News Releases for August 2006
August 28, 2006
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Hoeven, EDA Sec. Baruah Present NDSU With Excellence In Technology-Led Economic Development Award
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven and U.S. Commerce Department Assistant Secretary Sandy K. Baruah, today presented officials of the North Dakota State University Research and Technology Park, Inc., the U.S. Economic Development Administration's (EDA) award for Excellence in Technology-led Economic Development. Baruah leads the Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration.
NDSU's Research and Technology Park was selected from among 20 competitors for the award, which recognizes the facility for outstanding economic development strategies of national significance, and as a showcase for best practices. Hoeven said the university's creativity, combined with funding from the state's Centers of Excellence program, has enabled the technology park to secure competitive EDA grant funding and greatly expand its partnerships with private enterprise.
Last September, Hoeven announced that the facility won a competitive $1.75 million EDA grant for its Center for Technology Enterprise, a focal point for the Research and Technology Park. The new center will serve as an incubator for start-up businesses; its anchor tenant will be Bobcat Co., a division of Ingersoll Rand. The cities of Fargo and West Fargo, as well as well as the Fargo/Cass County Development Corp. and private sector interests are partners in the venture.
In addition, NDSU has received three Centers of Excellence awards over the past year, including projects in Advanced Electronics Design and Manufacturing; Agbiotechnology: Oilseed Development; and Surface Protection Technology. The program has generated about $25 million in state and matching funds for the projects.
Hoeven announced in March that the technology park had been selected for the award. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Sandy Baruah, who was Hoeven's guest for a tour of the Research and Technology Park and other North Dakota projects in March, made the award today.
"Our Centers of Excellence and partnership with NDSU's Research and Technology Park embody just one way we're growing our economy and creating good jobs in North Dakota," Hoeven said. "We congratulate President Joe Chapman, Vice President for Research Phil Boudjouk and Executive Director Tony Grindberg on being cited as a model for the nation. We also want to thank Secretary Baruah and the EDA for the agency's help with our projects, and its recognition of our good work in North Dakota."
"The winners of EDA's Excellence Awards represent the best and brightest economic development methods and practices in use today. Their commitment to sound, research-based, market driven economic development is helping America's communities grow their economies and create jobs. I am grateful for their participation in our national awards program," said U.S. Assistant Secretary for Economic Development Sandy K. Baruah.
The Excellence in Economic Development Awards 2006 recognize innovative economic development strategies of national significance. The Awards are designed to showcase best practices and highlight outstanding results. Nominations are made in specific categories provided below. A Selection Panel, appointed by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, then evaluates the nominations. The Awards are commemorative and will be presented in award ceremonies in the winners' respective communities following EDA's announcement of the seven winning nominations.
Hoeven hosted Baruah in Minot in early May to present a $1.5 million EDA grant to the Minot Development Corporation for the establishment of a rail and truck Intermodal Park in the city to transport agricultural and manufactured products, and to help make a Centers of Excellence check presentation and groundbreaking for Bismarck State College's new Energy Technology Center of Excellence. While in Fargo with the Governor, the secretary toured the NDSU Research and Technology Park and visited Microsoft in Fargo for its fifth year anniversary celebration.
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