Wednesday, January 28, 2009

12th Annual U.S. IT Salary Survey

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Strickland's State of The State Address

I’d like to first recognize that one of Ohio’s great leaders, Senate President Bill Harris, was not able to be with us today. I know that he is in all of our thoughts and prayers, and we wish him a very speedy recovery.

Speaker Budish, Senate President Pro Tem Niehaus, Leader Batchelder and Leader Cafaro, Lt. Governor Fisher, statewide elected officials, members of the Cabinet, members of the General Assembly and the Supreme Court, distinguished guests, First Lady Frances Strickland, and my fellow Ohioans…

There was a time when Ohio State University played its football games on a dusty field surrounded by a humble collection of wooden bleachers.

Back then, OSU played teams from universities and small private colleges. They even scheduled a game against the soldiers from an army camp in Chillicothe.

Just after World War I came to an end there was a painful combination of high inflation and high unemployment that produced economic misery in Ohio and across the nation.

It was a truly frightening moment – hardly the time for a bold new idea.

But several university leaders thought it was just the right time. They wanted to move forward with their long delayed plan to replace their modest football field with a modern stadium the likes of which had never before existed.

Now when the decision was finally made to build the stadium, Ohio State had little money and few fans.

But they believed in something bigger than what they could see in front of them. They had a vision for a grand new building that would help usher in a new day for Ohio State University.

Their blueprint for the new stadium called for 63,000 seats.

One of the university’s most respected leaders, a member of the board of trustees, pointed out the absurdity of constructing such a big stadium. He said, and I quote: “It will not be claimed that there is ever a remote possibility of an actual demand for such capacity.“

After many years of frustrating delays and false starts, a fundraising campaign was launched. The ‘Boost Ohio Fund’ was established, with alumni and other Ohioans asked to contribute what they could. Students went out with pails asking passersby for a quarter or 50 cents. With great pride in Ohio, the money was raised person to person. And through the generosity of Ohioans, the university raised a million dollars to build Ohio Stadium.

From humble origins and modest resources, from vision and faith and collective effort we have today a stadium where more than 100,000 people convene to celebrate Buckeye football. A stadium where the eyes of the nation focus on fall Saturdays. A stadium that is the home of champions, the pride of our state, a living symbol of what we can accomplish together.

To the critics who said it couldn’t be done, who were so certain this would fail, and who spoke unburdened by any sense of optimism, I think there’s a lesson here:

Never, never underestimate the people of Ohio.

Just last year we were facing the prospect of runaway electricity rates. Other states failed to act when deregulation loomed. Their businesses were soon crippled and consumers overwhelmed by electricity prices that jumped as much as 70 percent.

But working with the legislature, we protected Ohio jobs and Ohio consumers with a new law that ensures Ohioans will have access to reliable electricity service at sustainable rates. What’s more, we are creating Ohio jobs with an advanced energy portfolio standard.

Working together, we were one of the first states to recognize and respond to the national economic downturn. In the 1.57 billion dollar jobs stimulus bill enacted last year, we took swift action to invest in job-creating projects and industries that will produce a lasting positive effect in Ohio.

We invested in our infrastructure, in our communities, in our workforce, and in our most-promising and high growth industries. By investing those dollars over the coming months, we will be creating jobs and strengthening Ohio for decades to come.

And while our energy bill is expanding the market for advanced energy in Ohio, our jobs stimulus bill is building on that commitment by investing in Ohio companies that can supply the component parts, install the hardware, and harvest the power of advanced energy.

Together we’ve recognized that Ohio is key to meeting the energy needs of the nation and the world – and we are already seeing promising results.

Over the last three years, Ohio has led the nation with 350 new or expanded facility projects in the renewable energy sector.

Take solar energy, for example. The Toledo area has become an international center for solar research and production, with more than 6,000 people working in the solar industry. First Solar and Xunlight (Zun-light) both launched major expansions just this past year.

All across the state we’ve seen advanced energy creating opportunities. Rotek is making a major investment in their Portage County plant where they manufacture components for wind turbines.

And in a year in which bad news rightly claimed its place in the headlines, there were other major economic victories for Ohio.

R and D magazine has cited Battelle as one of the leading sources of innovation in the country. And, just this month, Battelle announced a 200 million dollar investment in their Ohio facilities, an investment that will accelerate their pursuit of research breakthroughs and expand their Ohio workforce by 200.

NetJets is creating more than 800 new jobs and investing 200 million dollars as they expand their headquarters and facilities in Columbus. NetJets’ decision to invest in Ohio represents the triumph of a true collaboration between the state and local governments, our universities and colleges, and the private sector.

Leading the state’s effort in that coalition was Ohio’s Lieutenant Governor and director of our Department of Development Lee Fisher. I thank Lee for his boundless commitment to bringing new jobs and new opportunities to Ohio.

By working together we are breaking down barriers to higher education. With Chancellor Eric Fingerhut’s vision we’ve created a new 10-year plan that serves as a blueprint for helping more Ohioans enroll and complete their studies in our University System of Ohio.

Already students are transferring seamlessly from our community colleges to our universities. High school students are taking their first college classes at no cost to their families with our Seniors to Sophomores program. And veterans have been welcomed to Ohio’s campuses with our Ohio G.I. Promise. Under the program, we became the first state to offer veterans from across the country the opportunity to attend any public college or university without having to pay tuition.

Together we’ve acted to improve the services provided to our veterans. This past year the legislature unanimously passed and I was proud to sign legislation which created the Department of Veterans Services. This new cabinet department has united all of our veterans services into one office in order to help our veterans get the full benefits they have earned.

We take this important step because we cherish the fact that more than 950,000 veterans live in Ohio, and we eagerly await the opportunity to welcome home the thousands of Ohioans currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world.

In honor of all the servicemen and women from Ohio who are bravely serving this state and nation, please join me now in a moment of silent reflection. Let us pray for their safe return and for the comfort and strength of those who have suffered loss or injury.

…Thank you.

Together we are working to create a more efficient state government.

Our Ohio Government Accountability Plan is saving money, improving our performance, and providing better service to Ohioans.

We’ve streamlined the process for seeking federal reimbursements, claiming millions of additional dollars owed to Ohio. We’ve eliminated a backlog of 16,000 letters and forms that was hindering the Department of Taxation’s ability to provide timely responses to Ohioans. We’ve reduced by 75 percent the time it takes to respond to employers questioning their workers compensation insurance rates. We’ve reduced elements of the coal permitting process by more than a year.

