GSA Technology Council

We’ll be taking technology calls live at noon today on the ETVRadio stations in South Carolina. Whether it’s digital photography, the iPhone 4, using wireless technology, or how to find a good home for your old laptop, you can give us a call.

WEDNESDAY, August 18, 2010

A live call-in hour on the Internet and related technologies. Eric Rodgers hosts Phil Yanov, executive director of the GSA Technology Council and blogger at Thinkhammer. Listeners can call in via the tollfree number 888-539-8859 to ask questions about using the Internet, computers, new digital devices, and related topics.

The program is Your Day and it is carried across the ETV Radio Network. That’s 90.1 FM in the Upstate beginning at Noon. (or listen to the live web steam.)

Friedrichshafen, Germany – July 22, 2010 – Gov. Mark Sanford today joined ZF Group in Friedrichshafen, Germany to announce the company’s decision to expand its operations in South Carolina. ZF Group plans to invest approximately $350 million in a new manufacturing facility in Laurens County to produce fuel-efficient automatic transmissions for the passenger car and light truck market.

The announcement was made following a meeting at ZF’s corporate headquarters in Friedrichshafen that included members of ZF’s Board of Management and officials from the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

“ZF’s decision to make a jobs and capital investment of this magnitude, indeed the largest single infusion of jobs in the history of Laurens County, is an incredible compliment to our state. This announcement represents not only enormously good news for our state’s economy, but also is a telling dividend from our continued efforts to better the business climate in South Carolina. Our meeting with ZF today was productive and offered a real glimpse of what is headed to our state with ZF’s new operations, and I’d join with South Carolinians in thanking ZF for their investment. We are proud to count ZF among a growing and distinguished list of companies that have chosen to call South Carolina home,” said Gov. Mark Sanford.

ZF already operates manufacturing facilities in South Carolina, and has been gradually growing its presence in the state, thanks to its proximity to major transportation hubs, competitive business environment and skilled workforce. The new transmission plant is expected to employ 900 workers by the year 2015.

“We are eager to build our fuel-efficient automatic transmissions in North America. We believe the increasing emphasis on fuel economy and our reputation for producing high-quality, fuel-efficient transmissions provide an unprecedented opportunity to grow our business. We believe this production facility could serve as a key driver of this growth,” says Dr. Gerhard Wagner, Group Executive of ZF’s Car Driveline Division.

ZF expects to begin construction of its new, Laurens County facility in January. Hiring is anticipated to begin in early 2012 for skilled positions that include CNC operators, assemblers, production and logistics. The state’s worker training program, readySC*, will assist in the hiring process, Information will be posted at www.sctechjobs.com as jobs become available.

ZF is a leading worldwide automotive supplier for Driveline and Chassis Technology, with 123 production locations in 27 countries. In 2009, the ZF Group achieved sales of approximately 9.4 billion € with 60,000 employees.

SC Launch, an SCRA collaboration, was recently recognized by Forbes magazine in May as one of five top programs in the nation that support entrepreneurism. The “States that Truly Bet on Small Business” also recognized the SC Launch program as one of eleven “Serious State Small Biz Programs.”

The SC Launch program has garnered a number of awards and recognition since its 2006 inception. The program offers qualifying companies commercialization support, guidance, and seed funding.
As a joint venture between SCRA and the research foundations of the Medical University of South Carolina, the University of South Carolina, and Clemson University, SC Launch’s mission is to support the commercialization of research, to finance start-up and spin-out companies, and to provide formation support and other business services to companies as prescribed by the mandates in the SC Innovation Centers Act and the SC Industry Partners Act. The program’s ultimate objective is to help develop South Carolina’s growing Knowledge Economy.

The Forbes list was prepared with the assistance of CB Insights, a Manhattan firm that tracks private-company funding trends, including venture capital, private equity, and government-supported deals.
According to Anand Sanwal, a CB Insights founding partner, “These programs take different forms but generally represent a great way to spur local economic development and bring and retain high-tech jobs to the area. Over time, their efforts will likely attract angel and venture investment which serves to strengthen their area’s entrepreneurial ecosystem further.”

