http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php The latest news articles and event listing from the Tallahassee MSA, a four-county region rich with industry, education, and unsurpassed quality of life. en Copyright 2010 2010-07-22T12:33:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/fsu_to_partner_with_appraisal_firm_on_real_estate_valuation_research/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/fsu_to_partner_with_appraisal_firm_on_real_estate_valuation_research/ The Florida State University College of Business and Jacksonville, Fla.-based real-estate appraisal firm Smithfield & Wainwright, LLC today signed an agreement to work together to provide dynamic research in real estate valuation and analytics designed to benefit the American and global economies. The agreement calls for interaction and collaboration between researchers at the College of Business and Smithfield & Wainwright by establishing joint research programs including exchanging data, educational literature and research. The partnership opens up unique opportunities to unlock the mortgage-backed securities markets, along with providing key components in bank and financial recovery under the new Financial Reform Act of 2010. “The fact that the College of Business was chosen for this project is a testament to our program’s depth in the field, as well as the research reputation of our faculty,” said Caryn Beck-Dudley, dean of the college. “Our researchers will be working on projects that support the nation’s quest to improve the financial state of our economy.” “In the spirit of cooperation and collaboration, we can work together to accomplish results that are expected to have a significant impact not only in the real estate crisis in America, but globally,” said “Big” Hogan E. Copeland II, chairman and chief executive officer of Smithfield & Wainwright. The patents and proprietary technology that the firm’s LPV (Logical Property Valuation) and LIA (Local Impact Analysis) analytical tools possess can aid the global economy in unlocking financial markets, Copeland said. Copeland is a Florida State University alumnus who was taught and mentored by Professor Barry Diskin, the university’s Francis J. Nardozza Scholar’s Program Fellow. Diskin continues to teach real estate at Florida State and is leading the research charge in this collaboration. Assisting him will be G. Stacy Sirmans, the Kenneth G. Bacheller Professor of Real Estate. “Our history is one of teamwork and integration that bridges the gap between academia and real-life situations,’’ Copeland said. “The LPV platform’s new collaboration links our researchers with FSU’s talented faculty and other major academicians across the country to bridge the gap that will allow banks and financial institutions to solidify their foundation and stabilization to economic recovery.” One educational research project of mutual interest is Smithfield & Wainwright’s LPV (Logical Property Valuation) technological platform, which could offer the key to unlocking the mortgage-backed securities markets. The research will look at whether this proprietary and patent-pending platform provides the transparency and real-time, true-price discovery and accountability required under the new Financial Reform Act of 2010. The second educational research project of mutual interest is the firm’s Local Impact Analysis (LIA) platform. The research will examine whether LIA offers the necessary verifiable comprehensive metrics created by real property. If verified, this proprietary development could be the catalyst for governmental institutions and states for budgeting and contingency planning under the Financial Reform Act of 2010. Smithfield & Wainwright will gain access to Florida State’s highly acclaimed College of Business, where the firm will have the opportunity to interact with researchers who understand key economic roles that affect the global economy. By partnering with Smithfield & Wainwright, those FSU researchers will have access to the firm’s world-class, centralized data depository, thus allowing true property characteristics to be further evaluated for nationwide stabilization of the real estate markets. FSU to Partner with Appraisal Firm on Real-Estate Valuation Research 2010-07-22T12:33:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tcc_receives_nacubo_innovation_award/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tcc_receives_nacubo_innovation_award/ Tallahassee Community College has been selected as the recipient of the 2010 Innovation Award by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). TCC is being recognized for the development of "My Success Platinum," the College’s Individual Learning Plan (ILP). "My Success Platinum" is an interactive tool that engages students in their academic and career planning via online avenues which address their needs and delivers services the way today’s students demand – anytime, anywhere. "My Success Platinum" was designed by in-house staff utilizing Microsoft SharePoint Technologies and is integrated with the College’s administrative systems. One of its many features is the student "dashboard" that allows TCC staff to send academic alerts and warnings specific to the student and their academic progress. "My Success Platinum provides students with the opportunity to own their career and educational goals and to develop a plan to achieve those goals," said Dr. Sheri Rowland, Dean of Enrollment Management. "It also allows the College to provide targeted messages to students based on their academic progress, life challenges and social interests. "This system has the potential to change the face of academic advising at the College and provides a means of targeting and sharing information and resources with students to help them be successful." The NACUBO Innovation Award seeks to honor the achievement of higher education institutions of every constituent type – research universities, comprehensive and doctoral institutions, small institutions and community colleges. Successful nominations described a new approach to an institutional issue that is “cutting-edge” or “first-of-its-kind” within the higher education community. TCC will formally receive its awards during the 2010 NACUBO Annual Meeting in San Francisco, Calif., July 25. Rowland and Mike Robeck, Computer Systems Analyst, will accept the award on behalf of the College. TCC Receives NACUBO Innovation Award 2010-07-21T21:10:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/two_materials_researchers_receive_prestigious_nsf_career_awards/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/two_materials_researchers_receive_prestigious_nsf_career_awards/ A pair of Florida State University researchers who are exploring the properties of two very different types of materials have earned major recognition — and support — for their work. Sachin Shanbhag, an assistant professor in the Department of Scientific Computing, and Oskar Vafek, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and member of the Condensed Matter Physics research group at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, have won prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The awards are designated for young scientists who are still in the early stages of their academic careers and are intended to help them build upon previous accomplishments in their respective areas of research. “Florida State is developing a critical mass of talented young faculty members who will be leaders in their fields for decades to come,” said FSU Vice President for Research Kirby W. Kemper. “This is another tangible example of the scholarly rigor that Florida State is already known for and continues to emphasize. Our congratulations go to Professor Shanbhag and Professor Vafek for this important recognition.” Vafek, a theoretical physicist, is conducting research on a class of materials that includes graphene, a one-atom-thick sheet derived from the mineral graphite that is made entirely out of a hexagonal array of carbon atoms. Graphene’s remarkable electronic properties make it a potential candidate for use in numerous technological applications, which has sparked tremendous interest in the scientific community and in industry. His CAREER Award, which comes with NSF funding of $84,000 a year over five years, will support integrated research, education and outreach activities, including the development of “wiki-books,” digital learning tools that will assist in the teaching of undergraduate and graduate-level physics courses. Using wiki-books, students work as teams to write certain chapters and edit others, thus sharpening their scientific writing skills while improving their understanding of often-complex concepts. (See http://wiki.physics.fsu.edu to view the physics department’s wiki page.) “I feel honored and exceptionally privileged to receive this award,” Vafek said. “I view it as a bestowal of opportunity, and responsibility, to pursue experimentally motivated and curiosity-driven theoretical research. I am also aware that I have greatly benefited from the stimulating and collegial atmosphere of the magnet lab and the FSU physics department, both of which have unreservedly supported the proposed line of research and educational activities.” Shanbhag, meanwhile, is a computational scientist who utilizes incredibly high-powered computers to develop a better understanding of the behavior of synthetic polymers derived from petroleum. (About 10 percent of the world’s crude oil supply is diverted toward non-energy needs and is converted into such petrochemicals.) Synthetic polymers are used in the manufacture of a great many of the things around us — everything from computers to cars, buildings, packaging, Teflon and home insulation, just to name a few. “Even the world within us — think cellulose, DNA and proteins — is primarily polymeric,” Shanbhag said. “So learning how different polymers act and move under different environments is important.” With his CAREER Award, which will provide $82,000 per year in funding over five years, Shanbhag will continue to develop computational models of polymer dynamics. Developing such knowledge “will help us build better and cheaper synthetic polymers, or use existing polymers more optimally,” he said. Shanbhag cited two examples of how this might benefit society: * Lighter cars and airplanes could be made by substituting metal with polymer composites, thus reducing their weight without affecting performance. Since these newer materials are easier to process and lighter, their usage brings down the vehicles’ cost and makes them more fuel-efficient. * The human body is replete with examples where an understanding of the motion of a polymer (such as DNA) through a complex dense environment (such as the cell) is vital. The delivery of therapeutic genes to target cells is one immediate area where such knowledge could be exploited. He was quick to share the credit for the NSF award. “I’ve benefited enormously from the excellent computational resources available at FSU through the Department of Scientific Computing and the High Performance Computing Center,” Shanbhag said. “The center is a gem. The staff who manage these resources are terrific, and that has been instrumental in allowing me to focus on the science, instead of babysitting and troubleshooting the machines. “My background is in engineering, so I also benefit enormously from collaborators and friends throughout the university in industrial engineering, chemical engineering, physics, math and chemistry,” he said. In addition to Shanbhag and Vafek, two other Florida State faculty members have won NSF CAREER Awards in recent months. Karen M. McGinnis, an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Science, and Michael Shatruk, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, also received the awards and accompanying funds to advance their research. “These four young faculty members, and many others like them here at FSU, are pushing the boundaries of knowledge in their respective fields,” Vice President Kemper said. “Through their hard work, and with the continued support of the National Science Foundation and Florida State, our society will be the ultimate beneficiary of their cutting-edge research.” Two Materials Researchers Receive Prestigious NSF Career Awards 2010-07-21T21:08:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/finalists_and_select_winners_announced_for_2010_distinguished_leadership_aw/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/finalists_and_select_winners_announced_for_2010_distinguished_leadership_aw/ Leadership Tallahassee and the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce have announced the 2010 finalists of the Distinguished Leadership Awards, as well as the winners of this year’s Lifetime Leadership Award and Godfrey Smith Past Chairmen’s Award. The awards ceremony, now in its 16th year, will take place on September 16 at 6 p.m., at the University Center Club, and will honor deserving leaders in five categories. Nominations were solicited from the community at large in the spring and a selection committee reviewed the nominations. The following winners and finalists have been chosen in each of the categories: Lifetime Leadership Award: Recognizes an individual who has made significant, tangible leadership contributions to the Tallahassee community for more than 25 years. Honoree: John M. Hogan, Capital Health Plan Godfrey Smith Past Chairmen’s Award: Honors an individual who has provided significant contributions to the business community before, during, and after their tenure as Chairman of the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. The award was named after William Godfrey Smith, the first recipient; an individual who epitomized the ideals of honor, dedication and commitment in our community. Honoree: John Perry Thomas, Thomas Howell Ferguson Leadership Pacesetter: Given to an individual who is blazing a trail for others to follow by quickly engaging in community leadership activities – and achieving tangible results – as a relative newcomer to Tallahassee or at a relatively young age. Finalists: R. Jai Gillum, Florida Department of Financial Services Dean Inserra, The Well Theresa “Cissy” Proctor, Bryant Miller and Olive Julius J. Wiggins, Bethel Community Development Corporation Opal McKinney-Williams, Ausley Law Firm Leader of the Year: Awarded to an individual whose ideas, vision and hard work have achieved significant, tangible benefits to the community within the past year. Finalists: William G. “Geri” Eaton, The Land Group Real Estate Services Jane Barron, Terrie Brooks and Marvin Mayer, Red Hills International Horse Trials Chris L. Jensen, Jr., Prime Meridian Bank Liz Joyner, The Village Square Kelly T. Otte, Oasis Center for Women and Girls Servant Leadership: This individual has demonstrated consistent community leadership and begun to achieve results beyond a single field of endeavor, combining efforts in business and non-profit organizations. Finalists: Kristine E. Knab, Legal Services of North Florida Sean A. Pittman, Pittman Law Group, P.L. Dr. Carolyn Ryals, KopyKat Copy Center Mark Schlackman, FSU Center for the Advancement of Human Rights Dr. Joseph l. Webster, Sr. Institute for African American Health, Inc. The event is presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, and acts as Leadership Tallahassee’s major community fundraiser, with proceeds benefitting the Youth Leadership Tallahassee program. Sponsored tables are available for $1,000 and