And with one simple new rule in the Department of Transportation – that all change orders for transportation projects now require the director’s approval – we saved Ohioans 46 million dollars last year. Director Jim Beasley, my good friend for more than 30 years, will be retiring this week from a career dedicated to public service. And I want to thank him for his integrity and for his leadership building roads and bridges and multi-modal projects that will serve Ohioans for generations to come.

Today I’m calling on all state agencies to heed these successes and to make government services even simpler, faster, better and less costly.

But as we mark what we’ve accomplished together, the time has come for us to stare truth in the face.

The truth is, our nation has lost more jobs in 2008 than in any year since World War II. In Ohio alone we lost more than 100,000 jobs.

Titans of American industry, of Ohio industry, have suffered unprecedented setbacks. Last year GM’s U.S. car and truck sales plunged to a 49-year low.

The stock market plummeted, eating away at the retirement savings of millions. In fact, last year the Dow Jones Industrial Average had its biggest decline since 1931.

Housing foreclosures more than doubled in 2008 from the already record levels of the year before.

Real wages measure what people earn after the effects of inflation. And the real wages of the average American worker are lower today than they were 30 years ago. That means in terms of purchasing power, American workers are making less than their parents.

I have said many times that our great state embodies the American experience. So too does our economy mirror the current American struggle.

But through it all, through it all, the state of our state is steadfast. The people of Ohio have not failed, and in this moment of turmoil, we must not fail them.

Franklin Roosevelt spoke of the challenges of life that rise and fall like the tides. He said, “There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations, much is expected.” And I would add, of our generation it has been both.

Now it is our duty, together, to make something of this moment.

We must begin by confronting the realities of our budget situation.

For the first time since the personal income tax was enacted in Ohio, we are projecting a three-year decline in income tax revenue.

For the first time since 1950, we are projecting a two-year decline in sales tax revenue.

For the first time in a half century, Ohio’s general revenue taxes have declined two years in a row.

We now forecast that the general revenue taxes available to the state of Ohio will be lower in the 2011 fiscal year than they were seven years earlier.

So in this budget, I must ask all Ohioans to accept the sacrifices that these times demand. In order to protect the priorities most important to Ohio’s future, we have no choice but to reduce a significant number of programs and services. We must ask state of Ohio employees to endure a financial sacrifice. This is a difficult day within a difficult year. But not for a moment do I doubt that we will emerge strengthened by adversity.

Just two years ago I stood before you to offer a state budget with the slowest rate of growth in state spending in 42 years. Today, circumstances dictate that my budget proposal must once again be modest. But we will not waver from our commitment to live within our means and invest in what matters. Our revenues may have retreated, but we will not.

Merely keeping our agencies at their previous budget levels for the next two years would leave us with a 7.3 billion dollar deficit. But the budget I will present next week will be balanced. And it will not raise taxes on Ohioans.

We have balanced the budget with a wide range of measures. We call for many program reductions of 10 to 20 percent. We will leverage existing resources and one-time cash transfers. We will increase various state agency fees, fines, and penalties. We will modify our Medicaid policies to manage our costs and to take advantage of funds available in the forthcoming federal stimulus package. In all, we have reduced spending by 3.2 billion dollars from 2009 planning levels.

Our budget leverages 3.4 billion dollars in federal stimulus funds specifically designated for state fiscal relief. Without the infusion of federal resources, we would have had to impose far more substantial cuts to balance our budget. I am grateful for the leadership of Ohio’s congressional delegation on this issue and fully support their efforts to move forward quickly on the federal stimulus package.

Despite this austere budget, we will continue making investments that are critical to Ohio’s economy and Ohio’s future.

We will strengthen Ohio by maintaining our commitment to affordable access to our colleges and universities.

For the last two years, Ohio was the only state in the nation with no tuition increase at our public institutions. At our community colleges and regional campuses we will maintain that tuition freeze for the next two years. For our main university campuses, we will ask that they continue to freeze tuition in 2010, and keep any tuition increase to no more than 3.5 percent in 2011.

To better serve our youngest learners and help them thrive in school and in life, we will unite all of our early childhood development programs and resources into the Department of Education. This comprehensive early childhood system will focus on the whole child and provide quality early learning and care while improving our efficiency and effectiveness.

We recognize that education is not a series of disconnected steps, it’s a staircase upward. And now in Ohio we will have a comprehensive P through 16 system built to help propel our young people up each step from pre-school enrollment to university degree.

We will strengthen Ohio by expanding access to health care coverage.

We have finally gained federal approval to offer coverage to Ohio children from families with incomes up to 300 percent of the poverty line. With funding provided in this budget, we will soon be able to say that health care coverage is available to every child in Ohio.

At the same time, we are taking innovative steps to expand health care access for adult Ohioans. Ohioans with employer-provided insurance will be able to buy coverage for their dependents up to the age of 29. Small business employees who lose their jobs will be able to purchase continuation coverage for up to 12 months. We will reform the open enrollment program to provide more affordable options for people who have pre-existing health conditions. And, we will allow more uninsured workers to purchase health care coverage with pre-tax dollars. Taken together, these steps will bring more than 110,000 adult Ohioans under the protection of health care coverage.

We will also provide more choices to Ohioans in need of long term care. People want care in the least restrictive environment possible. But state policies have almost pushed seniors and the disabled out the door of their homes and away from their communities. With a unified long-term care budget, we begin to balance services and funding, allowing our elderly and disabled Ohioans more choices.

We will strengthen Ohio with innovative transportation projects.

We will work toward the restoration of passenger rail service between Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland. Our goal is to link Ohio’s three largest cities by passenger rail for the first time in 40 years. This will be a first step toward a rail system that links neighborhoods within a city, and cities within our state.

We will strengthen Ohio by continuing the implementation of the tax reforms of 2005 and the Homestead Property Tax Exemption we passed in 2007 that is saving money for every senior citizen homeowner in Ohio.

And we will strengthen Ohio with a commitment to job creation.

We will renew the Technology Investment Tax Credit to attract investors who are fueling the rise of new Ohio start-up technology companies.

We will broaden the Job Retention Tax Credit and Job Creation Tax Credit so that more businesses can benefit from creating opportunity in Ohio.

