastics, and cyber security.
South Carolina
Research Parks RoundUp
Having the tools and resources to develop innovative concepts and products and move discoveries from the lab to the marketplace is an essential component for building tech-based economies. Research parks, a place where innovative ideas are borne, partnerships between university and industry are created, and companies grow and create new jobs, provide a foundation for the kind of economic growth necessary to compete in a global economy. Over the past few months, development plans and groundbreaking announcements from research parks across the nation have been made.
SC Changes Endowed Chairs Program & Manufacturing Incentives
Touted as a tool to help the state attract and retain jobs, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford last week signed into law H. 4478, the Economic Development Competitiveness Act. The new law directs one-third of the state's endowed chairs money be administered by the Coordinating Council on Economic Development — a reform measure that the governor says will help shift its focus to job creation and allow private sector investment to lead public sector investment. Funding previously was administered by an academic panel.