individual reservations for $100. To secure your spot at this year’s event, please contact Barbara Boone at (850) 521-3112 or bboone@talchamber.com. Finalists and Select Winners Announced for 2010 Distinguished Leadership Awards 2010-07-21T21:02:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/fsu_researchers_awarded_1_million_grant_to_help_teens_become_more_proficien/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/fsu_researchers_awarded_1_million_grant_to_help_teens_become_more_proficien/ When it comes to teaching science, American middle and high schools tend to follow a less-than-effective, “cookbook-based” model, according to a Florida State University researcher. “Students are simply given a set of instructions, or a ‘recipe,’ to follow during a science lab, but they usually don’t understand the data they gather or how to make sense of it,” said Victor Sampson, an assistant professor in the Florida State University College of Education and an expert on science education. To help develop a more effective model for teaching science, Sampson and two Florida State colleagues have received a $1 million grant to refine a new instructional approach known as argument-driven inquiry (ADI), which aims to help students think more critically about science. The funding was awarded to FSU’s Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (FCR-STEM) as part of a nationwide, five-year initiative by the Institute of Educational Sciences, the research arm of the U.S. Department of Education. According to Sampson, the FSU project’s principal investigator, the cookbook-based model for designing science lab activities is not an effective way to help students understand the content or practices of science. The ADI model, on the other hand, requires students to develop their own method in order to answer a research question during a lab activity. To do this, they must generate evidence, explanations and arguments, then present “claims” to classmates, who will critique their validity. “This process teaches students how to be critical consumers of information and helps them learn how to generate and evaluate scientific arguments,” Sampson said. The ADI model was developed using research examining how students learn and retain information and consists of eight defined steps. The research team — including co-principal investigators Ellen Granger, director of Florida State’s Office of Science Teaching Activities and co-director of the innovative FSU-Teach program, and Sherry Southerland, a professor in the College of Education and the other FSU-Teach co-director — will be tweaking the model over the next three years so it can be used in a wide variety of educational contexts. As part of this project, the team will develop 64 different lab experiences using the ADI model. These labs will then be used in ethnically diverse classrooms over the course of the academic year. Pre- and post- assessments of students’ understanding and abilities, along with student work samples such as investigation reports, peer reviews and diagnostic assessments, will be collected to determine how students are developing science proficiency over time. For the first two years of the project, the lab experiences will be implemented in biology, chemistry, physical-science and life-science courses at the Florida State University Schools, one of the College of Education’s secondary charter schools. The third and final year, they will branch out to other schools within the Leon and Gadsden County school districts. The project is part of $42 million received by Florida State researchers to support improved student outcomes through innovative techniques. The Institute of Educational Services awarded a total of $96 million in research funding for nationwide projects ranging from preschool to postsecondary topics. “By making lab experiences more authentic and educative, the ADI instructional model could greatly increase the number of high school graduates proficient in science,” Sampson said. FSU Researchers Awarded $1 Million Grant To Help Teens Become More Proficient In Science 2010-07-21T21:01:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/take_advantage_of_beneficial_workshops_at_conference/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/take_advantage_of_beneficial_workshops_at_conference/ The Annual Chamber Community Conference is just around the corner, and the August 13 - 15 agenda is packed full of business tools, resources and networking opportunities. Click HERE to view the full agenda including this year's breakout sessions covering topics important to business owners: I Need Marketing Advice Now: Low Cost Strategies For Your Business Riding the Wave of Employment Law Changes Business Owner's Guide for the 2010 Ballot 30 Cost Saving Ideas in 60 Minutes From IP to Jobs, Commercializing University Research Where Are We Now: Projects Sparking Job Growth Regional Economic Engines REGISTER HERE for the conference and to book your room at the beautiful Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. Take Advantage of Beneficial Workshops at Conference 2010-07-21T21:00:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/what_a_complete_census_count_means_for_floridas_economy/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/what_a_complete_census_count_means_for_floridas_economy/ An accurate census count in the 2010 Sunshine Census is important to local communities for funding allocations from state and federal programs. An incomplete or inaccurate count can cause revenue inequities that can last a decade, hindering economic development and small businesses. Obtaining complete counts of small, sparsely populated rural counties and towns is challenging for the U.S. Census Bureau because it relies heavily on mail‐back questionnaires, when many rural residents rely on P.O. boxes or other methods to get their mail. Census enumerators are going door‐to‐door through the month of June, and the business community is encouraging everyone to help these locally hired workers achieve an accurate count. If you have not received a census questionnaire and have not been counted by a census enumerator, call: U.S. Census Bureau Telephone Questionnaire Assistance Center, 1‐866‐872‐8686, toll free. Census Bureau employees will take your information over the phone; the phone line is open until July 30. Here are some reasons every business owner and economic development supporter should do their part to raise awareness: 1. How will information from the 2010 Sunshine Census be used? Information on population counts and where people live is needed to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and to determine state legislative district boundaries. The districts must be relatively equal for fair representation as required by our nation’s Constitution. 2. How does complete and accurate census data impact community funds? Census numbers directly affect how more than $400 billion per year in federal and state funding is allocated to local and state governments. Accurate census numbers ensure that funds are distributed so that resources can be targeted to the areas in need. 3. What does census data have to do with economic development and jobs? At the state and local level, census data helps decision makers plan economic development and assess the need and best location for major projects like roads, schools, hospitals, parks and job training. 4. How do private sector businesses benefit from accurate census data? Businesses can use the data in many ways. For example, grocery stores, banks, pharmacies, restaurants, car dealerships, and other businesses use census data to help decide where to locate new outlets and offices. Business services like job training programs, small business loans, road and traffic improvements, affordable housing and tax incentive programs use the data. 5. How does more state and federal funding benefit business owners in small, rural counties? In addition to improved roads, schools and health care facilities, federal programs use census data to allocate funding and grants. For example, the federal Safe Drinking Water Act allocates funds to rural communities for drinking water source development and purification. Without that aid, local taxes could increase or poor water supply could hamper economic development. 6. How can complete and accurate Census data benefit small and rural communities? Many state and federal programs consider population and other census information before making key investments in rural communities. For example, rural health clinics bring doctors and health care services to areas that might not otherwise be able to support them. 7. What can the Census data tell us about our community? The census spotlights how our communities are changing. These changes are crucial to many planning decisions – such as neighborhood improvements, emergency preparedness, veterans’ services, disaster recovery, public health, education, transportation, senior services and much more. 8. What can business owners do to improve the 2010 Sunshine Census? In rural communities, business owners and economic development advocates have a strong voice and are often looked up to as civic leaders. Encourage positive participation in the 2010 Sunshine Census with residents, neighbors, customers, employees, business colleagues, friends and families. Communities in Florida’s small and rural counties need the most complete and accurate Census count possible. For more information, visit www.SunshineCensus2010.com What a Complete Census Count Means for Florida’s Economy 2010-07-08T13:41:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/famu_professors_receives_patents_for_inventions/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/famu_professors_receives_patents_for_inventions/ Four Florida A&M University professors and a staff member have received patents for their inventions that range from detecting radioactive materials in luggage to treating a particular type of breast cancer. John Cooperwood, associate professor of basic sciences in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, has secured a patent for “Selective Estrogen Receptors Modulators,” which is a drug that can assist in the treatment of triple negative breast cancer. Depending on the stage of its diagnosis, triple negative breast cancer can be particularly aggressive, and more likely to recur than other subtypes of breast cancer in black women. According to Cooperwood, the Centers for Disease Control reported that 191,410 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,280 died from it in 2006. White women have the highest incidence follow by black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women. “This higher mortality has been shown to be linked to the triple negative form of breast cancer that tends to occur early, under the age of 50, and is more aggressive,” said Cooperwood. “We have several lead compounds in a patent (US patent 7,687,486) that show some promising results on cell culture level against estrogen dependent and triple negative forms of breast cancer.” Another patent was received collectively by Elliott Treadwell, Ph.D., and Ely I. Leon, Ph.D. They invented the “Threshold Ceronkov Detector with Radial Segmentation.” This design may be adjusted to detect radioactive materials in luggage. High schools may also benefit from general science and astronomy courses that teach students how to detect ever present cosmic and heat rays from a parking lot or lab. Moeub Lanh, assistant director for Human Resources, was issued a patent for his invention titled the “Finger Flag Assembly.” It is a product that is attached to the finger and is easily removable. It can be used as a flag holder since it has a detachable pole connected. This product is small enough to be carried in a wallet, billfold or a pocket. Lanh later made an improvement to this invention receiving another patent. This version of the product attaches to writing utensils, car antennas and other narrow items. Seth Y. Ablordeppey, Ph.D., received a patent for “Haloperidol Analogs,” or new drugs derived from haloperidol for the treatment of mental illness and especially schizophrenia. Unlike its predecessor, the new drugs are designed to treat schizophrenia without producing movement disorders similar to Parkinsonism. In addition, initial tests suggest the new drugs may not produce weight gain which can lead to type II diabetes, a characteristic of the most recent treatment option for schizophrenia. Thus, the new agents have the potential to replace the antipsychotic drugs currently on the market without producing the debilitating side effects associated with them. FAMU Professors Receives Patents for Inventions 2010-07-08T13:40:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/how_fast_can_microbes_break_down_oil_washed_onto_gulf_beaches/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/how_fast_can_microbes_break_down_oil_washed_onto_gulf_beaches/ A new Florida State University study is investigating how quickly the Deepwater Horizon oil carried into Gulf of Mexico beach sands is being degraded by the sands’ natural microbial communities, and whether native oil-eating bacteria that wash ashore with the crude are helping or hindering that process. What oceanography professors Markus Huettel and Joel E. Kostka learn will enable them to predict when most of the oil in the beaches will be gone. Their findings may also reveal ways to accelerate the oil degradation rate - and speed matters, because toxic crude components that remain buried on Gulf Coast beaches may seep into the groundwater below. “This enormous oil spill affects hundreds of miles of beaches in the Gulf of Mexico,” Huettel said. “We can remove the oil from the beach surface, but oil is also carried deeper into the sand, and we need to understand what happens to that oil. Preventing groundwater contamination is crucial not only to Gulf Coast residents but also to coastal management and local economies like fisheries and tourism that depend on water quality.” “We will also study the effect of the dispersant known as Corexit on oil metabolism by natural microbial communities,” Kostka said. “Through contacts in the field, my laboratory has acquired Corexit and source oil from the MC252 (Deepwater Horizon) well head for use in our experiments.” St. George Island, Fla., and Dauphin Island, Ala., have served as the primary research sites since early June, when the one-year study began. In addition, the researchers have obtained heavily oiled sand from Pensacola Beach, Fla., and from a barrier island off the Louisiana coast. If warranted by the oil’s movement, they will also collect near-shore water and sediment samples from other Gulf beaches. Funding for their collaborative research comes from a “RAPID” (Rapid Research Response) grant from the National Science Foundation. Huettel and Kostka will analyze sediment cores collected from Gulf beaches to find out how much and to what depth oil washed onto the shore is carried into the sand; how rapidly microbes in the sand are breaking it down; and how the oil pollution may be impacting the structure and function of natural microbial communities that help to protect water quality on the coast. “We’ll also show how the oil itself alters the transport and filtration of oxygen-rich water into the beach by clogging the sand –– and how this clogging and resulting reduced oxygen availability in the sand affects the microbial community and degradation of buried oil,” Huettel said. Currents and winds carry the