We will create a Film Tax Credit designed to spur the growth of the film industry, bringing new jobs and creative energy to Ohio.

And, we will create a New Markets Tax Credit based on the existing federal program, to give our cities and towns a proven tool to spur investment in multi-use projects that bring new life to downtown centers.

Building on the plan we enacted last year, and on these job creation incentives in my budget proposal, I will introduce a second jobs stimulus package in the coming months. The package will include an expansion of Ohio’s Third Frontier program, regulatory reform and streamlining measures to assure that Ohio gets its share of federal stimulus funds and can put them to work quickly, and additional investments that will create jobs in the short term and strengthen Ohio for generations.

The philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson gave an interesting talk in the midst of what was called the “Panic of 1837.” At the time, nearly half of all banks had failed, credit all but vanished, and the American economy had ground to a halt.

But Emerson did not lament the challenges of the day. He embraced them. He said, and I quote: “If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the new stand side by side and admit of being compared; when the energies of all men are searched by fear and by hope; when the historic glories of the old can be compensated by the rich possibilities of the new era? This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.”

I think those words sum up where we are today: this is a very good time if we but know what to do with it.

And I would submit to you that we do know. Together, we must focus our energies and resources on the programs most vital to our future prosperity. First on that list is education.

In the 1830s, Samuel Lewis was hired as Ohio’s first state superintendent of schools. Lewis was given the task of making sure that every child in every town was provided a quality education.

Lewis needed to know how many schools we had, where they were, what and who they taught. He couldn’t get the information he needed any other way, so he climbed atop his horse and he rode from town to town and school to school. He spoke to teachers and parents and students and people he met in the town square.

Lewis’ journey took him a total of 1,200 miles as he circled Ohio and prepared a report for the legislature.

Lewis wrote in his report that public schools in Ohio must be “free to all, rich and poor, on equal terms.” He said there was no greater tribute to patriotism than supporting strong public schools.

And Lewis concluded that the commitment to improving Ohio’s schools must be made immediately. He wrote, “Every year’s delay is adding mountains of obstacles to be overcome. We need no longer direct public attention to the future – to our children’s children – to the third and fourth generation, before the promised blessings are realized. Nothing will be more hurtful,” he said, “than procrastination.”

Seventeen decades later, you can Google Lewis’ report and see that his words still ring true. And what’s more, if Lewis were to ride his horse up to one of our schools today, he would immediately recognize what he was looking at. He would recognize our school day. He would recognize our school year. In too many schools he would recognize the typical classroom with rows of students lined up to listen to a teacher and record, rather than interact, with the information being provided.

Now there is no doubt that by working together we have made improvements in our schools.

Over the last two years we reduced the tax burden on local communities as the state now provides the majority of funds needed for our local schools.

Together we took the school building program that Governor Taft and the legislature created, and we expanded it to fund hundreds of new and renovated school buildings. And our new schools are being built to efficiency standards that will reduce our energy costs for the life of the building. In fact, Ohio has the largest energy efficient school building program in the nation.

Our education system has been strengthened immeasurably by the vision of legislators and other leaders who have long been committed to seeing that Ohio’s schools rank among the nation’s best.

I share that commitment. And while I didn’t ride on horseback, I have spent the past two years visiting every corner of our great state. I’ve met with parents, educators, researchers, business and community leaders. I’ve looked at the best research available on what we should teach and how we should teach it. And in the last few months I’ve benefited from the considerable experience and wisdom of Ohio’s new Superintendent of Public Instruction Deborah Delisle.

It is absolutely clear to me that simply tinkering with centuries-old education practices will not prepare Ohio’s children for success in college, in the workplace, or in life. Therefore, today I present my plan to build our education system anew.

The plan is based on a very simple premise: we should design our education system around what works. I have embraced an evidence-based education approach that harnesses research results and applies those findings to Ohio’s specific circumstances.

Now there will surely be those who protest that education research isn’t perfect. But frankly, we cannot afford to ignore the best available answers. Medical research isn’t perfect either, but it saves lives.

My Ohio evidence-based plan is designed to provide the best education we can for all of Ohio’s students. The elements of my plan are supported by evidence, and that evidence will guide our implementation of the plan over the next eight years.

First, what we teach and how we teach will prepare Ohioans to thrive in the 21st Century.

Students will, of course, continue to learn the timeless core subjects like math and science that are critical to their success. But we will also add new topics including global awareness and life skills to the curriculum. And we will use teaching methods that foster creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration, media literacy, leadership and productivity, cultural awareness, adaptability and accountability.

These are the skills that help people thrive in their lives. These are the skills our business leaders look for in the people they hire. These are the skills we find in people who create jobs, create products, and create entirely new industries.

Under my plan, the Ohio Department of Education will set standards for Ohio schools requiring innovative teaching formats. Interdisciplinary methods, project-based learning, real world lessons, and service learning will be the norm.

For example, a history teacher might build a lesson around a novel being read in an English class. Students might write a research paper that winds up in the school newspaper instead of being tossed in the trash can.

The learning experience will be built around the individual student. Lessons will not end when a fact is memorized. Students will be given a chance to interact with information, to follow up on the subjects that fascinate, to think critically and creatively and to use what they’ve learned to draw conclusions.

Our schools are not assembly lines and our students are not widgets. We will teach to each individual student’s need because we recognize that it is the surest path to seeing our young people reach their full potential.

Second, under my plan, we will expand learning opportunities.

Over a ten-year period we will add 20 instructional days to the school calendar – bringing Ohio’s learning year up to the international average of 200 days.

We will end the outdated practice of giving our most impressionable students only a half-day of learning. Ohio will now require universal all-day kindergarten.

We will provide resources to expand the learning day for all students with activities such as community service, tutoring, and wellness programs.

We will build on our ‘Closing the Achievement Gap’ initiative to take what we’ve learned from the existing program to help us provide enhanced intervention services in schools with high dropout rates.

We will create community engagement teams in our schools. We will place nurses in our schools. We will have professionals in the schools who will help educators, families and community service providers come together to help our children succeed.

And for the first time the state will provide dedicated resources for instructional materials and enrichment activities.

We will celebrate learning with new academic achievement competitions and awards that make learning as publicly praised as athletics. With the creation of the Ohio Academic Olympics, students will compete in science, in math, in writing, in debate, in the arts, and in technology.