Since the start of the SC Launch Program four years ago, SC Launch has assisted, helped form and/or land more than 230 knowledge-based entities in South Carolina, providing both funding and services to more than 178. The Program has attracted more than $104 million in add-on, private equity investment in South Carolina companies. SC Launch is one of over 100 programs in SCRA’s overall operations, which have made a cumulative economic contribution of more than $13.7B to South Carolina since 1983.

“The SC Launch program was formed to help move promising technologies into the market place, and to advance technology-based companies in South Carolina,” said SCRA CEO Bill Mahoney. “We have enjoyed partnering with some of South Carolina’s best talent to bring tangible growth to our Knowledge Economy. Our portfolio companies continue to both improve our lives and expand our knowledge-based economy through their innovations, their growth of high-quality jobs, and private investment. We are humbled to accept recognition on behalf of these efforts.”

Added SC Launch Executive Director Dave McNamara, “We are honored to be listed among such other successful programs throughout the nation. The SC Launch team works to be a catalyst and advocate for developing technology start-up companies in our state. In four short years, we have been able to achieve many successes, and we look forward to the continued growth of the SC Launch program and its legacy for South Carolina.”
via: SC Launch

We’ll be taking technology calls live at noon today on the ETVRadio stations in South Carolina. Whether it’s digital photography, the iPhone 4, using wireless technology, or how to find a good home for your old laptop, you can give us a call.

WEDNESDAY, June 30, 2010

A live call-in hour on the Internet and related technologies. Eric Rodgers hosts Phil Yanov, executive director of the GSA Technology Council and blogger at Thinkhammer. Listeners can call in via the tollfree number 888-539-8859 to ask questions about using the Internet, computers, new digital devices, and related topics.

The program is Your Day and it is carried across the ETV Radio Network. That’s 90.1 FM in the Upstate beginning at Noon. (or listen to the live web steam.)

Verizon Wireless recently completed a comprehensive network upgrade that delivers expanded service in the Midlands of South Carolina. The result is 55 new cell towers into the already robust and industry-leading Verizon Wireless voice and data network in the Midlands. The addition of these new towers, a result of the Alltel purchase, means dramatically denser site coverage. For Verizon Wireless customers in Bethune, Bishopville, Blythewood, Camden, Cassatt, Cayce, Chapin, Columbia, Eastover, Gadsden, Gaston, Gilbert, Irmo, Leesville, Lexington, Little Mountain, Lugoff, Pelion, Sumter, West Columbia and Westville more cell towers mean a more expansive voice and data footprint, more coverage inside buildings, improved throughput speeds and stronger signals throughout the market.

“The best network continues to get better,” said Jerry Fountain, Verizon Wireless Carolinas Region President. “We are committed to continuing enhancements to our network so that our customers know they can depend on us every time they use their wireless devices. With the addition of these towers, we have achieved network enhancements in just one year that would have taken several years to complete through a typical build plan.”

To celebrate the expansion of the Verizon Wireless network, the following Verizon Wireless stores will host Network Appreciation Days June 25-27:
• Northeast Columbia – 10110 Two Notch Rd, Columbia, SC 29223
• Two Notch – 7007A Two Notch Rd, Columbia, SC 29223
• Columbiana – 173 Columbiana Cir, Columbia, SC 29212
• Lexington – 5596 Sunset Blvd, Lexington, SC 29072
• Sumter – 73 W Wesmark Blvd, Sumter, SC 29150

As customers continue to expand the way they use their devices, Verizon Wireless continues to stay ahead of their demand. “People are doing more with their phones these days,” said Fountain. “The skyrocketing popularity of applications, music and video downloads, web browsing, texting, emailing, calendar management and navigation tools utilizes a tremendous amount of wireless bandwidth. With this integration, combined with our annual capital investments over the past several years, we are ready for today’s traffic and the increases we anticipate tomorrow.”

In 2009 alone, Verizon Wireless invested nearly $87 million in South Carolina for improvements to their network, bringing the total investment in the state to $770 million since the company was formed in 2000. That investment, combined with the recent purchase and integration of the Alltel network assets, strategically positions Verizon Wireless’ network as the largest and most reliable for customers in the Columbia area, with seven times the 3G coverage of their closest competitor. “Our superior network is what makes it possible for customers to truly enjoy the features of their devices. Our focus on providing the best customer experience is largely driven by our network. We will continue investing to make the experience better every day,” said Fountain.