oil, and oil combined with dispersants –– chemicals that disperse the crude into very small oil droplets –– to the Gulf shores, where it washes up on sandy beaches. Larger crude-oil accumulations such as pancake oil (round, flat accumulations of heavy crude oil) and tar balls (weathered crude oil accumulations that have been formed into ball-shaped structures) are deposited on the beach. Meanwhile, liquid oil (in the form of an oil sheen, or small dispersed droplets) can penetrate many feet deep into the permeable beach sand. “Oil-filled water that washes up on the beach filters through the porous sediment and carries the oil with it into the sand,” Huettel said. “In addition, the water-level drop between high and low tide causes a water-level drop within the beach sediment that can transport oil that has penetrated into the beach into even deeper sediment layers.” “Crude oil is a natural component that constantly seeps out of Gulf of Mexico sediments ––obviously in much smaller quantities than those now caused by the drilling accident –– so native microbes have evolved that consume this oil and thereby degrade it,” Kostka said. “These microorganisms include bacteria and also some microalgae that live in the water column and the sediments of the Gulf of Mexico.” Kostka said oil accumulations deposited on the beach surface are easily removed by, for example, scraping off the top layer of sand. However, the oil components that penetrate into the sand can only be removed by microbial degradation. “If oxygen is present - as it is in the water and in the upper layers of the beach sand - the microbes decompose the oil aerobically (by using oxygen),” Kostka said. “This degradation process is much faster than the degradation under anaerobic conditions (when no oxygen is available), such as those found in deeper sediment layers of the beach. That’s why at the site of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, oil can still be found deeply buried in the gravel beach sediments, because anaerobic microbial degradation is slow and, in Alaska, slower still because of the cold climate.” “Unfortunately, said Huettel, “crude oil contains such harmful substances that even small amounts can kill fish larvae - which means that oil stored in deep layers of beach sediment present a potential source of toxins to near-shore waters and groundwater.” Their NSF-funded study (“Rates and mechanisms controlling the degradation of crude oil from the MC252 spill in Gulf of Mexico beach sands”) is the latest of several collaborations between Huettel and Kostka that have examined organic matter transport and degradation in Gulf sands. The current project also contributes to the energy-related research that Kostka performs for Florida State University’s Institute for Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainability (IESES; www.ieses.fsu.edu), which has been heavily involved in providing information and expert advice to Florida’s Governor’s Office and Legislature regarding oil and gas development. Kostka is an environmental microbiologist and microbial ecologist widely known for his studies of the services that microbes provide to humans and ecosystems. He serves as associate director for IESES, where he has developed and oversees an initiative he named SABER (Systems Approach to Bioenergy Research; www.joelkostka.net/research/bioenergy/bioenergy.html). A member of the Florida State faculty since 1999, Kostka has served since 2007 as the co-principal investigator of a five-year, $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for research on biologically mediated cleanup of radioactive waste from nuclear weapons production at U.S. DOE sites. Ongoing research in his Florida State laboratory focuses on the role of microbes in natural ecosystems in the shallow Gulf of Mexico. Huettel (http://ocean.fsu.edu/faculty/huettel/huettel.html), a biological oceanographer, is an expert on biogeochemical processes in coastal sediments. Central themes of his research include the influence of hydrodynamics on organic matter degradation, oxygen dynamics and nutrient cycling in coastal sediments. Before joining the Florida State faculty in 2003, Huettel was research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany. Research currently underway in his Florida State laboratory is addressing biological and physical processes caused by gas in the sea floor; the role of turbulence for oxygen transport to and from marine sediments; and the role of pore water flows on the decomposition of dissolved organic matter in coastal sands. How Fast Can Microbes Break Down Oil Washed onto Gulf Beaches? 2010-07-08T13:36:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tcc_announces_selection_of_presidential_search_committee/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tcc_announces_selection_of_presidential_search_committee/ EDC Chair-Elect Karen Moore and Tallahassee Chamber President Sue Dick have been appointed to the 13-person committee charged with leading the search for Tallahassee Community College’s eighth president. Moore will serve as the committee's chair. The Presidential Search Committee was announced during TCC’s monthly District Board of Trustees meeting.TCC hopes to name its new president by November. TCC Presidential Search Committee • Doug Bell, president, TCC Foundation Board of Directors • Dr. Will Benedicks, professor, Division of History and Social Sciences; chair, History Program • Dr. J. Allison DeFoor, Board of Trustees, represents Wakulla County • Sue Dick, president, Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce • Dr. Gareth Euridge, associate professor, Division of Communications and Humanities; chair-elect, Faculty Senate • David Gardner, executive director, Gadsden County Chamber of Commerce • Eugene Lamb, Board of Trustees, represents Gadsden County • Karen Moore, Board of Trustees, represents Leon County • Kim Moore, president, Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce • Christopher Rich, chair, Student Organization Council • Dr. Sheri Rowland, Dean of Enrollment Management • Dr. Calandra Stringer, associate professor, Division of Science and Mathematics; director, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Center • April White, chair-elect, Classified Staff TCC Announces Selection of Presidential Search Committee 2010-07-08T13:35:01-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/new_development_proposed_as_catalyst_for_gaines_street_revitalization/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/new_development_proposed_as_catalyst_for_gaines_street_revitalization/ Bringing the city of Tallahassee’s vision for the transformation of Gaines Street to life, Seminole Boosters Inc. and Hunter & Harp Holdings LLC have proposed College Town - an entertainment and residential district to be located between Gaines and South Madison Street - at a meeting of the Florida State University Board of Trustees. The proposal calls for College Town to link downtown Tallahassee to the FSU campus while creating an urban-renewal community that is casual, eclectic and safe. The development was described in a proposed amendment to the university’s 2008 Adopted Master Plan that would expand the campus south and connect it with Gaines Street. 



 The blocks between Gaines Street, West Madison Street, Woodward Avenue and Collier Street are the planned site of College Town, which is designed to feature sophisticated three- to five-story, urban-designed buildings surrounded by tree-lined, cobblestone pedestrian streets. The planned community would offer sophisticated restaurants, entertainment, shopping and living options that are clean, safe and vibrant. As envisioned, College Town would be a center where education, business and people come together in a lively and imaginative environment. “The impact College Town will have on the university is far-reaching,” said FSU Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration John Carnaghi. “Through increased new-student retention, faculty recruitment, student employment, additional student housing and even increased dining and social opportunities, College Town brings an additional focal point to our campus.”



 With approximately 150,000 square feet of living and entertainment space planned, College Town would host brownstone living encompassing 100 two-bedroom, two-bathroom accommodations, designed for upscale student housing and season ticket-holders. 



 “The level of energy and enthusiasm for Gaines Street projects from the city of Tallahassee has really created a channel for College Town to come to life,” Tallahassee Mayor John Marks said. “College Town is forging a new spirit of cooperation and long-term relationships between the university and the city of Tallahassee.” Similar, successful College Town models include ones in Austin, Texas; Boulder, Colo.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Athens, Ga. The 18-month plan for the Tallahassee project calls for construction to begin in February 2011. “The vast amount of jobs and tax dollars this project will cultivate gives Tallahassee a strong market advantage, providing incentives for new growth in our community,” said Chad Kittrell, principal with Hunter & Harp Holdings LLC. “This area is designed to retain, expand and attract businesses and investment to improve the Gaines Street environment.” For more information on College Town, call Autumn Barnes Mayfield of The Mayfield Group at (850) 421-9007 or e-mail her at amayfield@the-mayfield-group.com. 

 New Development Proposed as Catalyst for Gaines Street Revitalization 2010-07-08T13:34:01-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tcc_continues_to_rank_among_the_nations_top_aa_degree_producers/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tcc_continues_to_rank_among_the_nations_top_aa_degree_producers/ Community College Week has released its annual Top 100 analysis, a report examining degrees and certificates awarded at community colleges across the nation. The report, based on the 2008-09 academic year, confirms that Tallahassee Community College remains one of America’s top associate degree producers. In the 2010 report, released on Monday, TCC earned a national ranking in five different categories, including No. 15 among two-year institutions in the total number of associate degrees awarded during the 2008-09 academic year. According to the report, TCC awarded 2,351 associate degrees during the 2008-09 academic year, up 4.3 percent from 2007-08 (2,248) when it was 16th in Community College Week’s rankings. TCC ranked No. 2 nationally among two-year institutions in the Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Students and Humanities category. Preliminary reports indicate that the College awarded 2,175 associate degrees in this category during the 2008-09 academic year, a seven-percent increase from 2007-08. TCC earned a No. 11 ranking among two-year institutions in the number of associate degrees awarded to African-Americans. According to preliminary reports, the College awarded 487 associate degrees in this category during 2008-09, a three-percent increase from 2007-08. TCC also garnered a No. 12 ranking among two-year institutions in the number of associate degrees awarded to non-minorities. Preliminary reports show that TCC awarded 1,529 associate degrees in this category during 2008-09, a four-percent increase from 2007-08. Additionally, TCC broke new ground in the 2010 rankings. According to the report, TCC ranked 36th in the number of associate degrees awarded in the Total Minority category. Preliminary reports show that TCC awarded 706 associate degrees in this category in 2008-09. The data are collected by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Set (IPEDS) completions survey. The data are also considered preliminary because every eligible institution is not yet included. The analysis is limited to institutions that are eligible for participation in Title IV programs – which encompass all federal financial aid – located in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. To be Title IV eligible, an institution must be accredited by either a regional or specialized accreditation agency that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. TCC Continues to Rank Among the Nation’s Top A.A. Degree Producers 2010-06-24T13:42:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/leon_county_mis_wins_international_computerworld_award/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/leon_county_mis_wins_international_computerworld_award/ The Leon County Board of County Commissioners’ Management Information Systems (MIS) Division has won the 2009 International Computerworld Award for its North Florida Pawn Network, a program that was nominated by multinational information technology giant IBM. This award follows several other accolades the program received, including an InfoWorld Award and a National Association of Counties (NACO) Achievement Award. The County was honored at the 22nd Annual Laureates Medal Ceremony & Gala Awards, last week at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C., joining 150 other laureates from 22 countries. The Computerworld Honors Program (formerly the Smithsonian Awards) acknowledges individuals and organizations that have used information technology to benefit society, bringing together leaders of the world's foremost information technology companies to recognize the most outstanding user achievements in technology every year. The Leon County Board of County Commissioners’ submission, the North Florida Pawn Network (NFPN), was implemented in cooperation with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to provide law enforcement agencies a multi-jurisdictional pawned property management system within Florida. This system is low-cost and easy to use, yet it is a robust investigative tool and has been instrumental in solving crimes and returning stolen property statewide. The system spans from Walton County to Marion County, encompassing more than 20 other counties as active partners, but all of Florida’s 67 counties have benefitted from the effort. “Just being nominated is a remarkable achievement by our MIS staff and partner agencies, but this win is extraordinary, and we are extremely proud of our team’s hard work,” said County Administrator Parwez Alam. “We have been recognized on an international scale, and that speaks volumes about the kind of work our staff is doing for the citizens of Leon County.” Leon County MIS’ submission will become part of the Computerworld Honors Program Global Archives and will be added to more than 350 university and national archives. “This is a great honor, and we are thankful to IBM for the nomination,” said Leon County MIS Director Pat Curtis. “Our team worked extremely hard on this project and we are proud to join some of the most innovative organizations and people in the world who use technology to promote positive social, economic and educational change.” Computerworld is the leading source of technology news and information worldwide. It leads the industry with an online audience of more than three million unique, monthly visitors and a print audience of more than a million readers each issue. Leon County MIS Wins International Computerworld Award 2010-06-24T13:41:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/major_magnet_grant_to_advance_state_of_the_art_in_chemical_analysis/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/major_magnet_grant_to_advance_state_of_the_art_in_chemical_analysis/ The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University is planning to build a state-of-the-art magnet system that will transform the study of complex environmental and biological samples. A better understanding of fossil and biological fuels, for example, could lead to applications for reducing carbon emissions and the development of new, sustainable fuels. The 21-tesla superconducting magnet, combined with a small cyclotron spectrometer (a machine that measures the mass of molecules), is made possible by a $17.