Now, there are some who would say we’ll never fill the seats of a stadium for this kind of competition. But I’ll tell you this; the winners of this competition will be able to design the stadium.

Knowing that America’s children are among the world’s leaders in the amount of television they watch, we are claiming a few more hours of childhood for reading, thinking, community projects, and other activities. And in exchange for those few hours, we will give our students a lifetime of advantages.

Third, under my plan, we will improve educator quality.

There is simply nothing that we as policymakers can influence in our schools that is as consequential as providing top quality teachers for our students.

And before I go any further let me say something directly to Ohio’s teachers: thank you. Thank you for what you do for Ohio’s young people and for Ohio’s future. I hope that every day as you work you take a moment to remember that you can never tell where your influence stops.

So, under my plan, in recognition of the enormous importance of excellent teachers, we will revolutionize teacher preparation and development in Ohio with a residency program. Just as future doctors begin their careers under the watchful eye of an experienced colleague, we will give our new teachers the benefit of thoughtful guidance from an accomplished senior teacher. After a four-year residency, successful candidates will earn their professional teaching license.

We will recognize the development of a teacher’s skills and accomplishments with a career ladder that begins with their residency and can build up to lead teacher, a person whose credentials, experience, and student results warrant additional responsibilities. That means for the first time our teachers will have the opportunity to advance their careers based on objective evidence of student progress.

Our lead teachers will play an active role in overseeing new teachers in the residency program and assisting all their colleagues.

We will provide collaborative planning time so that the best ideas of the best teachers can spread across a school and reach the most students. Mentoring, coaching and peer review will be a standard part of a teacher’s job.

We will harness the expertise of the Chancellor of Higher Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to collaborate on professional development programs and innovative techniques for the classroom.

Let me say that not everyone is cut out to be a teacher. And the residency program will identify them. But even for teachers already in the field, we must have the ability to remove them from the classroom if their students are not learning. Right now, it’s harder to dismiss a teacher than any other public employee. Under my plan, we will give administrators the power to dismiss teachers for good cause, the same standard applied to other public employees.

We will create a Teach Ohio program to open a path to licensure for professionals who have the subject knowledge but lack coursework in education methods. Teach Ohio participants will complete an intensive course in classroom methods and then be eligible to begin the four-year residency program.

Scholarships will be made available for future teachers who agree to teach in hard to staff schools or in hard to staff subjects.

Our university teacher education programs will be redesigned to meet the needs and standards of our primary and secondary schools. The Chancellor of Higher Education will be empowered to reward university education programs that best prepare their students for success as teachers in Ohio.

We will strengthen our licensing standards for school principals while giving them the ability and the responsibility to properly manage their schools.

We will create standards for the mastery of both education and management principles for school superintendents, school treasurers and other business officials.

And you know, good ideas shouldn’t be something we stumble on accidentally. That’s why my plan creates a research and development function within the Department of Education. The department’s Center for Creativity and Innovation will monitor research and results from across the country and across the world to keep Ohio schools and Ohio educators informed of new advances.

We take these steps to strengthen the education profession because we recognize that our teachers, much like doctors and pilots, hold lives in their hands, and we must do everything we can to make it possible for them to do their jobs extraordinarily well.

Fourth, under my plan, we will measure ourselves against the world.

Ohio’s current graduation test does not measure creativity, problem solving, and other key skills. We will make our assessments both relevant and rigorous by replacing the Ohio Graduation Test with the ACT and three additional measures.

All students will take the ACT college entrance examination, not only to measure their high school achievement, but to help raise students’ aspirations for higher education. Students will also take statewide ‘end of course’ exams, complete a service learning project, and submit a senior project.

These four measures will give our graduating high school seniors the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge, creativity, and problem solving skills, in short, to demonstrate precisely the skills that will help them succeed in life.

In grades 3 through 8, our assessments will also be entirely rewritten to test for mastery of the information and skills in the curriculum.

Our goal in our teaching and in our testing is nothing short of national and international leadership.

Fifth, under my plan, we will establish an unprecedented level of school district accountability and transparency.

School districts will undergo performance audits overseen by the Department of Education to make sure they are maintaining the academic and operating standards we’ve established.

Districts will report their spending plans before each school year and then account for every dollar at the conclusion of the school year.

And just as we provide an academic report card for our schools, we will provide parents, public officials, and taxpayers an annual fiscal and operational report card for every school district. That means that when we send districts funding to help students who need additional attention and instruction, we will now be able to track our dollars to see that they directly reach those students.

Failure to comply with our standards will result, first, in the assigning of technical assistance to help a school district correct its deficiencies. If the problem persists, a district will be required to present a comprehensive plan outlining how it will reach full compliance with our academic and operating standards. Continued failure would result in the district being placed in receivership, with entirely new leadership installed. And finally, if the district remains non-compliant, the State Board of Education would be required to revoke the school district’s charter.

In short, if a school district fails, we will shut it down.

And, as we establish a new level of accountability in our school districts, we must also establish accountability in our charter schools.

For those who may have misunderstood my position on charter schools, I want to be very clear. I support charter schools that meet the same high standards we demand of traditional public schools. Charter schools that hire quality teachers, show fiscal and academic accountability, are regulated by the Department of Education, and are not run by for-profit management services have a place in my plan.

Now, in order to implement our evidence-based model, our students will need educators, support staff, materials, and special programs necessary to deliver a 21st century education. And by defining what our students need, we have in the process defined the resources our schools need.

The first step in providing those resources is eliminating aspects of our current funding system that are, quite frankly, indefensible.

In the current system, when the state calculates how much tax revenue a school district has, the state uses phony numbers. You may have heard this called ‘phantom revenue.’ For example, in many school districts, rising property values do not produce additional property tax revenue. But the state formula for school aid assumes districts do get additional tax revenue. That’s not logical, and it results in many districts being punished because the formula says they have an abundance of phantom dollars that don’t actually exist.

Under my plan, the state will no longer ask school districts to pay their bills with phantom dollars.

Instead, my plan lowers what our local taxpayers are expected to contribute to local schools from 23 mills to 20 mills. The state will assume responsibility for providing the difference between what those 20 mills raise and the cost of the full range of educational resources our students need according to our evidence-based approach.

