Tri-Cities Tech Business Update

August 2008 Issue

News

• Supercar gets Jay Leno's attention
  Comedian Jay Leno went for a spin in the Ultimate Aero car designed by West Richland, Wash., entrepreneur Jerod Shelby, founder of Shelby SuperCars, LLC, a U.S. more...
• Kennewick firm introduces a new analytical product
  Bruker Handheld of Kennewick, Wash., has produced a groundbreaking handheld X-ray fluorescence analyzer that analyzes light alloys-such as aluminum and titanium-and metals using a silicon drift detector. more...
• New personal aircraft introduced
  Viper Aircraft of Pasco, Wash., has introduced a new member of its personal aircraft family that has increased range, better fuel efficiency, and expanded luggage capacity. more...
• Partnership reached to manufacture medical isotopes
  Advanced Medical Isotope Corporation is partnering with the University of Missouri to develop a compact device to produce medical isotopes. more...
• It's the Bechtel Board Room
  The 40-person corporate boardroom in the new Tri-Cities Business and Visitor Center opening in Kennewick, Wash., in October will be named the Bechtel Board Room. more...
• *PNNL wins international technology awards
  Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and its partners won four awards that have been called the Oscars of Invention from R&D Magazine. more...
• *PNNL scanning technology usage expanding in U.S. airports
  The Transportation Security Administration is expanding use of a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory-developed technology that can detect metallic and non-metallic weapons concealed under clothing-without requiring physical contact with the traveler. more...
• Employees rank among state's most satisfied
  Vista Engineering Technologies, LLC of Richland, Wash., and MEIER Enterprises, Inc., of Kennewick, Wash., tied for 19th place as two of Washington's Best 100 Companies to Work For as selected by Washington CEO Magazine from the more than 200 nominations submitted. more...
• *Tech businesses contribute to area growth
  Several area businesses received mention in Washington CEO magazine's recent profile of the Tri-Cities as the state's population-growth leader over the past eight years. more...

Tri-Cities Research District

• Research District to receive funding
  The Tri-Cities Research District will receive $100,000 over the next three years to cover seed operating expenses. more...
• TechRealization Workshop
  The master plan for the Research District will be unveiled at the TechRealization Workshop in August. more...
• Survey wrapping up
  An internal survey of the 80 companies within the Research District was completed at the end of July by TCRD staff to learn more about the tenants and identify any issues that the Research District could work to address. more...
• "Dream" company moving in
  Our Dream Continued, LLC has nearly completed construction on its 48,000-square-foot building within Stevens Center. more...

Opportunities and Tools

• Research funding grants
  Washington technology businesses looking to partner with a university or nonprofit researcher on innovative technology projects are invited to apply for a funding award through the Washington Technology Center's Research & Technology Development Awards program. more...
• Smartmap Expo
  Exhibitors are being sought for the Tri-City Development Council's 6th Annual Smartmap Expo, billed as the premier manufacturing networking event in the Pacific Northwest. more...
• New resources online now
  Five new resources are available online. 1) A new report by the Technology Alliance called "The Economic Impact of Technology-Based Industries in Washington State" states that Benton County is the third largest tech employer county in the state of Washington. more...
• More online
  The SCORE Association, a national resource for small businesses, has a number of new online resources. more...

Coming Up

• *TechRealization workshop
  AUGUST 27. REGISTER BY AUGUST 20. TechRealization: A Day for Recognizing Clean Technology Impacts and Progress in the Tri-Cities Research District is scheduled for August 27 at the Washington State University Tri-Cities Consolidated Information Center in Richland, Wash. more...
• Immigration customs enforcement seminar
  AUGUST 14. The seminar "Immigration Customs Enforcement and Protecting the Security of Your Workforce" is being offered on August 14 at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Wash. more...

Mark Your Calendar

• Economic and Workforce Development Conference
  SEPTEMBER 3-4. REGISTER BY AUGUST 8 for DISCOUNT. The Governor's 2008 Economic and Workforce Development Conference will be held September 3-4 in Lynnwood, Wash. more...
• Micro Nano Breakthrough Conference
  SEPTEMBER 8-10, REGISTER BY AUGUST 25. The Fifth Annual Micro Nano Breakthrough Conference will be held September 8-10 at the Hilton Hotel in Vancouver, Wash. more...
• Smartmap Expo
  SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 2. The Tri-City Development Council's 6th Annual Smartmap Expo, a large manufacturing networking event, will be held September 30 through October 2 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Wash. more...
• Bridging Partnerships Small Business Symposium
  OCTOBER 15-16. REGISTER BY SEPTEMBER 30. The 2008 Bridging Partnerships Small Business Symposium will be held October 15-16 in Pasco, Wash. more...

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 MaryAnne Wuennecke or call (509) 375-2447.

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 PNSO's vision for the future of the Hanford Site and surrounding area through the creation of research opportunities, new industries, and new business clusters.