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Chemistry, $15 million of which comes from funds made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. “This award pushes the frontier of large molecule analyses and further strengthens our world leadership in ion-cyclotron resonance capabilities,” said Kirby Kemper, vice president for Research at Florida State. The magnet system will be housed in the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory’s Ion Cyclotron Resonance (ICR) facility and will be used for Fourier transform ICR mass spectrometry — a powerful analytical technique capable of resolving and identifying thousands of different chemical components simultaneously in complex mixtures. The addition of a 21-tesla magnet is expected to yield major innovations in the field of chemical analysis. Going from 14.5 to 21 tesla — a 45-percent increase in field — will increase the accuracy of mass measurements by a factor of at least 2, raising it to an astonishing 50 parts per billion. “This grant will give us the opportunity to see the chemical and molecular world in unprecedented detail — sort of like HDTV compared to ordinary TV,” said Alan Marshall, director of the magnet lab’s ICR User Program and the Robert O. Lawton Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida State. Marshall, who co-invented the FT-ICR technique and continues to develop it, is the principal investigator on the grant. The ICR User Program facility serves more than 100 external researchers per year and leads the world in instrument and applications development for the technique. Since the technique’s inception, more than 775 FT-ICR instruments have been installed in laboratories worldwide. In addition, the ICR program at Florida State has trained 32 undergraduates and 42 postdoctoral fellows, and generated five M.S. and 21 Ph.D. graduates, for careers in industry, government and academia. The 21-tesla magnet system will raise research already under way at the magnet lab to new heights. Areas of research include: * Petroleomics — Analysis of the world’s most complex mixture, petroleum. More precise analysis of crude oil samples can lead to better, faster and more efficient drilling, refining and delivery. * Proteomics — The analysis and cataloging of proteins. To understand biological processes, scientists need to learn how proteins function in cells. Proteins, which compose much of the machinery of living cells, will be analyzed intact (top-down) rather than in pieces (bottom-up) as at present, a particularly promising direction for discovery of new drugs and their mechanism of action. * Biofuels — Analysis of the chemical composition of biofuels. Although ethanol is the first widely used biofuel, other sources, including algae and pine trees, offer potentially better performance and less environmental impact. The new instrument will provide detailed insight into biofuels at every stage of their production and use. “The Chemistry Division at the NSF is very excited about this unique and potentially transformative project, which would not have been possible to fund without the availability of Recovery Act funds,” said Luis Echegoyen, director of the division. Florida State has received its first year of funding for the project. The system’s design and construction is proceeding by competitive bids from the world’s leading magnet manufacturers; the complete spectrometer should be ready in four years. Major Magnet Grant to Advance State of the Art in Chemical Analysis 2010-06-24T13:40:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/airport_begins_non_stop_service_to_dc_in_2010/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/airport_begins_non_stop_service_to_dc_in_2010/ Tallahassee Regional Airport announced that US Airways will begin non-stop service between TLH and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) on October 3, 2010. The flights will be operated by US Airways Express partner Air Wisconsin, using their 50-seat Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft. "This is very exciting news as service to Washington D.C. has been a top priority for many years," said Mayor John Marks. "This new direct service will provide a boost to the local economy by making it easier and more convenient for both business and leisure travelers to fly between these capital cities." "This service has been long anticipated and has been realized through the hard work and dedication of City and Airport staff," said Kenneth M. Austin, Director of Aviation. The schedule is as follows: TLH to DCA Flight 3986 Departure - 7:15 a.m. Arrival - 9:15 a.m. *Service begins on October 4 for Flight 3986 DCA to TLH Flight 3985 Departure 6:59 p.m. Arrival 9:12 p.m. US Airways currently provides nonstop jet service between Tallahassee and Charlotte. US Airways, along with subsidiaries US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express, operates more than 3,200 flights per day world-wide and serves more than 200 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Latin America. Tickets can be purchased online at www.usairways.com or by calling US Airways at (800) 428-4322 or through your local travel agent. US Airways is one of four major commercial air carriers servicing the Tallahassee market, including American, Continental and Delta. The Tallahassee Regional Airport is operated and maintained by the City of Tallahassee. For more information on the Tallahassee Regional Airport, please visit www.flytallahassee.com. Airport Begins Non-Stop Service to DC in 2010 2010-06-24T13:39:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/leon_county_cuts_property_taxes_by_21m_maintains_millage_rate/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/leon_county_cuts_property_taxes_by_21m_maintains_millage_rate/ In its continued effort to maintain the leanest budget possible with the least amount of burden on its taxpayers, the Leon County Board of County Commissioners kept the millage rate at 8.35 and reduced property taxes by $2.1 million. After productive discussion and debate that began Tuesday morning and lasted into late evening, the Board approved a proposed budget of approximately $244 million for the 2010/11 fiscal year, bringing the total reduction of the County’s budget to more than $40 million, or roughly 14 percent, since 2008. For the second year in a row, the County has reduced citizens’ property taxes, resulting in a cumulative savings of $11 million over the past two budget cycles. “Despite unprecedented fiscal challenges, this process has resulted in a responsible budget plan for the upcoming year,” said County Commission Chairman Bob Rackleff. “Throughout this process the Board has been sensitive to the real-world impacts that this recession economy has had on our citizens. Through a lot of hard work on the part of the Board and County staff, I am proud to say that this budget reflects the urgency to significantly reduce spending while maintaining high-quality, essential services.” The day began with Commissioners facing a $9.9 million shortfall for FY2011, which included increases in operating costs and a $2.1 million decline in ad valorem collections associated with an anticipated reduction in property values. The Board was ultimately able to reconcile $3.5 million in expenditure reductions to balance the FY2011 budget. Nine positions within Growth and Environmental Management were eliminated, and staff was directed to bring back a plan detailing a project-manager approach to assisting citizens with the permitting process. Additionally, Commissioners faced a 4-percent rate increase in the County’s health insurance services and decided to shift a portion of the increased costs to employees. The Board determined its overall levels of reserves were sufficient and that it was an appropriate time to utilize a portion of its rainy-day fund, drawing $3.8 million from the general fund balance. During the “boom” years, the County was diligent in not adding excess costs to the operating budget and instead prudently established adequate reserves. “The Board, through prioritizing services and limiting costs, placed the community in a position to weather the recession and future economic uncertainty,” said County Administrator Parwez Alam. “This has allowed the County to allocate adequate resources for necessary programs – both established and newly implemented – without having to make drastic personnel reductions like other Florida local governments.” In spite of continued revenue reductions, increased costs, unfunded mandates from the State, financial constraints born out of Amendment 1 tax-reform legislation, and last year’s unprecedented $1 billion estimated decline in taxable value, the Board has made a concerted effort over the past three years to minimize the impact of service delivery to the citizens of Leon County, implementing expenditure reductions and reducing and restructuring services. During the 2008 annual retreat, the Board began discussing the diversification of the County’s revenues and prioritizing County services with regard to the funding priorities. The Board also adopted its “Guiding Principles” as a template for directing this process and as a way to make Leon County’s service delivery sustainable into the future. Commissioners continued restructuring and reducing costs throughout FY2009 and FY2010, including reducing hours at the library branches, eliminating positions at the Solid Waste Management Facility and Growth and Environmental Management Department, restructuring mosquito control and Management Information Services and competitively bidding the County’s property, workers compensation and general liability insurance. In addition to Tuesday’s Board action, the County Commission has taken several strategic steps in recent years to focus its limited resources on maintaining jobs, multiplying the effect of local dollars, creating local infrastructure improvement-related jobs and leveraging labor prices while they remain competitive. Some ongoing projects include: • Road resurfacings • Stormwater improvements • Building and expanding branch libraries • Rebuilding Buck Lake Road • Renovating the Courthouse Annex/Traffic Court Building • Rebuilding Public Works’ truck bays • Building a new operations hub for the Joint Dispatch Center, Emergency Medical Services and the Emergency Operations Center Staff has performed literature reviews and worked with the Economic Development Council to determine the job impacts of funding capital projects. Based on the funds authorized, including the joint funding of the Dispatch Center, more than 800 jobs will have been maintained or created for the private sector. The County continues to maintain the lowest net budget, the lowest net budget per resident, the lowest number of employees, and the lowest number of employees per capita than any other like-sized counties in Florida. When compared to Florida’s other 66 counties: • Leon County has the fourth lowest net budget per capita, after Gadsden, Santa Rosa and Baker counties. • Leon County has the fifth lowest number of employees per capita with only Pinellas, Seminole, Santa Rosa and Sumter employing fewer. Citizens will have the opportunity to provide input on the budget before it is finalized in September. The first public hearing will be on Tuesday, Sept. 7, at 6 p.m. in the Commission Chambers on the fifth floor of the Leon County Courthouse located at 301 S. Monroe St. The second public hearing will be at the same location on Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m., at which time the Board is scheduled to adopt the final budget and millage rates. For detailed information on the budget workshop, please visit the Leon County website at www.leoncountyfl.gov , contact the Office of Management & Budget at (850) 606-5100 or the Public Information Office at (850) 606-5300. Leon County Cuts Property Taxes by $2.1M, Maintains Millage Rate 2010-06-24T13:36:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/6th_iten_wired_summit_june_18/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/6th_iten_wired_summit_june_18/ New market initiatives are an important direction in fostering competitiveness and new growth opportunities through innovation. Attendees will understand the trends in industry development across the five-county region and how it can serve as a growth engine for the region and your business. The summit is co-hosted by Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Gulf Coast Technology Council, Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, and the University of South Alabama. The focus of this summit will be “Fostering Growth Through Innovation in Targeted Industries.” The cost is $75 and includes lunch. Registrations must be received by June 11. For more information, visit http://www.itenwired.com/summit/ or contact Christina Stimpson at 251-431-8636. 