Piedmont Triad Research Park president shares vision

Eric Tomlinson became president of Piedmont Triad Research Park on July 2. A scientist and biopharmaceutical expert, he has assumed the role of guiding the park through its most pivotal growth spurt since its founding in the late 1990s. The park is considered by many to be the leading new-economy engine for the region.

Tomlinson presented a personal introduction, an infrastructure update and his vision for the park during a presentation Tuesday at Wake Forest BioTech Place.

The park's workforce will expand from about 850 now to more than 2,100. It will go from 400,000 square feet of space to 1 million and double in investment from its current $175 million to $350 million.

Tomlinson spoke of having more people living, working and playing in the area, projecting a fifth housing loft development and 130 more downtown residents adjacent to the park's boundaries. By spring 2014, significant work is expected to be completed on the Bailey Green Park and the 26-mile "rails-to-trails" greenway.  Read more.

Let’s Go Racing! – Transportation Technology in Winston-Salem

Technology & Innovation Series

Tuesday, October 2
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Forsyth Tech Transportation Technology Center
4255 North Patterson Avenue, Winston-Salem

Don’t miss this opportunity to visit and tour Forsyth Tech’s new, state-of-the-art Transportation Technology Center. As one of the premier centers of its kind in the country, the facility offers all of the computer labs, simulators and high-tech equipment needed for today’s highly complex, computer-controlled vehicles. A remarkable example of adaptive reuse, this modern LEED-eligible building is on the site of the former Pinebrook Shopping Center. It houses all of the college's Transportation Technology programs, including the Richard Childress Race Car Technology program. Plan to come early or stay afterwards for coffee and conversation. The event is free, but registration is required.

Register here.

Sponsored by: Cook Medical, B/E Aerospace, Kilpatrick Townsend and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center

CNN tells story of Wake Forest's new Power Felt

CNN's web site currently features a story about Power Felt, a new material created at Wake Forest University that produces electricity.  Power Felt was developed at Wake Forest's Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials. 

The felt uses temperature differences in the fabric to produce electricity.  See more.

Triad Community Colleges to Train Long-Term Unemployed Through Back-to-Work Program

Davidson County Community College, Forsyth Technical Community College and Guilford Technical Community College have been chosen as three of the 10 North Carolina community colleges to receive funding for the North Carolina Back-to-Work program to help the long-term unemployed find employment and new careers.

The $5 million program, a partnership between NC Community Colleges and the NC Department of Commerce, will focus on providing job training and retraining; employability skills, including a Career Readiness Certificate, and third-party, industry-recognized credentials to the long-term unemployed.

As part of this initiative, Winston-Salem's Forsyth Tech will receive $711,682. Read more.

NCTA Event: Building North Carolina's Data Center Corridor

North Carolina has seen an explosion of data centers. As companies and consumers rely on the cloud for services and content and more people get Internet access, it will spark a building boom for more, larger data centers. What will this mean for the state?

Confirmed Panelists:
Tony Cockerham, Chief Operating Officer – DukeNet Communications
Nick Kottyan, President & CEO – DataChambers
Chris Kopchik, Interim CIO – Womble Carlyle
Dana Watts, Principal – SMMA

8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, September 26
Targacept (200 E. First Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101)

Individual Registration: Members – Free / Nonmembers – $45

Read more and register.

Meet Dr. Eric Tomlinson -- new Piedmont Triad Research Park president

Below is a letter from Dr. Eric Tomlinson, the newly appointed President of the Piedmont Triad Research Park and Chief Innovation Officer at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Dear Colleagues:

I am buoyed by the welcome I have received, thank you! Having met many members of our community I am encouraged by your excitement and entrepreneurial spirit.

Now I am eager to learn more about what services and capabilities you suggest we must provide to help you turn your ideas and inventions into competitive innovative products and services.

So to all in our community interested in innovation, commercialization, and entrepreneurship in the medical and life sciences, information technology, and in the arts, please join me and my fine colleagues over breakfast at Wake Forest Biotech Place (575 N. Patterson Avenue) on August 28.

Light breakfast will be available from 7:30 am. At 8 am I will provide a brief update on developments at the research park as a lead into a Q&A discussion with you about how we can promote innovation in the Triad. I hope you will linger after our Q&A session to network with your colleagues.

I very much look forward to meeting you and to welcoming you to Biotech Place. Please come with an open mind, pithy questions, and great ideas.

Eric

PS: Please register to attend the Q&A session.

Winston-Salem-based Triad Semiconductor named to Inc. 500 list

Two Triad firms have made Inc. magazine's newest list of America's 500 fastest-growing private companies, on newsstands now.

Winston-Salem-based Triad Semiconductor came in at No. 409, with a three-year growth rate of 911 percent. The company, with 35 employees, generated $5.1 million in 2011 revenue. Triad Semiconductor designs and manages customizable semiconductor chips for military and aerospace clients. Read more.