Additionally, districts will have the option of asking voters to pass a conversion levy. Now, a conversion levy simply maintains the existing millage on residential property for a district currently above 20 mills.

Districts that use a conversion levy, and all districts whose tax structure already allows growth on 20 mills, will see their tax revenues grow with increased property values, helping schools to keep up with inflation.

Last November alone we had more than 200 school districts asking voters to approve school levies. Under my plan, school districts that choose this option will not have to go to the ballot year after year just to stay even with inflation.

And, we will strengthen the historic partnership between the state and our local school districts. When I came into office, local school districts paid for the majority of school costs. In the upcoming two-year budget, even with grave economic challenges facing Ohio and the nation, my plan will take the state’s share of education funding to 55 percent. As our Ohio evidence-based plan is fully phased in, the state’s share will grow to an unprecedented 59 percent.

And when we do these things, I believe we will have finally and unquestionably met our constitutional obligation to our children.

What’s more, together we’ll make Ohio one of the first states with a school year 200 days long.

Together we’ll make Ohio among the first states to place 21st century skills like creativity, problem solving, communication and leadership at the center of its curriculum.

Together we’ll make Ohio the first state with a comprehensive residency program for new teachers.

Together we’ll make Ohio among the first states to require universal all day kindergarten.

And we’ll take these steps with a very deliberate purpose. It’s because, as President Kennedy once put it, “We want to be first. Not first if. Not first but, but first.”

We will graduate Ohioans ready to succeed in the modern economy and in modern life. Future generations will look back gratefully and say that when we came together on education, we claimed this new century for Ohio.

Now, the words I quoted earlier aren’t Franklin Roosevelt’s best remembered comments about economic hardship. His most famous words were: “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” That’s a wonderful sentiment. But the truth is, our people have a good deal more to fear than fear. The loss of a job, a home, health care, and a pension hovers over far too many of our neighbors.

So I stand before you today with the unshakable knowledge that Ohio has been an economic powerhouse for 200 years, and, my friends, I believe Ohio’s best days are yet to come.

Whether we progress swiftly or slowly, however, will be in direct proportion to how well we work together.

If you looked up at the sky as the weather turned cold and the birds headed south for the winter, you probably saw a flock of geese flying together in a V formation.

Many years ago a pastor asked his congregation, “Do you know why geese fly in a V instead of side by side?” And then he explained, they fly in a V because it allows each goose to reduce the wind resistance for the bird flying behind it. By flying in formation, the whole flock strengthens each individual bird, allowing each goose to fly vastly greater distances together than it could possibly fly alone.

My friends, surely we are as smart as the goose. We can share a common direction, a sense of common purpose, and in so doing we can strengthen each other even as we strengthen ourselves.

Thank you and may God Bless Ohio.

An Introduction to Visual Thinking - (embedded slideshare presentation - visible on blog site)

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

We're hiring at Progressive Medical - Business Systems Analyst

It's been another great year for Progressive and we're looking for a few new team members who want to be part of our hi performance Business Systems Analyst team.


Business Systems Analysts III provides the highest level of analysis for Progressive Medical’s business environment and assists users in defining needs to accomplish business goals. Develops or modifies procedures to solve complex information systems and technology problems while taking into consideration equipment capacity and limitations, operating time and desired results.

Interested? Click here.

TEDTalks Saul Griffith: Hardware solutions to everyday problems - (embedded video - visible on blog site)

About this talk

Inventor and MacArthur fellow Saul Griffith shares some innovative ideas from his lab -- from "smart rope" to a house-sized kite for towing large loads.
About Saul Griffith

Inventor Saul Griffith looks for elegant ways to make real things, from low-cost eyeglasses to a kite that tows boats. His latest project shares open-source plans for new inventions and ideas

Introducing NanoMed - A early stage Columbus biotech company

Who is NanoMed?
NanoMed, Inc. developed a nanotechnology-based gene delivery system for researchers to rapidly prototype new gene therapies, resulting in revolutionary, faster cures to many diseases. Nanomed’s first product, the ZipDisc Gene Delivery System, enables these results by greatly improving test success rates, raising cell survival rates, and reducing the amount of time to produce test results. They recently received a TechColumbus TechGenesis grant to be used for a market assessment and development of a working prototype.


Can you tell us a little more about ZipDisc?
The target customers for the ZipDisc Gene Delivery System are genetic researchers at universities, pharmaceutical companies, and hospitals, who are developing cures for cancer, autoimmune diseases, and other debilitating disorders. Unfortunately, the pace of breakthrough efforts has been dramatically hampered by current gene delivery methods, which yield low success rates (transfection efficiency), result in cell injury and death, and are time inefficient. In fact, many labs are forced to use more than one gene delivery product as no single product can meet their needs, and research can take months to complete. The ZipDisc Gene Delivery System will address the researcher’s pain by greatly improving the success rate from 40-70% to 90%, raising cell survival rate from 50% to 95%, and reducing the amount of time to produce test results from 3 months to 3 days.

The Solution
The ZipDisc Gene Delivery System has been developed through extensive research in the Ohio State University’s bioengineering labs, and consists of a base unit that applies a low-voltage charge to the proprietary, one-time use cartridges that hold the genes to be delivered to a cell. When the charge is applied, the genes are propelled into a cell though openings in its membrane. The genetic transfer is achieved without the need for potentially harmful viruses to carry the genes, and the procedure is user-friendly and readily adaptable to existing cell biology lab practices. As the genes are not directly injected into a patient, no FDA approval is required, thus dramatically reducing the time to market for the ZipDisc system. A pipeline of additional products will be tailored to other markets such as agriculture, drug delivery, and therapeutics. NanoMed has obtained an exclusive option to license the technology patent from OSU.

The Market
By addressing the fundamental problems faced by geneticists in their research efforts, NanoMed will be able to capture a sustainable, growing market share of the gene delivery market, with competing gene delivery products currently valued at over $150 million and experiencing a double digit growth rate. The ZipDisc system provides significant performance advantages over all other gene delivery techniques.

Financial Plan
The extremely low cost of materials for the cartridge generates a high margin even though NanoMed will use contract services for both manufacturing and distribution. NanoMed is seeking to raise $3.5 million over three years from business plan competitions, grants, and investment. Initial seed funding including prize winnings from business competitions will be used to further develop the prototype for independent lab testing across numerous cell lines and to conduct further in-depth market analysis to refine the business plan.