6th iTen Wired Summit June 18 2010-06-10T14:08:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/ribbon_cutting_open_house_scheduled_for_fsu_research_facilities/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/ribbon_cutting_open_house_scheduled_for_fsu_research_facilities/ Florida State University President Eric Barron led a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of two buildings designed to provide new opportunities for university researchers as well as university-related start-up companies. The ceremony and open house were held on Wednesday, June 9, at the FSU Research Foundation Entrepreneurial Building. “We are excited that FSU has opened a business incubator to help university-related start-up companies, as well as university researchers, have an ideal facility to help them grow their business," said EDC Chairman Kim Williams. "We are looking forward to assisting them in this endeavor.” The two properties — the FSU Research Foundation Entrepreneurial Building and the neighboring FSU Research Complex — were purchased by the Florida State University Research Foundation in 2008. (No state or university funds were used in the purchases.) Located in the Commonwealth Center commercial district in northwest Tallahassee, the facilities have related but distinct purposes. The Research Foundation Entrepreneurial Building has been modified to address the needs of FSU researchers who have launched start-up companies based on their work in the laboratory. Much of the building’s equipment and fixtures, such as fume hoods used in chemical experiments, cabinetry and countertops, were taken from the Conradi Building on campus, which is itself being repurposed. Thus far, the Research Foundation Entrepreneurial Building has three confirmed tenants, with a fourth expected in August. The confirmed tenants are: *Florida Custom Synthesis, a company created using research conducted by Professor Gregory Dudley of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Led by company president Douglas Engel, Florida Custom Synthesis will work on drug-compound development and research. *Cable-in-Conduit, Engineering, Fabrication, and Test Inc. (CICEFT), a company started by Tom Painter, a research associate at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State. CICEFT will encase superconducting wire in stainless tubes for use in nuclear facilities. *BioFront LLC, a company operated by Jason Robotham, a postdoctoral associate who recently earned his Ph.D. while working in the laboratory of Assistant Professor Hengli Tang in the Department of Biological Science. BioFront will develop hepatitis C testing kits. “Space is extremely limited on campus, and there wasn’t another location in Tallahassee that has laboratories that are feasible for these types of start-up companies — so we built our own,” said Kirby Kemper, vice president for Research at Florida State. “By purchasing existing buildings and retrofitting them with recycled materials wherever possible, we have come up with an inexpensive way of establishing a small-business incubator for local companies working with university-generated research.” Ribbon-Cutting, Open House Scheduled for FSU Research Facilities 2010-06-10T14:06:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tcc_launches_presidential_search_website/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tcc_launches_presidential_search_website/ Tallahassee Community College students, faculty and staff, as well as alumni and community members, can follow the College's search for a new president through TCC's presidential search website – president.tcc.fl.edu. Various committees are in the decision-making process of steps critical to TCC's search for a new president. As details become available in the near future, this Web site will house the most important information, including news and notes from the presidential search committee and a timeline chronicling important dates and deadlines in the search process. "Dr. Bill Law is leaving TCC with a legacy of student success, world-class education and a community that is grateful for his leadership," said Karen Moore, chair of the TCC Board of Trustees and chair-elect of the EDC. "We want everyone to know that the presidential search process will be open, transparent and will embrace all sectors of the community, and this site is an important tool in that process." Dr. Bill Law ended his eight-year tenure with TCC on April 30 to become the next president at St. Petersburg College. TCC Launches Presidential Search Website 2010-05-27T19:37:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/famu_president_appoints_k_ken_redda_as_acting_vice_president_for_research/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/famu_president_appoints_k_ken_redda_as_acting_vice_president_for_research/ Florida A&M University (FAMU) President James H. Ammons has appointed Kinfe Ken Redda, Ph.D., a professor in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (COPPS), as acting vice president for the Division of Research. Redda once served as an associate vice president for Research from 2004 to 2005. “I am confident that Dr. Redda will provide the leadership to guide the Division of Research during this transitional period,” said FAMU President James H. Ammons. “He is an outstanding professor, researcher and administrator with a long history of securing research grants. He has consistently been honored by his peers.” The university will conduct a national search for the position of vice president of Research. Redda began employment at FAMU on January 1, 1985 as an associate professor of medicinal chemistry in the COPPS. During his tenure at FAMU, Redda has generated more than $30.1 million from research and training grant awards. “It’s an honor and a privilege to serve FAMU in any capacity,” said Redda. “I’m truly looking forward to a very productive engagement. I am so grateful to our illustrious president for his faith in me. I will work diligently to help ensure FAMU and the Division of Research are continually promoted, expanded and strengthened.” On administrative leave as a professor and funded principal investigator from COPPS, Redda also will serve as an activity leader in the Drug Discovery Core Facility (DDCF), a component of the Research Center in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program. A prolific grantsman, Redda graduated from the faculty of pharmacy, University of Albert (Canada) with a Ph.D. degree in Medicinal Chemistry in 1978. He completed a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship in synthetic medicinal chemistry a Dalhousie University, Canada. He served as an assistant professor of medicinal chemistry at the College of Pharmacy, University of Puerto Rico in San Juan from 1980 to 1984. In 1998, former FAMU President Frederick S. Humphries appointed Redda to serve as the director of the NIH funded Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) Program at FAMU. He was promoted to a full professor level in 1989. Redda excelled in expanding and strengthening biomedical research on campus and generated millions of dollars for FAMU from NIH during his tenure as the MBRS director for 17 years. He was also the principal investigator and program director of the highly successful NASA funded and FAMU administered Space Life Sciences Training Program (SLSTP), a summer program for about 40 college students that were recruited nationally from1987-1995. The training of these high achieving students, who had passion for space life sciences, was held at the Kennedy Space Center. Among his numerous achievement awards, Redda was the recipient of both the prestigious Teaching Incentive Program (TIP) Award for outstanding teaching and research contribution in 1996 and the Professorial Excellence Program (PEP) Award for longevity of service to the University and demonstrated excellence in teaching, research and service in 1999. Redda has an active and productive research team of research associates, postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students in his laboratory. His research involves the design and synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles as anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents. Many of his former research students have successfully completed their M.S., Pharm.D., M.D. and Ph.D. degrees and pursued professional and/or biomedical research careers. Redda is the author of “Cocaine, Marijuana, Designer Drugs: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Behavior.” He has also authored about 50 scientific peer-reviewed and indexed papers. His research findings were presented in more than 80 national and international scientific meetings, including all over USA, Africa, Canada, Switzerland, United Kingdom, China, Germany, Russia, Austria, Italy, and Dubai (UAE). Redda is a member of numerous state and national professional and scientific associations. In this capacity, he is a regular manuscript reviewer of articles submitted for publication to major scientific journals. FAMU President Appoints K. Ken Redda as Acting Vice President for Research 2010-05-27T19:33:01-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/ciceft_inc_launches_in_tallahassee/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/ciceft_inc_launches_in_tallahassee/ The Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County, Inc (EDC) in partnership with the City of Tallahassee is pleased to recognize the launch of CICEFT, Inc. in Tallahassee resulting in the initial creation of five high-wage, high-tech jobs in the emerging sector of magnet and materials sciences, and the opportunity to help launch a new energy project with potential world-wide application. The vision of Magnet Lab engineer Tom Painter, CICEFT is a new small business specializing in the engineering, fabrication and testing of superconducting cable inserted into a conduit. “We are honored to be the US national supplier of cable in conduit jacketing services for the International ITER project and are excited that these components could eventually lead to a solution to the world’s energy problems. We couldn’t have done it without the developed base of intellectual property at FSU’s National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the assistance of the EDC, the City of Tallahassee, the airport and Flightline Group,” said Tom Painter, President of CICEFT, Inc. Through the formation of a collaborative team of industry, education and local government leaders, the EDC has assisted CICEFT, Inc. in locating a site and designing facilities to support a recently awarded $5 million federal contract to provide components to the US ITER Magnetic Fusion Energy project. “This is exactly what we need to happen,” said Kim Williams, Chairman of the EDC, “the commercialization of technologies in our research and development facilities by talented engineers like Tom. It takes people and resources to get a business started and we are so fortunate to have such a dedicated group of business leaders to lend their experience to Tom and his team and for the City and Flightline to provide the site at the airport.” CICEFT offices are located in the newly established Florida State University Entrepreneurial Center in Commonwealth Center business park, but the US ITER contract requires a unique placement of two facilities roughly 3000 feet apart with a flat surface between them to assemble the components for the Magnetically Confined Fusion Energy Experiment being built in Europe by a seven nation consortium including the European Union, the Russian Federation, Japan, China, India, South Korea and the Unites States. Fusion Energy has the potential to provide an essentially unlimited source of clean, carbon-free electricity. If the ITER Experiment is successful, it will be a big step towards developing this technology as a viable commercial energy source. “It’s not everyday that we get to help start a new business in Tallahassee,” said John Marks, Mayor, “but it is great to know that the Tallahassee Regional Airport can play such a vital role in the creation of this new company.” “We knew from the start that this was the place for CICEFT,” said Danny Langston, President of Flightline Group. “It has been a great journey working with the EDC partners and Tom to provide a creative solution for a unique set of requirements.” CICEFT will lease two aircraft hangars just north of the Compass Pointe development to assemble and test the cable in conduit for the US ITER contract. The initial five jobs pay an average wage $73,200 which is twice that of the Tallahassee MSA at $34,822. The company expects to add three technical positions in the next 12 months. CICEFT Inc. Launches In Tallahassee 2010-05-27T19:32:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/edc_and_chamber_team_up_to_equip_area_businesses/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/edc_and_chamber_team_up_to_equip_area_businesses/ Guest Columnist for Tallahassee Democrat By: Beth Kirkland, Executive Director, Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County, Inc. The Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County and the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce serve the local business community in different, but complementary ways. Each has specific programs that focus on providing opportunities for business success, and on May 20, two of them will intersect for a unique event. Every two months, the Chamber offers its Business Nuts & Bolts program, a popular gathering of motivated business people looking for networking, discussion of best practices and a timely keynote address from an expert in a field relevant to helping small businesses be more successful. While the Chamber's 1600 members represent leaders in the business community, the Nuts & Bolts crowd has have been especially engaged in seeking opportunities in a challenging economy. That is why we were so excited about the prospect of introducing them to the incentives offered through our local Enterprise Zone Development Agency. Administered through the EDC, the EZDA is a government business incentive program that encourages activity in areas targeted for economic revitalization. In our case, it is a 20-square-mile area in the central, southern and western portions of the community. The program offers various state tax incentives, including new employee tax credits and sales tax rebates on equipment and construction materials. The problem has been that not enough companies are taking advantage of incentives that they could use to hire, train employees and grow their operations, which is why Nuts & Bolts is a perfect fit. The program will feature keynote speakers Greg Gentry and Ken Machemehl, from ADP Tax Credit Services, discussing "Business Resources for Your Bottom Line." Attendees will be presented with information on various tax incentives available to eligible businesses, including Florida's geographically based incentives, such as those available within the local Enterprise Zone. Now, more than ever, it is important to understand and take advantage of local, state and federal dollars, and this forum will present small-businesses owners with the know-how to cut costs through government incentives in these tough economic times. All area businesses will benefit from attending this special event, which also will include extended networking opportunities and expanded exhibit space. And for those located within the Enterprise Zone, it could mean access to dollars they never knew were available. So please join us on Thursday, May 20, at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center starting at 8:00 a.m. To register for the event, contact the Chamber at (850) 224-8116 or visit www.talchamber.com. For exhibit information, contact Nicole Singletary at nsingletary@taledc.com or (850) 521-3106. EDC and Chamber Team Up to Equip Area Businesses 2010-05-17T12:55:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/save_the_date_second_annual_fcaap_symposium_exhibition_august_9_10/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/save_the_date_second_annual_fcaap_symposium_exhibition_august_9_10/ The Second Annual FCAAP Symposium & Exhibition, sponsored by the Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion, will be held on August 9-10, 2010, at the Florida State University Alumni Center in Tallahassee, Florida. The Symposium will feature presentations and papers describing the broad, highly interdisciplinary FCAAP-supported research being conducted by our faculty, students and scientists. Research and technology development projects discussed at the symposium will include Smart/Advanced Materials, Actuator and Sensor Design, Subsonic/Supersonic Flow, Noise Control and High Performance Computing. Applications of this research and technology can be found in the areas of aeronautics, aviation, aerospace, propulsion and power. We anticipate that the research results discussed at this symposium will be of significant interest to the academic, scientific, and industrial community. The Second Annual FCAAP Symposium & Exhibition will take place: MONDAY AND TUESDAY, AUG. 9-10, 2010 8 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. MONDAY; 8:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. TUESDAY UNIVERSITY CENTER CLUB BUILDING B, DOAK CAMPBELL STADIUM THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY TALLAHASSEE, FLA. Research and technology development projects to be discussed at the symposium will include: * Smart Materials * Actuator and Sensor Design * Subsonic/Supersonic Flow * Noise Control * High-Performance Computing Applications of this research and technology can be found in the