Tri-Cities Tech Business Update

May 2009 Issue

Tech News and Notes

Stimulus funds for Research District project

The state of Washington is providing $1.68 million in stimulus funds for the reconstruction of First Street in Richland, which serves as the primary entrance point to the Tri-Cities Research District. The construction project will go out for bid in July and will include landscaping, sidewalks and boulevard street lanes. A street name change is also being considered. The project is the result of a partnership between the Research District, the Port of Benton, Washington State University Tri-Cities, and the City of Richland. Contact Diahann Howard at 509-375-3060.

CTED welcomes new director

Former Microsoft vice-president Rogers Weed has taken over as the director of the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. Governor Chris Gregoire appointed Weed to the position to "help lead Washington State through the deepening national recession and into a thriving economy for the 21st century." Gregoire also requested the legislature rename the agency to the Department of Commerce to sharpen focus on keeping jobs and attracting business to the state. The bill passed the House and is now before the Senate.

EPA names new Hanford program manager

The Environmental Protection Agency has named Dennis Faulk as the program manager for the Hanford Project Office in Richland, Wash. Faulk replaces Nick Ceto, who took a job with the U.S. Department of Energy. Faulk has been with EPA in the Hanford office since 1991, serving as a community involvement coordinator, remedial project manager, and environmental scientist. Contact Dennis Faulk at 509-376-8631.

AREVA launches new website

AREVA has launched a new stakeholder-focused website, designed specifically for the group's American audience. The new site has information for a wide range of audiences, including bloggers, journalists, government officials, job seekers, and the general public. AREVA's Richland, Wash.-based office focuses on commercial nuclear fuel manufacturing and engineering. Contact Judith Thomas at 509-375-8451.

Small Business Awards nominations announced

The Three Rivers Alliance of Chambers received 21 nominations for the 2009 Mid-Columbia Small Business of the Year Award. This event recognizes small businesses in Benton and Franklin Counties for their exceptional customer service, outstanding commitment to employees, and superior community relations. The 2009 nominees include local technology based businesses Mid-Columbia Engineering, Inc., and ANR Group, Inc., both based in Richland, Wash., and Harms Engineering, Inc., based in Pasco, Wash. The awards will be presented May 7 at a banquet at the Three Rivers Convention Center. Tickets are $35 each and reserved tables of eight are $280. Contact Tracy Hill at (509) 967-1063.

Young Professionals of Tri-Cities website

The Young Professionals of the Tri-Cities group has launched a new website. The group is a networking group made up of young professionals, primarily in their 20s and 30s, in the Tri-Cities focused on recruiting and retaining talented young professionals to the region's work force. The website provides information about events and contact information for the group. Contact Angie Mykel at 509-460-7653.

Student team wins award for tech-based business plan

A team of students in the Washington State University Tri-Cities business administration program tied for second place in the graduate division and won $8,000 in the university's annual business plan competition. The local team developed a business plan based on Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's in-line oil analysis technology. The plan focused on using the PNNL technology in the long-haul trucking industry to reduce costs associated with engine maintenance. The competition is organized by the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies in WSU's College of Business and included more than 130 competitors total in four divisions. The team developed the plan under PNNL's Technology Entrepreneurship Program that provides opportunities for students to research and evaluate the marketplace feasibility of some of the Laboratory's technologies. Contact Robin Conger at 509-372-4328.

Tech Opportunities and Resources

Inaugural Pacific Northwest Clean Tech Open accepting submissions

Early stage clean technology companies are invited to enter the inaugural Pacific Northwest Clean Tech Open. Clean Tech Open is an organization of leading entrepreneurs, academics, investors and companies, working together to accelerate the development of clean technology startups by providing resources, education and support for clean technology entrepreneurs. The top prize nationally is $250,000 is cash and services. The entry deadline is May 30. See corresponding item under Tech Dates and Deadlines. More information on criteria and entry process.

New DOE agency accepting proposals for grants

The Department of Energy is inviting proposals for grants that will be given out under the new Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. The program will help distribute Recovery Act funds for the development of energy technologies to enhance economic and energy security of the U.S, and to ensure the U.S. maintains a technological lead in developing and deploying advanced energy technologies. Up to $20 million is available for awards and eligibility is unrestricted domestically. Proposals are due June 2. Download the funding opportunity announcement.

CTED releases online small business guide

The Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development has released its 2009 Guide for Small Business in Washington State. The comprehensive guide provides entrepreneurs and small business owners access to a variety of resources needed to start and successfully manage a business. Download the guide.

UW TechTransfer bringing in entrepreneurs

The University of Washington's TechTransfer program has introduced two new programs to support researchers looking to start companies or to commercialize their technologies. The Entrepreneurs-in-Residence program is aimed at entrepreneurs who are looking for commercializable ideas from the University. The LaunchPad Entrepreneur Advisers program creates a pool of business people available to mentor UW researchers about starting a company. More information.

NWEN offers new entrepreneur sessions

The Northwest Entrepreneur Network has launched its new "eIQ" sessions focused on boosting "entrepreneurial IQ" and providing entrepreneurs with tools needed to build their businesses. The curriculum includes sessions on getting started, legal issues, financing, human resources, and marketing. The two-hour courses are offered on-demand to meet schedule needs of participants. More information.

Resources online

1) The article "YouTube a valuable marketing tool" was published in the Tri-City Herald on April 22. The article discusses how businesses can use social media outlets such as YouTube as a marketing tool. 2) The editorial "Life sciences investment boosts state's economy" was published in the Seattle Times on April 13. The piece was co-written by the chair and president of the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association and outlined specific actions needed to help grow and retain a robust life sciences industry in Washington.