NanoMed Management Team
Bruce Caldwell, MBA (Univ. of Cincinnati) and team leader, is a mid-career Chemical Engineer. Mihaela Jekic, biomedical engineering PhD (OSU) candidate, has expertise in medical device development. Aaron Sander and Eric Cochran, both PhD (OSU) candidates in Physics, bring an inside knowledge of the technology and how to market to researchers. Our executive mentors, Paul Dymerski, PhD, and Seth Cramer, MBA, both have experience leading technology start-ups from concept through commercialization and acquisition. Dr. S. Michael Camp, Director of the OSU Center for Entrepreneurship, is our faculty advisor. Dr. James Lee, professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at OSU and principal inventor of the technology, leads our technical advisory board.

How can I find out more about NanoMed?
Seth Cramer, CFO
seth_cramer@hotmail.com
614.946.4350

Monday, January 26, 2009

Columbus Tech Life Update - week of 1/25

Welcome to our new meetup members (Dennis Hedo, Aladin Gohar, Doug Banton, and Shane McWilliams to name few).

Congrats to Pawan Murthy on his first PEP Talks. It was great event and I'm sure that both the students and the professionals in attendance came away enthused and energized. We even had our first musical meetup with Jared Mahone .

A few months ago Pawan came to me and we talked about his vision for helping students find their career path by showcasing the passions of inspiring professionals in our community. I couldn't help but caught up in his passion and encouraged him to go for it! A few months later the first PEP Talks came to fruition and he's already planning the next one. It's amazing what passion can accomplish -

What's your passion and what are you waiting for?

Congrats to Dan and Alvin for organizing Ignite 2. We had a standing room only crowd of over 100 attendees and were treated to a wide range of speakers. Stay tuned for the Ignite Columbus 3.

Check out this weeks events:

Mon 1/26 - Find out what the next 25 years has in store for Technology Professionals
Tues 1/27 - OWL - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Website Designs
Tues 1/27 - TechColumbus Breakfast: The Future Business of TV and the Web
Tues 1/27 - COSI Tweetup
Thurs 1/29 - Jelly Columbus Day2: casual co-working
Thurs 1/29 - Columbus LinkedWorking Event! @ BOMA
Fri 1/30 - CbusTechLife Joe II
Fri 1/30 - Jelly Talks


Peace out,
Ben


P.S. Check out this story about tech giant in our own backyard - Battelle - Columbus Rocks!!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

TEDTalks John Doerr: Seeking salvation and profit in greentech - (embedded video - visible on blog site)

About this talk

"I don't think we're going to make it," John Doerr proclaims, in an emotional talk about climate change and investment. Spurred on by his daughter, who demanded he fix the mess the world is heading for, he and his partners.
About John Doerr

John Doerr, Silicon Valley's legendary moneyman, is afraid of eco-apocalypse. After building his reputation (and a considerable fortune) investing in high-tech successes, he's turning his…

Report: Life sciences supports 135K Ohio jobs

Source: Business First Jan 16,2008

Commercial biotechnology – from crop sciences to drug and device makers to medical laboratories – generated $34 billion in direct and indirect economic impact and supported 135,000 jobs in 2007, according to BioOhio, a state trade and advocacy group.

Click here for the rest of the story

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Ignite Columbus 2








A big shout out to Alvin Borromeo and Dan Rockwell for organizing last night's Ignite Columbus 2.

For those of you who didn't make it to Ignite Columbus you missed a great night. Alvin and Dan really outdid themselves with Ignite Columbus 2.

I found myself at 6pm at the old Smith Brothers building in the beautiful Lextant office space. The space quickly filled up with a standing room crowd of over 100 attendees. Mike Bowers opened up the discussion with Columbus Inventions and we were treated to 15 or so other speakers throughout the night.

Everyone I talked enjoyed themselves and said they would be at the next Ignite. So if you want to experience the wide variety of viewpoints and opinions check out Ignite Columbus 3.

Thanks also to the speakers and sponsors, lextant and edgecase. And finally, thanks to Motion Drift for taking video of the event.

Here's what some of the attendees had to say:

Great speakers and a first class location and organization made my first Ignite an amazing experience I look forward to the next one.

Ignite 2 tonight was a great event... it's a perfect reflection of the melting pot that our Tech Life community represents. I learned random stuff on a myriad of topics and that's my favorite part. Thank you Dan and Alvin and all who helped contribute to putting the event on. It was a blast.

Fantastic event. Combines the opportunity to work on presentation skills, learn about businesses, hear new strategies, learn about tech and social media. All in a fun environment, aka beer and pizza.

Scott
The diversity of presentations was excellent, despite the few obvious "hire my company" pitches. The event was well attended, and well conducted.

Introducing Robbie Spencer - 16 year old guest blogger - Obama. A Man for Peace. A Man for Change.

In the twitter world I've gotten a chance to meet a lot of interesting people. I'd like to introduce someone I think you'll be hearing a lot about.

Robbie Spencer is a 16 year old blogger from Columbus, Ohio. Specializing in Technology and Finance, he has been activity blogging since September of 08 and Twitter since August. Currently he attends DeVry University, focusing on Network System Administration and will graduate in June 2009 with an Associate's Degree. In addition, he is in the beginning stages of launching his own start up, Gamer-Trader.com, an e-commerce site which hopes to cater to the needs of gamers worldwide.