areas of aeronautics, aviation, aerospace, propulsion and power. The research being discussed at this symposium will be of significant interest to the academic, scientific and industrial communities. For a complete schedule of events and registration information, visit the FCAAP website at www.fcaap.com Save the Date: Second Annual FCAAP Symposium & Exhibition August 9-10 2010-05-13T14:07:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/three_researchers_receive_112000_in_university_gap_awards/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/three_researchers_receive_112000_in_university_gap_awards/ For the past five years, the Florida State University Research Foundation has funded a highly competitive grant program designed to support Florida State researchers as they seek to transfer their technology out of the laboratory and into the marketplace. The winners of these Grant Assistance Program (GAP) awards, selected twice a year, are those researchers who can most clearly identify the commercial viability of a product, process or license that they believe will result from their collaboration with a corporate partner. “One of the most important contributions that large research universities can make is to nurture the scientific and technological expertise that our society depends on to generate breakthroughs in medicine, computer technology, energy generation and so many other areas,” said Kirby Kemper, Florida State’s vice president for Research. “With this ninth round of GAP awards, we are able to support researchers who may be on the brink of significant breakthroughs.” In April, the GAP Selection Committee made its recommendation for awards for the final round of GAP funding for fiscal year 2010, and the Research Foundation granted a total of $112,000 in GAP awards to three research projects currently under way at Florida State. The projects selected to receive GAP funding in this spring’s competition are: * A New Type of Wound Dressing: A $50,000 award goes to Joseph Schlenoff, the Mandelkern Professor of Polymer Science and chairman of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, for the project “Saloplastic Wound Dressing.” Schlenoff has developed an entirely new material that can be molded and stretched over a wound and hardens into a cast. His material has the added advantage of being producible in a variety of different formats (spools, tubes, pellets, etc.), so conceivably the new material could be easily carried into the battlefield or with first-responder medics. The GAP project plans for Schlenoff and his team to optimize the invention and determine a packaging strategy to show the commercial viability of the invention in a product developed by a corporate partner. * Virus Detection Kit: A $47,000 award goes to Hengli Tang, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Science, for the project “Development of an Infectious Virus Kit.” Tang and his team are working to develop a portable “lab on a chip”-type kit that can be used to detect the presence of the hepatitis C virus in humans in a more cost-effective manner than is currently available. The GAP project plan calls for Tang and his lab to optimize the kit with animal testing to increase its viability and competitiveness. A new start-up company is under consideration. * Preparation of Vitamin D Derivatives: A $15,000 award goes to Jack Saltiel, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, for the project “Preparation of Vitamin D Derivatives.” Saltiel has developed a novel way to produce vitamin D, which is an essential vitamin important for maintaining bone density and is thought to play a role in cancer prevention. Florida State has obtained a patent for Saltiel’s method that uses a simple photosynthesis method to convert provitamin Ds to vitamin D. The GAP project plan calls for Saltiel to scale up the quantities of vitamin D to provide an alternative, cost-effective method for commercial production by a corporate partner. The researchers will work with a mentoring team consisting of members of the GAP selection committee and local business leaders. This group will meet on a quarterly basis to provide insight and assistance to the GAP winners in the area of product development. “I’d like to express my great appreciation to the members of the selection committee, who give so generously of their time and knowledge because they believe that this process is important,” Kemper said. “I’d especially like to recognize Kay Stephenson, president of the Datamaxx Group, for her continuing leadership of this accomplished group of individuals.” Visit www.research.fsu.edu/foundation/gap for more on the GAP awards. Three Researchers Receive $112,000 in University ‘Gap’ Awards 2010-05-13T14:06:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/robinson_confirmed_as_assistant_secretary_of_commerce_for_oceans_and_atmosp/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/robinson_confirmed_as_assistant_secretary_of_commerce_for_oceans_and_atmosp/ The U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Larry Robinson by unanimous consent Thursday, May 6, to serve as assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Robinson will help guide policy and program direction for NOAA’s conservation, protection and resource management priorities. On Monday, May 10, at 11:30 a.m., Robinson will be sworn-in on the steps of Lee Hall on Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) campus. NOAA helps protect, restore, and manage the use of ocean, coastal and Great Lakes’ resources through an ecosystem-based approach to management. “Protecting valuable coastal ecosystems and marine life while promoting resilient coastal communities is critical to the economic well-being and health of the nation,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said. “Dr. Robinson has broad, interdisciplinary scientific expertise in marine and coastal ecosystems and understands how they contribute to economic and societal health. His proven capability as a visionary leader and experience integrating many complex program objectives will advance NOAA’s efforts to ensure the health and vitality of coastal communities and the resources on which they depend.” In his new position, Robinson will support and manage NOAA's coastal and marine programs, including marine sanctuaries for preserving areas of special national significance, fisheries management to sustain economic prosperity, and nautical charts for safe navigation. He will also support NOAA’s participation as a lead agency in President Obama’s Ocean Policy Task Force. “Once he is sworn in next week, Dr. Robinson will go to the Gulf Coast, where he will help coordinate NOAA’s scientific resources throughout the region,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA Administrator. “With a background in coastal resource management and the environmental sciences, as well as his personal familiarity with the region’s ecosystems and communities, he will significantly further the federal government’s response to the spill’s effects.” “Having spent so many years working on ocean and coastal ecosystem issues, I am excited to be joining NOAA at this dynamic and challenging time,” said Robinson. “As we confront climate change and other threats to our coastal communities, I look forward to helping develop and implement national ocean policy, and working with fishing communities and councils around the country to effectively manage our valuable fisheries. There is so much important work to be done that benefits the economy, the environment and our communities.” Robinson Confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere at NOAA 2010-05-13T14:04:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/famu_pharmacy_faculty_make_international_impact/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/famu_pharmacy_faculty_make_international_impact/ Florida A&M University’s College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences faculty, Henry Lewis III, PharmD, professor and dean of the College along with Hong Xiao, Ph.D., associate professor and director, economic, social and administrative pharmacy, housed in the College, recently traveled to Beijing, China. Lewis and Xiao participated in the 2009 China-Japan Pharmacist International Forum. The China-Japan pharmacists’ international forum (CJPIF) is sponsored by China-Japan Medical Science and Technology Exchanges Association, Chinese Pharmaceutical Association, Japanese Society of Hospital Pharmacists, with the basis of the two countries’ pharmacists and participation of other countries’ pharmacists. Their mission is to promote the international exchange and cooperation of Chinese and Japanese pharmacists, as well as, other pharmacists in the world. The CJPIF are held annually with a focus on drug policy, drug administration and pharmacist practice. Numerous well-known specialists, officials and pharmacists were invited to discuss health care or drug policy related topics, to explore pharmacy international cooperation, and to share their technology and experience. CJPIF provided an international exhibition and a platform of new outcomes and practice skills for pharmacists all over the world to exchange, learn, share and help each other. Lewis and Xiao visited Peking University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Beijing where Xiao attended pharmacy school and met with members of the faculty where they discussed pharmacy education and pharmacists’ responsibilities in China and the United States. They made presentations at the CJPIF, which had more than 1,400 attendees from China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, and South Africa. Lewis’ presentation was entitled “Drug Policy in the United States.” Xaio’s presentation title was “Pharmacy Administration in the United States.” Lewis said, “Participation in the 2009 China–Japan Pharmacist International Forum and the developing collaboration with Peking University for the research and intellectual exchange is directly related to FAMU’s goal of becoming a Global University. Reaching out across continents spreads the FAMU message and positions in to be a major player in international education, economic development and partnerships.” FAMU Pharmacy Faculty Make International Impact 2010-05-13T14:03:01-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tmh_breaks_ground_on_red_hills_surgery_center/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tmh_breaks_ground_on_red_hills_surgery_center/ EDC Chairman and TMH Board Member Kim Williams joined local leaders and elected officials yesterday for the groundbreaking of the Red Hills Surgery Center (RHSC). The 17,000-square-foot multi-specialty ambulatory surgery center will feature five operating rooms and several pre-op and recovery rooms. The facility will be used by physicians representing four specialties including: ENT, Orthopedic Surgery, General Surgery, and OB/GYN. RHSC will focus its attention on ensuring patient comfort, privacy and a swift recovery - devoted to quick case turnaround and minimal patient waiting time. The building design includes an Educational Observation Room and Lobby at the end of one of the operating rooms. "The EDC is proud to have assisted with the development of this project, particularly the inclusion of the Educational Observation Room and Lobby," Williams said. "Local tax incentive programs and environmental permitting programs, such as the one in place with the City, are creating high-wage jobs in Health Sciences, one of our targeted industry sectors. The project will include a workforce training area that will provide introduction to the many great jobs (with benefits) associated with the healthcare field and excite young minds. It also will augment the training taking place down the street at the Gazhvini Health Education Center through observation of actual cases." The Observation Room and Lobby will allow students and other selected groups to visualize operations that are taking place from different specialties via picture windows, video screens and cameras mounted over the patient. Healthcare is and will continue to be one of this region’s economic drivers, and this education model will have a direct impact on the development of the workforce pipeline. The facility is expected to generate between 40 and 70 local jobs. TMH Breaks Ground on Red Hills Surgery Center 2010-05-13T13:58:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/recovery_zone_facility_bonds_recommended_for_gateway_development/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/recovery_zone_facility_bonds_recommended_for_gateway_development/ The Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County, Inc (EDC) in partnership with the City of Tallahassee and Leon County is pleased to announce the approval of Gateway, LLC as the recipient of the combined City and County Recovery Zone Facility Bonds allocations of $9,795,00. This project, which recently was approved by both the Leon County and City of Tallahassee commissions, will be utilized for a major new development at the corner of Monroe Street and Tennessee Street. The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 adopted February 17, 2009 contains various tax provisions that provide state and local governments with a number of new temporary financing tools and incentives. One such provision allows the private developer access to the tax-exempt municipal bond market to lower borrowing costs. In addition, the allocations must be used in an established geographical area targeted for economic revitalization. In October 2009 both commissions adopted a resolution establishing the economic recovery zone as depicted in the attached map. The bond allocation application process administered by the EDC was opened on March 1, 2010, and closed on April 1, 2010. One eligible application was received. The Gateway, LLC project is a $14.5 million redevelopment of the northeast corner of Tennessee St. and Monroe St. with plans to construct a three story mixed use development at the gateway of downtown Tallahassee as seen in the enclosed rendering. The project will include approximately 13,500 square feet for Walgreens drug store and additional retail space facing Monroe Street. The site will include office space above the retail and approximately 90 parking spaces in an underground and surface level parking garage. “This project has been in the works for quite awhile,” said Chad Kittrell, Principal, Hunter & Harp Holdings, LLC. “We applaud the EDC for realizing the importance of this financing tool and working with the City and the County to make it available here. This financing tool is allowing us to begin the project at a time when jobs are most important.” "This project will improve our urban landscape, provide immediate employment opportunities, and meet LEED certification standards," said County Chairman, Bob Rackleff. “It's a wonderful example of local governments partnering with the private sector under the economic stimulus package to foster construction ready projects." “We could not ask for a better project for the allocation of these bonds,“ said Mayor John Marks. “The design of the building is in line with the guidelines proposed by the Community Redevelopment Agency and will be a great compliment to the surrounding development that has occurred recently near this key downtown intersection. In addition, with a Walgreens included in The Gateway development, our downtown workers and those living in our downtown area will now have access to basic groceries