Beyond 3G: Verizon’s Investment in LTE

While recognizing the ongoing investment in its 3G network has been considerable throughout the state, Verizon Wireless is already looking beyond the most recent network expansion. Committed to continued improvements and advancements in wireless technology to ensure the best possible wireless experience for their customers, Verizon Wireless is already laying the groundwork to begin rolling out 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology this year. LTE will offer significant benefits to Verizon Wireless customers, including:

• LTE will support faster download and upload rates enabling customers to run larger and more complex applications faster.
• LTE will operate in the 700 MHz spectrum, which provides better coverage and in-building penetration.
• Because of the increased data speeds and wider coverage, LTE will make mass deployment of machine-to-machine applications and devices possible.
• And, LTE is the global mobile communications standard chosen by a majority of the world’s leading carriers, which means greater opportunities for seamless roaming.
LTE is currently being tested in select markets and will be commercially available in select markets this year.

via: Verizon Wireless

KeyMark Inc, a Liberty-based document management solution provider was selected Tuesday by the South Carolina chapter of Government Management Information Sciences (SC.GMIS) organization as its Prestigious Partner of the Year – again. The SC.GMIS Prestigious Partner Award recognizes a Vendor / Partner who has supported the organization throughout the year by active sponsorships, promotional activities, educational programs, and participation in SC.GMIS activities. All vendor / partners in good standing are eligible for this award. Nominations are made by the Awards Subcommittee and a winner is selected by the Executive Board.

“This was a big honor for us last year when we won it,” said Chris Johnson who heads up Enterprise Solutions – Public Sector at KeyMark Inc. “I’m excited that the association selected us again and feels we contribute so greatly to their mission and their members.”

“Once again this year, we were proud to select KeyMark as our Prestigious Partner of the Year,” said Lisa Phipps, Director of IT, South Carolina Retirement Systems and President of SCGMIS at the time of the award. “During the past two years they have been actively involved with the SC.GMIS organization and have developed a relationship with us that is best defined as ‘Partner’. We appreciate their contributions to our organization and look forward to facing the technology challenges of the future together.”

via: Keymark

The South Carolina Department of Commerce and the Greenville Area Development Corporation today announced that Saint-Gobain Abrasives will expand its operations at its Greenville County facility. The company is expected to invest $1.4 million as it increases operations at its Travelers Rest site.

“Our plant in Greenville County has been an important part of our company’s overall operations, and we are pleased to expand there. This expansion will help us meet customer demand for our products and better position us in the marketplace. We look forward to moving forward with our plans and appreciate all the support we have received from state and local officials,” said Robert N. Smith, general manager, Industrial Superabrasives North America, Saint-Gobain Abrasives.

Saint-Gobain Abrasives manufactures a range of precision cutting wheels and parts for the aeronautics, metal working and related industries. The Travelers Rest facility, located at 21 Saddleback Cove Road, was established in 1982, and produces superabrasives, industrial diamond and cubic boron nitride (cBN) products used in precision manufacturing in the aerospace, automotive, bearing and other markets.

The company will be consolidating a North Carolina operation to the Travelers Rest facility, adding both equipment and space to the current facility. Saint-Gobain Abrasives will break ground for the new building this month and expects to start adding equipment sometime in July.

“This announcement demonstrates Saint-Gobain Abrasives’ commitment to our state and the expansion of the company’s facility in Travelers Rest brings with it great potential for the future. Our state’s highly-skilled workforce and dedication to maintaining an environment where can prosper are critical, now more than ever, as we work to compete for capital, jobs and economic growth,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce. “This announcement is the culmination of the efforts of a dedicated team of economic development professionals from the city, county, and the state all working together. We appreciate Saint-Gobain Abrasives’ investment here and look forward to the company’s growth in South Carolina.”

“Saint-Gobain Abrasives’ decision to invest in Greenville County is again the result of a true team effort,” added Jo Hackl, chairperson of the Greenville Area Development Corporation, noting that a Carolina Investment Fund grant from Duke Energy was also instrumental in landing the expansion. “The company is a long-standing, high-quality corporate citizen of this community, and their growth in Travelers Rest will enhance this community while affirming that advanced manufacturing can indeed thrive in our state.”