I asked Robbie to share his thoughts about yesterday's inauguration. Following is what he had to say. - Thanks Robbie - Welcome to our blog


Obama. A Man for Peace. A Man for Change.
When someone says Obama, my mind does something interesting. I don't instantly think of the President. It makes me think of the man behind the title. A man who, three years ago, was new to the seat as Senator. A man who, when things looked grim and Hillary Clinton was in the running for the presidential bid, and in line to win, did not give up and in fact went on the defeat his opponent. A man who, in front of over one million people, yes, one million people, delivered one of the most powerful and influential speeches I've ever heard. This is a person who brought together a nation founded by men who owned slaves. A nation that, only 50 years ago, used fire hoses to blast down people of color who were peacefully marching down a street. The country has seen much, but in my humble opinion, I think much of what our country has experienced fails to reach the level of inspiration the inauguration of President Barrack Obama brought us yesterday.
As I watched the inauguration yesterday, something dawned on me. The nation did not just have an African American officially take his seat as President of the United States, the nation received relief. Relief from the longest war in US history. Relief from a struggling economy. And relief from a mental barrier that, weather we knew it or not, had in the back of all the minds of Americans. However, that brings to question, is color the only reason for celebration? No. It is not. Colin Powell brought up a good point in an interview he conducted early Tuesday morning. He said that Barrack Obama is intelligent, well equipped, charismatic, and African American. In that order. The fact that our President is African American has nothing to do with his ability to be a fit President. He already, even before being sworn in, was pushing for new policies and meeting with members of Congress in order to come up with a game plan to attack different issues he plans to address. In addition, even before his bid for President, he backed programs and services within Illinois to cushion the economy, lower crime, and pass legislation. And then as a Presidential Candidate, he brought the two major parties in America: Democrats and Republicans, together in order to make a more unified nation. Also, with a steady and inspiring voice, he preached his ideologies and plans for the future, not just to convince America, but the world that the United States is changing. And unlike the past 8 years, we are changing for the better. No more will the elderly have to choose between if they shall eat or buy their pills. No more shall we have to worry about only spending so much here so we can fill up our tank and get to there. We are changing.
And as a message to other countries, Obama made it perfectly clear in his inauguration speech that the United States is not going away. As he said, it may seem that America has a "nagging fear of our inevitable decline" but in fact, we are moving forward, ready to change that appearance. We are here to stay and we shall repair the relationships that were broken in the previous years. Making the United States energy independent, I think, will help in making this clear to the rest of the world that we are only getting stronger. By bringing our focus away form areas that are no longer profitable or good for the nation and focusing on areas that will only benefit us, we can change the world's image of a spoiled and lazy America. Obama plans to make the proper laws, acts, and amendments in order to make this process as smooth and efficient as possible.
As a young person in America, I look to people like Obama for inspiration. A position traditionally held by "older" person, now has a face my generation can relate to. When we look for a leader, we have someone well accomplished and doing things never thought possible who is "plugged-in" to what we associate with. Obama managed to bring in new technologies into his campaign, using tools like Twitter, Blogs, and the Social Networks to reach a new generation of voters. 9 out of 10 eighteen year olds are not watching that Presidential debate. What we are doing however is watching video streams on Ustream or checking updates on Facebook. Obama successfully showed that he knows that we are watching, just in a different way, that he was able to recognize and utilize to the best of his ability.
America is sick and we need someone like Obama to heal our wounds. There are questions to our economy, state of peace; threat of imminent attack, the list goes on. However, Obama proved yesterday that America is the one country that can handle it. Prepare for swift and large movements in legislation. Prepare for a shift in how the economy is weighed and where our focus shall settle. Prepare for lower gas prices as we work toward energy independence. Prepare for change.
Martin Luther King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. In it he made the quote:
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
Obama proved that yesterday. He proved that America is not just a country of men who lead the world with the same ideas and beliefs from when the country was established. No, in fact what makes America are the men, women, children, and grandchildren who give to others and help make this country. It is those people who make this country great. And Barrack Obama is the only man fit to lead these people as President of the United States of America.
-Robbie Spencer

Robbie Spencer aka VirginIncVuture
Blog: http://virginincvuture.wordpress.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/virginincvuture
FriendFeed: http://firendfeed.com/virginincvuture

TECH CORPS Ohio update

Dear TECH CORPS Friends:



This year, with support from the Mayor's Office of Education, TECH CORPS Ohio launched a new program called City Student TECH CORPS 2.0 (http://techcorpsohio.org/index.php/city-student-tech-corps-20).


This is an AMAZING group of 20 TECH CORPS students who are interested and committed to expanding their exploration of educational and career opportunities in the field of technology (Program information attached). 

We believe the training the students receive during the school year, should be applied in a real-world setting during the summer. That is why we are asking local employers to hire and pay one or more of our students this summer ($8/hr x 30hr/wk x 10 weeks). 


Please join us for an Informational Meeting to learn more about this program and how another local company has already successfully hired and managed TECH CORPS interns. 

Informational Meeting
Wed., February 18th
4:30pm to 6:00pm
TECH CORPS Ohio Computer Lab

(Located in the Gateway Health and Wellness Center)
112 Jefferson Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43215

Please RSVP at your earliest convenience (want to make sure I have enough goodies!)

Lisa
(Please feel free to forward this on to other employers that might have an interest.)
----------------------------------------
Lisa M. Chambers, State Director
TECH CORPS Ohio
112 Jefferson Avenue
Columbus, OH 43215
614-583-9211
www.techcorpsohio.org

Check us out on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_zmrD6THf8

Blue Ocean Strategy - (embedded slideshare presentation - visible on blog site)

Blue Ocean Strategy
View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: strategy corporate)

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Web Designer/Developer opening

GREENCREST, a full-service marketing, advertising and public relations firm, is growing its in-house Interactive Department and is seeking to fill the position of Web Designer/Developer. Responsibilities include design and development of Web sites; planning and implementing search engine marketing campaigns; and design, development and delivery of HTML emails. The ideal candidate will have excellent design, HTML and CSS skills, a solid understanding of Web Standards and SEO best practices and experience with PHP, MySQL, JavaScript and open source content management systems. Experience with ASP, .NET, Flash and Google AdWords is a plus. A degree in a related field is preferred, but 2-3 years of relevant experience backed by a solid portfolio is required. Send resume, salary requirements and samples to art@greencrest.com by 1/26 for consideration. No calls please.

A personal invite to the PEP Talks



Have you ever thought, "I wish I could go back in time and tell my younger self what I know now..." ?

Unless there are some major breakthroughs in quantum mechanics and string theory, that probably won't happen in our lifetime. But that should not prevent you from sharing your knowledge with other younger people, especially college students. They're at a critical inflection point in their lives - where they can explore different career options and start forging a path that is their own. The knowledge and guidance of professionals in a student's community can focus their energy on a career they are passionate about.

Unfortunately, outside of job fairs or corporate open houses, there are few opportunities dedicated to connecting students with the professional community. Until now.

The PEP Talks were created to help connect students with their passions and those who inspire. These talks are recurring events featuring 5 local professionals who are given 10 minutes each to share their wisdom, their passions and how they got to where they are now. Each talk is professionally video taped, edited and posted on the web site http://www.thepeptalks.com.