and necessity items, which has long been one of our goals.” A bond hearing will take place in late June and construction could begin in early September 2010. The Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County (EDC) is a public/private partnership with the City of Tallahassee and Leon County, and is a division of the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. The EDC markets the competitive assets of the Tallahassee region locally and globally through a four-part message of world-class talent, world-renowned research and development, engaged high-tech industry, and planned growth and development. The success of the region is based on a balanced approach to economic development that includes emphasis in nurturing existing industry, developing entrepreneurial and new business opportunities, and attracting like-minded companies to the area. For more on the EDC, visit www.taledc.com. #### Recovery Zone Facility Bonds Approved for Gateway Development 2010-05-10T12:29:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/edc_and_chamber_team_up_for_special_program/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/edc_and_chamber_team_up_for_special_program/ The Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County and the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce are joining together for a special event that could have a dramatic impact on small businesses located in the heart of the community. The Enterprise Zone Development Agency, administered through the EDC, is partnering with the Chamber's Business Nuts & Bolts program for a unique forum on Thursday, May 20, at the Leon County Civic Center. The program will feature keynote speakers Greg Gentry and Ken Machemehl, from ADP Tax Credit Services, discussing "Business Resources for Your Bottom Line." Attendees will be presented with information on various tax incentives available to eligible businesses, including Florida's geographically based incentives, such as those available within the local Enterprise Zone. The timing of this event is perfect, according to Johanna Money, president of the Williams Group Commercial Real Estate. "Now more than ever it is important to understand and take advantage of local, state and federal dollars," she said. "This forum will present small-businesses owners with the know-how to cut costs through government incentives in these tough economic times.” Almost 20 square miles in size, the Tallahassee/Leon County Enterprise Zones is located in the central, southern and western portions of the community, a geographical area targeted for economic revitalization. Businesses that locate or expand their operations within the Zone are eligible for various state tax incentives, including new employee tax credits and sales tax rebates on equipment and construction materials. "Tax incentives are offered to all types of businesses that are located within the Enterprise Zone who employ zone residents, rehabilitate real property or purchase business equipment to be used in the zone," said EDC Executive Director Beth Kirkland. "In many cases, those credits allow a company to hire, train employees and grow." Business Nuts & Bolts, presented by Florida Commerce Credit Union, is one of the Chamber’s most popular programs. The May 20 event, sponsored by AT&T Real Yellow Pages, will begin at 8:00 a.m. and will include its usual format of breakfast, new-member recognition, business-card exchange and keynote address -- with expanded exhibitor opportunities and networking until 10:00 a.m. Exhibitors will include Workforce plus, TCC Center for Workforce Development, SCORE, Florida Black Business Investment Board, STC Group, ADP Tax Credit Services and the Chamber. To register for the event, contact the Chamber at (850) 224-8116 or visit www.talchamber.com. For exhibit information, contact Nicole Singletary at nsingletary@taledc.com or (850) 521-3106. Nuts & Bolts Program to Focus on EZ Incentives 2010-04-29T15:25:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/4_million_still_available_through_economic_gardening_business_loan_program/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/4_million_still_available_through_economic_gardening_business_loan_program/ In these tough economic times, many small businesses have been challenged in terms of finance, growth and opportunities. Just as the Economic Gardening Technical Assistance Program targets Second-stage companies, so does the Economic Gardening Business Loan Program. To date more than half of the $8.5 million the Legislature approved in the 2009 Special Session has been loaned, with the balance of the money available to loan now! To date over 55 companies are in the pipeline and there is still money to assist. If you have a Second-stage business in your community (10-50 employees and annual revenues of $1 to $25 million) that you know may need access to capital, help may just be an application away! The Black Business Investment Fund of Central Florida, Inc. (BBIF) has successfully provided small business loans for over 20 years in Central Florida. BBIF is seeking the statewide network of economic development practitioners to help spread the work and help those eligible businesses in each of our communities. As the economy revives, be the stewards of helping small business around Florida rebound and Flourish! For more information, please contact BBIF at 407-648-4780. You may also email to info@bbif.com or visit their website at www.bbif.com to download the EGBLP application. $4 Million Still Available through Economic Gardening Business Loan Program 2010-04-29T13:11:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/2010_freedm_systems_center_annual_conference/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/2010_freedm_systems_center_annual_conference/ The 2010 FREEDM Systems Center Annual Conference will be hosted by the Center for Advanced Power Systems at Florida State University on May 18. FSU and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical are members of the FREEDM Engineering Research Center, which is housed at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. "We are very pleased to host the conference and share the vast network of engineering and research assets in this community," said Steiner Dale, director of CAPS. This conference will showcase advances made in the areas of fundamental science and enabling technology development for renewable energy and smart grid technology. Featured keynote speakers will include: Mr. Bob Baron, President, Fulcrum Publishing and Ms. Bentina Terry, VP External Affairs and Corporate Services, Gulf Power Company. The event will offer attendees networking between industry members, faculty, and students; poster session; lab tours; live demos and more than 89 technical papers. For more information, visit www.freedm.ncsu.edu/. 2010 FREEDM Systems Center Annual Conference 2010-04-29T13:10:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/get_the_green_advantage_at_the_tcc_wakulla_center/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/get_the_green_advantage_at_the_tcc_wakulla_center/ Change has arrived in the construction industry, and both the environment and energy will be critical considerations. As a user of the built-environment, understanding how daily activities both at work and at home affect the green environment is critical. To educate the community on this topic, Tallahassee Community College will offer a class at the TCC Wakulla Center in May. Get the Green Advantage will be offered from 6-10 p.m., Monday-Thursday, May 17-20. Cost is $109. “This course provides a holistic and foundational approach to green construction for building professionals and the consumer so they can understand how their work and habits are connected to the green building process, how it encourages more collaboration on projects and how to generate more efficient, greener results,” said Marc Dick, Alternative Energy Specialist. “The course is excellent preparation for persons in the construction trades wishing to take the Green Advantage Certified Practitioner exam.” Additionally, TCC will offer Introduction to Solar Hot Water from 6-10 p.m., on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, May 17-27. The cost is $99. This Florida Solar Energy Center course is designed to provide trainees and consumers with the knowledge and skills needed to design, install, operate and maintain, or purchase the most common types of solar water heater systems. The course presents an overview of solar thermal applications, provides basic information on the principles of solar energy, reviews solar thermal technologies, and provides detailed instruction on the safe, efficient installation of solar water heating and pool heating systems. Interested participants can learn more about the classes and pre-register by visiting TCC’s Green Guide booth at the Sustainable Big Bend Green Living Expo on Saturday, May 8 at Riversprings Middle School in Crawfordville. For more information on classes offered at the TCC Wakulla Center, please call (850) 922-6290 or email WakullaCenter@tcc.fl.edu. “Get the Green Advantage” at the TCC Wakulla Center 2010-04-29T13:09:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/groundbreaking_ceremony_held_for_planned_aero_propulsion_mechatronics_and_e/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/groundbreaking_ceremony_held_for_planned_aero_propulsion_mechatronics_and_e/ NOTE: "Florida State University's emphasis on developing world-class research facilities continues to impact our local economy," said EDC Chairman Kim Williams. "FSU serves as a significant economic engine by creating jobs and commercializing research that often leads to developing local businesses right here in Tallahassee. We are very excited about the announcement of the new research facility and what it will mean to our community." Florida State University President Eric J. Barron led a groundbreaking ceremony today to mark the start of construction of a 60,000-square-foot university facility that will support advanced research in aerospace and aviation, mechatronics (robotics) and sustainable energy engineering. “These are areas of extraordinary growth potential for the economy of the state of Florida, as well as supporting frontier areas of research activity within the university,” Barron said. When completed in late 2011, the Aero-Propulsion, Mechatronics and Energy Building will house laboratories, equipment, offices and other infrastructure necessary to carry out the university’s research mission in several key areas seen as crucial to the economic development of the state and nation. Among the organizations that will be housed in the $23 million facility are Florida State’s Energy and Sustainability Center, as well as some faculty and staff from the Institute for Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainability; the university’s Center for Intelligent Systems, Control, and Robotics; and the Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion, a State University System Center of Excellence that is headquartered at FSU. “The building’s name essentially suggests the synergistic nature of the research that will take place there,” said Chiang Shih, chairman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering within the College of Engineering. “This facility will unite three interdisciplinary groups to foster cross-cutting collaborations and exemplary educational programs. “All three fields — aero-propulsion, mechatronics and energy — have contributed substantially to recent technological advancements that have allowed the United States to sustain its competitive edge,” said Shih, who has worked with university administrators and faculty, as well as the building’s architect, on the design for the new facility. “They will continue to be critical areas in the development of future breakthroughs to guarantee our position as the global leader in technology for the 21st century.” The new building will be located adjacent to Florida State’s High-Performance Materials Institute — another new facility that opened its doors in February 2009 — and near the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and the Florida A&M University-Florida State University College of Engineering on Florida State’s Southwest Campus in Tallahassee. As its name indicates, the research that will take place within the Aero-Propulsion, Mechatronics and Energy Building will focus on three key areas: * Aero-propulsion: The discipline of aero-propulsion deals with transportation systems and other objects that move through air, influencing the design and fabrication of aircraft, spacecraft, automotive transport, and all manner of vehicles in motion. The relevant research areas cover fundamental science topics such as aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, acoustics, thermal physics and turbulence, as well as practical applications such as combustion improvement, active control of flow separation, supersonic jet noise suppression, lift/thrust enhancement and drag reduction. * Mechatronics: The term mechatronics, a combination of mechanics and electronics, was first used in Japan in the 1960s. From a technical perspective, it is the synergistic integration of mechanical, electrical, control and computer systems to create functional products. Mechatronics has become the enabling technology responsible for industrial innovations in numerous economic sectors, including automobiles, alternative energy, aerospace, electronics and defense. The field of mechatronics generally covers topics such as robotics, micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS), intelligent systems, automated guided vehicles and smart materials. * Energy: Seeking new energy resources that are more efficient and cost-effective and that minimize effects on the environment is among the most critical issues that the world will have to grapple with in the 21st century. The Aero-Propulsion, Mechatronics and Energy Building will house research labs for organizations that are focused on exploring reliable, affordable, safe and clean energy technologies, including projects such as Florida State’s Off-Grid, Zero-Emission Building; solar-thermal systems; a photo bioreactor for algae growth; and fuel-cell and advanced battery technologies. Florida State’s vice president for Research, Kirby Kemper, was one of nearly a dozen people wielding a shovel at today’s groundbreaking ceremony. He said the new Aero-Propulsion, Mechatronics and Energy Building will mark a milestone in the university’s march toward preeminence in engineering and the sciences. “This facility will enable FSU to more effectively conduct research in areas that are vital to our state’s economic future,” Kemper said. “With its proximity to the High-Performance Materials Institute, the magnet lab and other advanced research centers, our faculty and students will have opportunities for interdisciplinary research that few other institutions can provide.” Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for Planned Aero-Propulsion, Mechatronics and Energy Building 2010-04-29T13:05:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/business_leaders_fighting_for_jobs_in_energy/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/business_leaders_fighting_for_jobs_in_energy/ Published in Sunshine State News Business leaders and researchers held an event in the Capitol on Monday to urge the Legislature to create more jobs in the energy industry. “The state of Florida has an opportunity and it comes only one time,” said Lynda Weatherman, president and CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast. Comparing Florida’s opportunity to California’s opportunity with high-tech jobs in Silicon Valley and Detroit’s with automobile manufacturing, she said, “This is our chance.” “We’re losing that window to attract renewable energy jobs,” Weatherman said. Weatherman said Florida has opportunities in harnessing solar energy, gaining wind power through turbines and in biomass. “There is a bright future for job creation in the energy sector,” said Beth Kirkland, executive director of the Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County. While House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, had to back out of the event due to a committee meeting, he voiced his support of Weatherman’s and Kirkland’s efforts in a statement. “We have an opportunity to diversify and expand Florida’s energy economy, creating new jobs and leveraging emerging technologies not only for clean energy, but to help get our economy back on track,” he said. Weatherman said that one challenge facing increasing the number of jobs in Florida in energy is local demand. Noting that an airplane manufacturer had just moved to her area, Weatherman said that the planes did not rely on local consumers. She said that energy companies are different and will only move if there is strong local demand. Weatherman said that other states, including Arizona, are seeing increased jobs with energy companies moving in. She said it is vital for Florida to become more competitive to lure energy jobs here. “We need to get clean-tech jobs to Florida,” said Dave Cartes, director of the Florida State University Institute for Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainability. Weatherman noted that the Space Coast has a number of highly skilled employees losing their jobs due to the Space Shuttle program being terminated. She said this population represents a strong base of workers for any energy companies looking to expand operations in Florida. While the leaders did not endorse any specific legislation during the event, they said they hoped to focus the Legislature’s attention on this opportunity. Incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, who like Hasner was detained by a committee meeting, entered the meeting just as it was breaking up. “We’re for this,” he said, adding that he wanted to show his support for the leaders’ efforts. Business Leaders Fighting for Jobs in Energy 2010-04-20T23:43:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tcc_to_offer_ehis_certificate_program/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/tcc_to_offer_ehis_certificate_program/ New healthcare legislation has changed the way medical records are kept. Tallahassee Community College’s Center for Workforce Development is responding by offering a course to ensure electronic health information specialists (EHIS) are on the cutting edge of the newest procedures. The Electronic Health Information Specialist Certificate Program (EHI0100), comprised of 352 clock hours, includes the introduction to health information management, medical terminology, computers in healthcare, legal and ethical aspects of health information, medical office procedures, records management, medical quality assurance and supervision, medical billing and insurance, CPT, ICD-9 and hospital procedural coding, anatomy and physiology for health information, business English and communications, and pharmacology for health information. The EHIS Certificate Program will be offered from 1-5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays beginning May 5 and continuing through December 13 with the exception of College holidays. All sessions will be conducted on TCC’s main campus, in Room 207 of the Center for Workforce Development. The cost of the course is $1599 and includes a certification exam fee. There are five required textbooks for the course, which cost approximately $880 and are available at the TCC Bookstore. To enroll, interested participants must complete an online, non-credit application to TCC and the TABE test at the eighth grade level in reading, language and math, as well as register and pay course fees online. There is no fee for the TABE test. For dates and times for TABE testing, as well as additional information on the EHIS Certificate Program, contact Carol Easley by phone, (850) 201-8481, or e-mail easleyc@tcc.fl.edu. TCC to offer EHIS Certificate Program 2010-04-15T17:30:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/leon_county_receives_117m_grant_from_us_department_of_energy/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/leon_county_receives_117m_grant_from_us_department_of_energy/ The Leon County Office of Sustainability announced that the County was chosen by the Florida Energy and Climate Commission (FECC) to receive $1.17 million in stimulus funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for its energy-efficient projects. Nearly 70 Florida municipalities applied for funds through the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), but Leon County - one of the few Florida local governments with an Office of Sustainability - was one of only 12 other applicants awarded money for implementing its energy conservation measures. "This proves that we are at the forefront of local governments working toward a sustainable future," said Leon County Commission Chairman Bob Rackleff. "Only a dozen other Florida cities and counties received funding for their respective programs, and Leon County's application ranked in the top five." The "Leon County Energy Reduction Plan" laid out energy conservation measures, focusing mainly on lighting fixtures and control panel upgrades, which an energy audit suggested would save an upwards of a million tax payer dollars over the course of seven years. These upgrades include motion sensors, daylight sensors, timers for after-hours lighting - as well as LED lighting, which uses a third of the energy of traditional lights - for County-owned buildings, resulting in a projected annual savings of $164,000. "These energy conservation measures were selected, in part, due to their relatively short payback period, which is a little over seven years," said County Sustainability Coordinator Maggie Theriot, who led the application process. "Without these grant resources, the implementation of these important projects would have been postponed indefinitely due to a lack of other funding sources." In addition to infrastructure enhancements, some of the funds will be used to create and implement a two-prong energy-education program for County employees, both in offices as well as maintenance staff. "Leon County has already made a significant investment in reducing our energy consumption, and these grant funds will be an important contribution to help further our energy conservation goals," said County Administrator Parwez Alam. "We're extremely proud of this accomplishment." The County is also gearing up for next month's Sustainable Communities Summit 2010 to educate and engage Leon County residents and businesses on the necessity of developing a sustainable community. Building on its efforts from the 2008 Climate Action Summit, the Leon County Board of County Commissioners will host this year's summit, coordinated by the Office of Sustainability, on May 6 and 7 at the newly constructed Florida State University Turnbull Center, a state-of-the-art facility built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards. Guests will include consultants, independent produce growers, small and mid-sized businesses, entrepreneurs and representatives from civic groups, government and the education sector who will to delve into the nuts and bolts of a comprehensive sustainable community. Featured speakers will include world-renowned authors John Robbins, heir to the Baskin-Robbins empire, and Bill McKibben, creator of 350.org. To register for the summit, visit www.LeonCountyFL.gov/Summit or for more information, email Sustainability@LeonCountyFL.gov . Leon County Receives $1.17M Grant from U.S. Department of Energy 2010-04-15T17:29:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/city_maintains_strong_bond_ratings/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/city_maintains_strong_bond_ratings/ Despite serious economic conditions affecting municipal governments nationwide, the City of Tallahassee has maintained or enhanced its energy system bond ratings. Recently received reports from the nation's three major bond-rating services reaffirmed the City's sound financial stewardship and stable customer base, resulting in high ratings of energy bonds. Of the three major rating services, Fitch maintained its AA- rating and Moody's maintained its Aa3 rating of City of Tallahassee energy system bonds. In addition, Standard & Poor's raised its rating of the energy system bonds from AA- to AA, citing the City's 'good management practices, support from the City Commission and sustained strong financial metrics.' All three services noted the ratings were due in part to the City's well-maintained fiscal operations and having solid financial reserves in place. "Governments all over the state and indeed nationwide have struggled with how to achieve or maintain strong financial ratings in an economic era that is unprecedented," said City Treasurer-Clerk Gary Herndon. "As such, the City energy system bond ratings are great news and confirm the wisdom of some of the many difficult decisions the City Commission has made over the past year and longer to stabilize and enhance our financial footing." In issuing the positive ratings, the rating services also noted strong and stable debt service coverage, limits on fund transfers to preserve utility financial soundness and positive oversight of utility rate issues. City Maintains Strong Bond Ratings 2010-04-15T17:28:01-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/bill_law_named_president_at_st_petersburg_college/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/bill_law_named_president_at_st_petersburg_college/ On April 13, Bill Law announced that after eight years as president of Tallahassee Community College, he would be stepping down to accept the same position at St. Petersburg College. His considerable and consistent service to our community included two years as chairman of the EDC. "St Pete is getting a great president and someone who understands the importance of education's roll in economic development," said current EDC Chairman Kim Williams. "He has been dedicated both to TCC and our community. I wish Bill and Pat all the best. TCC and Tallahassee will miss him." The following is Dr. Law's official statement regarding the move. This afternoon, the Board of Trustees of St. Petersburg College, announced my selection as the next president of that fine institution. As a result, the rewarding and fulfilling experience as president of Tallahassee Community College will come to an end. Please allow me to express my deep gratitude for the patient support shown to me during the lengthy selection process over the last few months. I knew the process would create uncertainties and some anxieties. To the credit of faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees those sentiments have not deterred our commitment to our students and our community. I take pride in the fact that every employee of the college has grown in their service to our students over the past eight years. Faculty have changed and strengthened their teaching strategies. Counselors and advisors have greatly enhanced the ability of students to develop and implement individualized learning plans. Support staff have found new ways to improve the delivery of services to students, even in the face of greatly reduced funding. Without a doubt, we have added to our heritage of excellence and have moved to new heights. The Trustees of the College deserve recognition for their steadfast guidance and support in the community-centered vision for TCC. They have brought their expertise and wisdom to our day-to-day efforts. In particular, the Board has been instrumental in the crafting of the college’s financial plan that has served our students so well in these most difficult times. Tallahassee Community College is a valuable asset for our community. I am fortunate to have had the privilege of leading this wonderful institution. For the many expressions of support and encouragement I have received in that role, I want to express my sincere gratitude. For the many kindnesses shown to my family, we will always remain indebted to the community. Bill Law Named President at St. Petersburg College 2010-04-15T17:27:00-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/small_business_opportunity_forum/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/small_business_opportunity_forum/ The Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development (OTTED) is bringing together state and partner organizations that support Florida’s small businesses and entrepreneurs. This free forum is your chance to hear from and interact with key resources for expanding your business, including technical assistance and financing opportunities. Now more than ever, Florida’s small businesses need resources to grow. By helping them build their futures now, we help create more opportunities and new jobs, even during challenging economic times. Space is limited to 120 attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. Date: March 31, 2010, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Location: Disney Entrepreneur Center, 315 E. Robinson Street, Ste 100, Orlando, FL Contact: Jose.Romano@eog.myflorida.com Small Business Opportunity Forum 2010-03-25T17:03:01-05:00 http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/research_is_big_business_in_florida/ http://www.beapartofoursecret.com/index.php/news/events/research_is_big_business_in_florida/ Results from the ninth annual Florida Research University Technology Transfer Survey released in June 2009 underscore the value of university research in Florida. According to the survey, which is managed by the Office of Intellectual Property and Commercialization at Florida State University, research expenditures at 13 Florida universities totaled more than $1.64 billion in 2008, an increase of $12.1 million over the previous year. Other survey findings reveal that: • Researchers at the 10 public and three private universities participating in the survey received awards of $1.86 billion from external organizations in 2008, up $68.6 million from 2007. • The number of licensing deals generating revenue grew by 10 from 350 in 2007 to 360 in 2008. • Patent applications filed were up from 802 in 2007 to 850 in 2008, bringing the total number of patent applications filed by Florida universities since the survey's inception in 2000 to 5,003. • Invention disclosures also rose, from 730 in 2007 to 752 in 2008. • University startup companies play an ever-increasing role in Florida's economic development. Since the survey began in 2000, 196 such companies have been formed, including 24 startups in 2008 and 29 in 2007. Each represents a significant local economic impact in terms of products sold, supplies purchased and knowledge-intensive jobs created. And given that, nationally, three-quarters of such startups have been shown to headquarter in the same state as the university that spawned them, statewide economic impact is considerable, too. Research is Big Business in Florida 2010-03-25T17:02:00-05:00