Nominate a website to be redesigned

Imageworks, based in Pasco, Wash., is accepting submissions for its annual website redesign contest. Refresh '09 provides a local company with $5,000 worth of web design "makeover" services. Last year's winner was the YMCA of the Greater Tri-Cities. Any existing website may be nominated. Nominations must be submitted by May 27. More information. Contact Chris Collier at 509- 545-9100.

Tech Dates and Deadlines

ASQ to tour Kadlec

MAY 5. The Columbia Basin Chapter of the American Society for Quality's May meeting will be a site visit to Kadlec Medical Center in Richland, Wash. The meeting will include a tour of the facility and information about Kadlec's services, and the processes and tools they use to ensure quality in all aspects of the services they provide. Space is very limited for this visit, so make reservations as soon as possible. Attendees are asked to wear closed shoes (no sandals). Check-in will begin at 5:45 p.m., and the tour will start at 6 pm. There is no cost for this event, but space is very limited so early reservations are recommended. To register, contact Alvin Langstaff at (509) 371-2221 with your name, phone number, and company affiliation.

Information Technology Day 2009

MAY 6. Information Technology Day 2009 will be held at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Wash. The event is designed to increase information technology business and training throughout the community. The keynote speaker will be Robert Safian, Editor and Managing Director of the award-winning monthly business magazine Fast Company. The event will run from 9 am to 5 pm and will include educational sessions throughout the day. Topics will include speakers addressing how information technology makes their work more cost-competitive and productive, as well as sessions on communications, energy, green technology, network solutions, small business, and cyber security. The event is sponsored by Lockheed Martin, Inc. and is free of charge. Register online.

Battelle speaker will give talk on advancing research parks

MAY 13. REGISTER BY MAY 11. Mitch Horowitz, vice-president and managing director of Battelle's Technology Partnership Practice, will be the next speaker in the Tri-Cities Research District Speaker Series. Horowitz will discuss emerging models of 21st century research parks and closely examine best practices and national developer requirements. He will also identify how to best position a research park for development and how to successfully recruit companies based on a park's unique assets. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Washington State University Tri-Cities are teaming to host the speaker series dedicated to educating stakeholders, the community, and other interested individuals and organizations on what it takes to successfully develop a research park. Speakers who are experienced in developing research parks across the country share their perspectives. Meetings are held at the Washington State University Tri-Cities campus. There is no charge to attend this event; however, pre-registration is required by May 11. The event begins at 4 pm and will be followed by a light reception sponsored by Lockheed Martin. Register online.

Clean Tech Open briefing

MAY 18. A briefing to provide local businesses with an overview of the inaugural Pacific Northwest Clean Tech Open competition will be held on May 18. The event will be sponsored by TRIDEC and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and will be held at TRIDEC's office in Kennewick. The briefing will include an introduction to the competition, opportunities for prospective entrants to describe their innovations, and networking and contestant matching. Contact Deanna Smith at 509-735-1000.

ASQ to tour wind farm

JUNE 6. The Columbia Basin Chapter of the American Society for Quality's June meeting will be a tour of Ellensburg's Wild Horse Wind Farm. The group will explore the engineering and management quality of the project and learn how wind energy contributes to the electric grid, here in Washington and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Space is limited to 50 participants. Contact Alvin Langstaff at (509) 371-2221 with your name, phone number, and company affiliation to register.

PNNL This Month

Microsoft veteran joins PNNL

Computational scientist John Feo has joined the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to lead software development for supercomputers with multi-threaded architecture. This type of computer hardware can analyze vast amounts of data found in complex networks more efficiently than conventional architecture. Feo will serve as the director of a group of scientists developing software for the multi-threaded Cray XMT and similar computers. The XMT's memory is built to handle seemingly random data faster than typical hardware. Feo will direct the new Center for Adaptive Supercomputing Software on the PNNL campus. The Center is home to the only Cray XMT system available to external scientific users as an Open Science system. At the Center, researchers are developing software that can analyze and visualize data coming from many types of complex networks, such as the nation's electrical grid or biological communities in the subsurface. Feo joins PNNL from Microsoft Corporation, where he led a group developing new applications for many core processors.

Mike Schwenk "innovation" presentation featured in column

The column "A small team with a big mission can achieve big things" was published on the Everett Herald's website on March 30. The article showcased PNNL Technology and Deployment Director Mike Schwenk's recent talk to the Everett Area Chamber of Commerce. The columnist highlighted Schwenk's practical approach and the emphasis on both innovation and the importance of technology transfer. Read the column.

Got News?

We invite your contributions! We will consider items that fit the mission of this publication, including your tech-related news, awards, and notices of upcoming events. Please send text and photos to Andrea McMakin or call (509) 372-6013.

Tri-Cities Tech Business Update is published by the Economic Development Office at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Each month, we send you an e-mail message, giving you the link of news, tips, awards, upcoming events, and other information about local technology-based businesses and organizations that support them. With business and community partners, our goal is to build and diversify the Tri-Cities economy—adding skilled jobs in primary-sector industries that bring in outside dollars. Currently, more than 1,100 tech-related businesses, investors, and economic development stakeholders subscribe to the newsletter, mostly in the Mid-Columbia area and the rest of the Pacific Northwest. This newsletter (RL-P00-009) supports DOE-Richland's vision for the future of the Hanford Site and surrounding area through the creation of research opportunities, new industries, and new business clusters