Carolina Newswire: Asheville Area Expands Technology Partnerships
Date Posted: 5/27/2009
ASHEVILLE, NC - A collaborative effort by the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville and Buncombe County (EDC), AdvantageWest Economic Development Group, Scientific Research Corporation (SRC), and Education & Research Services, Inc. (ERS) will bring the message about technology-related opportunities and growth in Western North Carolina to the Tennessee Valley Corridor’s National Summit to be held May 27-28 in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The national summit is the first to be held since North Carolina’s Eleventh Congressional District was added to the Tennessee Valley Corridor’s footprint in March following a successful partnership meeting held in Asheville during November 2008.
The Summit will attract business, education and government leaders from around the Southeast U.S. and will provide Asheville and WNC the opportunity to highlight the area’s unique assets related to climate data and information including, its growing technological workforce, numerous collaborative partnerships, and regional opportunities for education and research.
The EDC, AdvantageWest, SRC and ERS collaboration, called the Asheville Area Technology Partners, will also emphasize opportunities for collaboration with NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the U.S. Air Force 14th Weather Squadron, U.S. Navy Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Detachment, the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, National Park Service, the Centers for Environmental and Climatic Interaction (CECI), as well as the region’s colleges and universities.
“This is an opportunity for Asheville to gain recognition as a community that is actively recruiting businesses and public investment in the climate change, environmental and green business sectors,” said Ben Teague, senior vice president for economic development at the EDC.
Scientific Research Corporation (SRC) opened its Earth Sciences Operation in Asheville last year. “SRC is a strong supporter of Asheville’s efforts to grow the climate information and technology sector,” said Dr. Greg Wilson, director of Asheville operations for SRC’s Earth Sciences Organization. “Nothing would make us happier than to have a dozen or more technology companies like SRC working in partnership right here in Western North Carolina”.
“AdvantageWest is excited about the economic benefits this collaboration will bring to the region,” said Scott Hamilton, president and CEO of the 23-county economic development commission. “Not only will it allow us to build on the wealth of technology and climate-related assets in the region, it complements AdvantageWest’s other job creation initiatives.”
“Asheville is beginning to see some real successes out of our efforts to support programs with a presence in our community, such as NOAA and NCDC,” said Dr Max Lennon, president of ERS. “It has been a long road, and we are not there yet, but our continued efforts to build on our local assets will have a significant impact on our community and our ability to ride-out the rough times thanks to educational and career opportunities that are unique to this beautiful place.”
The Asheville Area Technology Partners exhibit will feature Climate Alive!, a seven-minute video about Asheville’s role as a leader in climate data and information, TechNOW, a recently released video that highlights Asheville’s diverse technology community and outstanding resources to support new-economy industries, and Advantage Green, a video about Western North Carolina’s growing environmental and green technology businesses.
About AdvantageWest
AdvantageWest is the regional economic development commission serving the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina. The job creation programs of AdvantageWest are Blue Ridge Advanced Manufacturing Initiative, Blue Ridge Food Ventures, Blue Ridge Entrepreneurial Council, Certified Entrepreneurial CommunitySM program, Creative Commerce Commission (includes the WNC Film Commission), MountainSouth USA and AdvantageGreen. Chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1994, AdvantageWest is a non-profit, public-private partnership located adjacent to the Asheville Regional Airport in Fletcher. Visit www.advantagewest.com for more information. About the EDC The Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County is a public-private partnership that works to enhance the economy of the Asheville metro area by helping local business owners and managers who are expanding or creating new businesses, and by attracting businesses and other organizations outside the area that are planning to relocate or expand beyond their current operations. For more information, visit www.EconomicDevelopmentAsheville.org
About ERS
Education Research Services, Inc. (ERS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that works to enhance opportunities for science, technology and education in Western North Carolina. ERS builds public-private partnerships to develop regional capability to compete for large projects and programs that are vital to the national interest while enhancing economic development, technology and innovation. For more information, visit www.education-research-services.org.
About SRC
Headquartered in Atlanta, SRC is a privately held company of approximately 1,200 people that provides innovative technological solutions for earth sciences and global security. The company’s business activities are based on a broad range of communications, network information, sensor systems, and test and evaluation. From applied research to hands-on operations, SRC is engaged in the development, implementation and support of scientific information systems for environmental studies, national security and law enforcement. For more information on the SRC Earth Sciences Operation, visit www.scires.com/divisions/sti-es.htm
SEE ORIGINAL STORY HERE:
http://carolinanewswire.com/news/News.cgi?database=0001news.db&command=viewone&id=3634&op=t
Source: CarolinaNewswire.com
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Testimonial
In an effort to respond to the diverse economic development needs of North Carolina, then State Representative Martin Nesbitt introduced legislation creating the regional economic development partnerships. It was this extraordinary insight that allowed AdvantageWest to become one of the most innovative and nimble economic development programs in the state.
Gordon S. Myers
Founding Chair
AdvantageWest Board of Directors
Amanda Baranski
, Executive Assistant & Assistant Corporate Secretary
AdvantageWest
134 Wright Brothers Way
Fletcher, NC 28732
ph. 828-687-7234
fx. 828-687-7552
Email Amanda Baranski
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