Register Here: http://www.meetup.com/columbustech/calendar/9311925/

The emphasis is on "local" because even though we live in age of instant communication and technology, the face-to-fact interaction can never be replaced. Also - what better way to have students start building their network than meeting people in their city?

"Local" is also important is because The PEP Talks also serve as a powerful showcase for all the innovation, technologies, ideas, companies, and achievements that have originated here in Central Ohio. 

So please come to our first Event, this Thursday, January 22nd at the Landmark Theater in the South Campus Gateway. We expect over 180 students and professionals to attend, making this a truly meaningful experience. Hope to see you there.

Pawan

Monday, January 19, 2009

TechColumbus sends $1.6M to area startups

Source Business First Jan 16, 2008

TechColumbus has unleashed another round of money from a $20 million public-private initiative it launched last year to help fledgling Central Ohio companies.

The agency said it would make investments in excess of $1.6 million to nine area companies through its TechStart program. TechStart strives to connect startup technology companies in Franklin and 14 nearby counties with cash infusions through so-called TechGenesis grants and from a venture capital-backed regional commercialization fund.

TechColumbus is looking to invest $22.5 million in early-stage businesses; the agency has invested $3.6 million to date...


Click here for the rest of the story and to know who's received funding.

Ignite Columbus 2 - This Wednesday Jan 21








I have to admit when I heard about Ignite Columbus that I had no idea what it was about but thought that it had a cool name. So what the heck is Ignite Columbus and why have closed to 100 people signed up to attend the next one this Wed. (Click here to register)

Here is what it's all about:



If you had five minutes on stage what would you say? What if you only got 20 slides and they rotated automatically after 15 seconds? Around the world geeks have been putting together Ignite nights to show their answers.
Ignite, a community sponsored by O’Reilly, was started in Seattle in 2006 by Brady Forrest and Bre Pettis. Since then 100s of 5 minute talks have been given across the world. There are thriving Ignite communities in Seattle, Portland, Paris, and NYC.
AND NOW THERE IS AN IGNITE COMMUNITY IN COLUMBUS, OHIO!


This week's list of presenters include:


Name Presentation Title
Anne Diehl Working in Theatre
Anthony Timperman Columbus Green Business Goes Blue
Artie Isaac Democratizing Public Speaking
Brian Link Agile Software
Brian Lockrey Creating and Managing Organizations on the Internet
Charles (Bill) Carpenter Finding Opportunity in Economic Recession
Chris Elliott Changing the Workforce
Eric Zarnesky Shaping Message Success
Jason Blanton Capturing Creativity
Jeff 'SKI' Kinsey You don't know RSS
Jody Dzuranin New Year - New Economy
Joe DeLoss Sustainable Service
Joshua Scott Jump!
Laura Rees Springboard Ideas, or How to make cheese sauce
lauren serota social media vs. real life
Lewis Howes Unlocking the Underground Secrets to LinkedIn Success
Mike Bowers C'Bus Invention that Ignite Columbus
Mike McBride What is Electronic Discovery, Really?
Phyllis Top 100 List

(Click here for detailed descriptions)

Check it out. I'll see you there.

Peace out,
Ben

Friday, January 16, 2009

Clearwish featured on channel 4

The story is about the new companies that are emerging in the tough economy and how they are getting it done!

This serendipitously coincides with their "Winter Grant a Wish" giveaway which you can check out on Clearwish. Check out their new facebook connect feature!

http://www.clearwish.com/press/fighting-for-small-businesses






How to fix the innovation gap: A conversation with Judy Estrin

Late last year we hosted a event with Judy Estrin. In this video interview Judy talks about fixing the innovation gap.

 

The author and tech executive says we are living off the fruits of previous research and need to seed new ideas.

 Click here -

 http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/How_to_fix_the_innovation_gap_2285?pagenum=1#interactive_estrin

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Clearwish Tells Their Story

Source Startup Weekend Blog:
January 14, 2009 || by Clayton Stobbs


Below is a guest post from Brian Zuercher, the current CEO of Clearwish, Inc. Clearwish came out of Startup Weekend Columbus and so far have a great story to tell. Thanks Brian!

I was wishing for the opportunity to find some passionate business partners and start an exciting business, and that wish was granted last July. I showed up to Startup Weekend Columbus hoping to have a good time, with little expectation more than meeting a few cool people and seeing some cool ideas. It only took about 10 minutes for that to change.....

Click here for the rest.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

McKinsey Quarterly - most popular 2008 articles

1. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Eight business technology trends to watch
As they transform many markets and businesses, management should learn to shape the outcome rather than just react to it.

2. ORGANIZATION
Making talent a strategic priority
The War for Talent never ended. Executives must constantly rethink the way their companies plan to attract, motivate, and retain employees.

3. ORGANIZATION
Centered leadership: How talented women thrive
A new approach can help women become more self-confident and effective business leaders.

4. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
The next step in open innovation
The creation of knowledge, products, and services by online communities of companies and consumers is still in its earliest stages.

5. ENERGY
The economics of solar power
Don’t be fooled by technological uncertainty and the continued importance of subsidies and regulations; solar will become more economically attractive. (A podcast interview with one of the authors is also available.)

6. STRATEGY

Enduring ideas: The GE–McKinsey nine-box matrix
A carefully constructed change agent program is essential for success in any operational transformation. This narrated animation—one of several the Quarterly produced in 2008—explains the origins and significance of the framework.

7. STRATEGY
Leadership and innovation
McKinsey research reveals a wide gap between the aspirations of executives to innovate and their ability to execute. Organizational structures and processes are not the solution.

8. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Building the Web 2.0 enterprise: McKinsey Global Survey Results
Companies are using more Web 2.0 tools and technologies than they were in 2007—and sometimes for more complex business purposes, according to McKinsey’s second annual Web 2.0 survey, conducted in June 2008. Companies that are satisfied with their use of these tools are starting to see changes throughout the enterprise.

9. STRATEGY
How chief strategy officers think about their role: A roundtable
CSOs from several high-profile companies discuss the complexities and challenges of the job.

10. CORPORATE FINANCE
The new role of oil wealth in the world economy
Regulators may worry when stakes in Western companies are purchased by petrodollar investors, yet their vast resources kept down interest rates and buoyed financial assets. What’s the broader effect of the surge in petrodollars?