“The City of Travelers Rest is pleased that Saint-Gobain recognizes the advantages that Travelers Rest offers their company,” said Dianna Turner, City Administrator. “As an innovative global manufacturer, this company is a valued member of our growing and progressive community. We look forward to their continued success here.”

The company also operates a manufacturing facility in North Charleston, has a joint venture in Fountain Inn and distribution offices in Conway, Hanahan and West Columbia.

via: Saint-Gobain

Part educational conference, part social gathering, the SouthEast LinuxFest is a community event for anyone who wants to learn more about Linux and Free & Open Source software. LinuxFest is the place to learn, to make new friends, to network with new business partners, and most importantly, to nerd out over Linux!

The three day conference boasts a grand line-up of speakers, a set of workshops and everything else an open source junkie could get their iPads around.

Speakers to find at the conference:

• Alan Hicks – Introduction to the 802.11 MAC AND Modern Ciphers 101 – Theory & Practice

• Brian Smith – Django AND DNSSEC

• Celeste Lyn Paul – No Boundaries: KDE Is Everywhere

• Daniel Walsh – Secure Virtualization (svirt) AND An Overview of SELinux

• James Schweitzer – Open Source in K12 Education: Lessons Learned From District Wide Deployments

• and more…

If that’s not enough, Tech After Five is a proud, proud sponsor!

Event Details:
What: 2010 SouthEast LinuxFest
Where: Marriott at Renaissance Park hotel in Spartanburg, SC
Date: June 11-13, 2010
To Register: SouthEast LinuxFest

Clemson University President James F. Barker announced Wednesday that Gerald Sonnenfeld will be the university’s new vice president for research.

“We had an exceptional field of candidates,” Barker said. “We are confident that Dr. Sonnenfeld offers the right combination of skills and experience to take Clemson’s research program to the next level. Our goal is to expand upon the success of increasing research funding and extend the scope of research across the university. We are very excited at the prospect of having him join the Clemson family.”

Sonnenfeld will assume his responsibilities in the fall.

“The opportunity to help lead the research activity at one of the nation’s great universities is exciting and challenging,” he said. “I was very impressed with the high quality of the faculty, students and staff. The desire at Clemson to really foster work that is interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary and to move forward in new areas is very positive. This collaborative approach will help Clemson to find additional funding sources from government and industry.”

Sonnenfeld comes to Clemson from Binghamton University, State University of New York, where he has been vice president of research and professor of biological sciences since 2004.

He received his bachelor of science in biology in 1970 from the City College of New York and his Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology in 1975 from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed postdoctoral training in infectious diseases and immunology at the Stanford University School of Medicine in 1978. He then became an assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and rose through the ranks to professor.

In 1993, Sonnenfeld became director of research immunology in the department of general surgery research of Carolinas Medical Center. From 1999 until 2004, he was professor and chairman of the department of microbiology, biochemistry and immunology and associate dean for basic sciences and graduate studies at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.

The author of more than 140 peer-reviewed scientific articles, Sonnenfeld has written numerous review articles and edited two books. He holds two U.S. patents. He is associate editor of the Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research and a member of the editorial board of the Immunological Journal and the Journal of Gravitational Physiology. His research has centered on the effects of stress on the immune system and resistance to cancer and infection. He also has directed multiple pre-clinical studies and has been involved in clinical study development for multiple immunoregulatory agents. He has carried out experiments on the U.S. Space Shuttle and on Russian space program satellites.

“The university owes a great debt of gratitude to the search committee and Provost Doris Helms for leading this extensive and thorough search,” Barker said. “I offer them my personal thanks for their thoughtful and deliberative process.”

via: Clemson University

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, Innoventure Southeast came together at the Carolina First Center. Nearly 70 presenters talked about technology, their businesses, and the connections they were making as they create jobs and community. The GSA Technology Council was there with a booth and with Phil Yanov as master of ceremonies for the high tech conclave. We also sent Patrick Greer to capture the two days in pictures.

Day One

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Day Two

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