Idaho Governor Joins Business Leaders to Introduce State’s Most Comprehensive Organization Dedicated to Developing Technology Sector
BOISE, Idaho – Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter today joined business leaders who envision a robust Idaho high technology economy to launch the Idaho Technology Council (ITC). The ITC is a member-driven, non-governmental organization dedicated to fostering the development of technology companies in Idaho, primarily in the areas of information technology, agriscience and energy.
The Idaho Department of Commerce reports that the innovation industries contribute $8.4 billion per year to the Idaho gross domestic product – fully 18.4 percent of the economy -- and are major factors in manufacturing and other Idaho industries. Despite the positive impact, Idaho has lost over 4,300 technology jobs over the past two years and ranks in the last quadrant nationwide in several national studies in access to financial capital, research and development funding, and technology education.*
“Idaho’s growth as a technology center has cooled, and the Idaho economy cannot afford that,” said Rich Raimondi, chairman of the Idaho Technology Council and a newly retired vice-president of Hewlett-Packard. “Our executive team and 150 technology leaders from throughout the state have helped focus the council on what’s important through a series of strategic focus groups last year. Now, we know the priorities to re-energize growth in this critical sector are human capital, public policy, financial capital and research and development and we have formed committees with leaders from across the state to work those issues.”
The launch event occurred at Microsoft, which has established a division headquarters in Boise for its business intelligence software that is included in new versions of Microsoft Office. “This impressive Microsoft facility is exactly the right place to help all Idahoans appreciate the growth potential of Idaho-based ingenuity,” Governor Otter said.
“It was the pioneering work in business intelligence of Idaho’s ProClarity that led to Microsoft’s decision to acquire the company and incorporate its design into Microsoft Office products,” said Russ Whitney, general manager of SharePoint Business Intelligence, Microsoft.
The ITC will conduct regular events, including peer-to-peer forums, CEO round tables, and opportunities to meet with civic leaders and nationally-recognized analysts. In addition, members will participate in the ITC’s planning process on a multi-year road map to drive measurable results in areas such attracting talent, increasing available funding from government and private investors, and developing and protecting intellectual property.
Bob Lokken, CEO of WhiteCloud Analytics and the founder of ProClarity, points to the need for the collaborative effort provided by the Idaho Technology Council. “Invention and innovation are at the heart of what Idaho is, but unless we collaborate with the entire technology ecosystem, from research and education, to business-friendly incentives to talent recruitment, we won’t realize the growth we need to create a sustainable industry here,” said Lokken.
The ITC represents the full spectrum of technology companies doing business in Idaho and is led by CEO and president Jay Larsen, a 20-year veteran of the telecommunications industry. Its key sponsors include Simplot; Monsanto; Premier Technology; Balihoo; A-T Solutions (Trancite); Micron Technology; Hewlett-Packard; Idaho National Laboratory; PKG User Interface Systems; Power Engineers; WhiteCloud Analytics; Highway 12 Ventures; Keynetics; Landela Pharmaceutical; Caribou Technologies; Scott Peyron & Associates; Zarian Midgley; Stoel Rives; Hawley Troxell; University of Idaho, and Sensus.
Members of the Board of Trustees Executive Committee are: Raimondi (chair); Jay Larsen (founder and CEO); Peter Midgley (secretary), partner in the intellectual property law firm Zarian Midgley; Haven Baker, director of new market initiatives at J.R. Simplot Company; Archie Clemins, Adm. Ret., founder and president of Caribou Technologies; Josh Evarts, founder and CEO of Trancite Logic Systems; Sen. Bob Geddes, pro tem of the Idaho Senate and an engineer and geologist for Monsanto; Peter Gombert, founder and CEO of Balihoo; John Grossenbacher, laboratory director, INL, Doug Jones, director of Growers for Biotechnology; Bob Lokken, founder and CEO of White Cloud Analytics; Mike Reynoldson, government affairs manager of Micron Technology; Doug Sayer, founder and president of Premier Technology, Inc; Mark Solon, founder and managing partner of Highway 12 Ventures, and Rich Stuppy, vice-president of IT operations at Keynetics.
ABOUT THE IDAHO TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL (www.idahotechcouncil.org)
The Idaho Technology Council’s mission is to foster the development of technology companies in Idaho, primarily in the areas of information technology, agriscience, and energy. The ITC provides a valuable forum for industry, research, educators, investors and government throughout the state. The ITC represents all aspects of technology – from research to commercialization to capitalization and talent recruitment. The integration of high technology into all aspects of the economy means that the ITC will remain entirely member-driven to deliver objective expertise broadly applicable to Idaho policy-makers.
*Sources: 2009 Idaho Economic Update; 2008 State Technology and Science Index, Milken Institute; CNBC 2009 America’s Top States for Business Study; 2008 State Science and Technology Institute and Price Waterhouse Coopers.
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