Best of Open Source Software Awards 2009

If you think you can easily whittle down the best open source software to a manageable number, you'll soon discover that you can't do it without a great deal of hair pulling, nail biting, and gnashing of teeth. There are just too many excellent tools. Even if you give up on a "manageable" number and go whole hog - say, a top 100, which is certainly doable - you'll still face too many hard decisions and too many arguments. You'll be looking for a way out.


By InfoWorld staff

Mon, August 31, 2009 — InfoWorld — If you think you can easily whittle down the best open source software to a manageable number, you'll soon discover that you can't do it without a great deal of hair pulling, nail biting, and gnashing of teeth. There are just too many excellent tools. Even if you give up on a "manageable" number and go whole hog - say, a top 100, which is certainly doable - you'll still face too many hard decisions and too many arguments. You'll be looking for a way out.

click here for the full story

Fresh Internships from ColumbusInternships.com

Internships from ColumbusInternships.com - click here for the full list

• Social Media/Communications Internships (Long-term) at Social Boomerang
  Expires September 14, 2009 Location: Northwest, Categories: Business
• Social Services Internships (Part-time) at Victory Ministries, Inc
  Expires August 31, 2009 Location: East, Categories: Business, Government & Social
• Literacy Now Tutoring Program Internships (Seasonal) at Victory Ministries, Inc
  Expires August 31, 2009 Location: Northeast, Categories: Government & Social, Education
• Program Content Developer - COSI (Short-term) at COSI
  Expires August 30, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Arts & Creative, Science, Education
• Animal Specialist (Part-time) at COSI
  Expires September 1, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Science, Education
• Multimedia Publisher Internship (Part-time) at Brighter Minds Media, LLC
  Expires August 31, 2009 Location: North, Categories: Arts & Creative, Business, IT
• Parent Advocate (Long-term) at National Youth Advocate Program
  Expires August 30, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Government & Social
• Environmental Health Policy Program Intern (Long-term) at Ohio Environmental Council
  Expires September 1, 2009 Location: Virtual, Categories:
• US Equity Internship (Part-time) at US Equity
  Expires October 4, 2009 Location: Northeast, Categories: Business
• Continuing Legal Education Production Assistant (Seasonal) at Columbus Bar Association
  Expires September 20, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Business, Government & Social
• Featured Opportunitiy
  Public Relations Intern (Part-time) at SBC Advertising
  Expires September 30, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories:
• Featured Opportunitiy
  Public Relations Intern (Part-time) at SBC Advertising
  Expires September 30, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories:
• Strategy Team Intern - Database Management (Short-term) at COSI
  Expires September 30, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Arts & Creative, Business, IT
• Strategy Team Intern - Research Assistant (Short-term) at COSI
  Expires September 30, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories:
• Education Programs Marketing Intern (Short-term) at COSI
  Expires September 1, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Business
• Volunteer and Community Resources Administrative Intern (Short-term) at COSI
  Expires September 1, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Arts & Creative, Business, Education
• Public Policy Analyst (Part-time) at Columbus Chamber
  Expires September 30, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Government & Social
• Business Intern (Part-time) at Hondros College/Hondros Learning
  Expires August 31, 2009 Location: North, Categories: Arts & Creative, Business
• Featured Opportunitiy
  Account Service Intern (Part-time) at SBC Advertising
  Expires September 30, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories:
• Website and Marketing Intern (Short-term) at AirNet Systems, Inc.
  Expires September 20, 2009 Location: South, Categories: Business, IT
• Grant Writer Volunteer / Intern (Part-time) at Foundation For the Challenged
  Expires September 30, 2009 Location: Northwest, Categories: Business, Government & Social
• Graphic Design, Marketing, & Communications Intern (Part-time) at Ohio Department of Commerce
  Expires September 24, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Arts & Creative, Business
• Ohio River Basin Program Intern (Part-time) at Ohio Environmental Council
  Expires October 22, 2009 Location: Virtual, Categories:
• Business Development/Entrepreneurship Internship (Part-time) at Young University
  Expires September 1, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Business
• Social Media/Small Business Marketing Internship (Part-time) at Young University
  Expires September 25, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Business
• Unpaid Communications Intern (Part-time) at American Red Cross Blood Services Central Ohio Region
  Expires September 26, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Business
• Unpaid Human Resources Intern (Part-time) at American Red Cross Blood Services Central Ohio Region
  Expires September 17, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Business
• Public Relations Intern (Part-time) at iHost Solutions
  Expires October 1, 2009 Location: North, Categories: Business
• Videographer (Short-term) at Conway Family Business Center of Central Ohio
  Expires September 3, 2009 Location: Virtual, Categories: Arts & Creative, Business
• Project Coordinator Intern (Part-time) at Dash Flyers
  Expires September 28, 2009 Location: North, Categories: Arts & Creative, Business
• Business Affairs Intern (Part-time) at Connect Ohio
  Expires September 29, 2009 Location: Downtown, Categories: Business

Leading at PMI: Inner and Outer Space

Inner and Outer Space

Anyone who has raised a teenager (or remembers being one) knows the phrase give me some space! It is com-monly uttered by someone who feels fenced in, over-controlled or frustrated by his lack of power over his own situation. Dilbert, the cartoon spokesperson for corporate American office workers, constantly profiles managers as control freaks who give their employees little or no space, physically or figuratively.
As leaders, we need to understand both inner and outer space.
By inner space we mean the space your employees want and need mentally and emotionally in order to feel like creative, productive, thinking members of the team. It includes space to: be self directed, manage one’s own time and work and think in new ways.
Outer space refers to the physical world and primarily to our employees’ work environment. It includes space to: design one’s own work area, work from different places, and take a break.


Challenge The Process

One key behavior of Challenging the Process is to balance the paradox of routines. The fluctuations, disturbances and imbalances of day-to-day life at PMI are the primary sources of creativity for our employees. Are you perhaps stifling that creativity by hold-ing on to old routines?
Giving Space
Between inner and outer space, which one is hard for you to give? Challenge yourself work on your weaknesses by exploring new ways to give your employees space.

Tech Bits Weekly Round-up (August 22-28)

by sschweitzer

TOT executive director steps down, interim director named. [Ohio Tech Bits Blog]
Vote for SXSW 2010 local proposals. Voting counts for 30 percent of the decision-making process and closes on Sept. 4. [TechLife Columbus, SXSW]
Groundwork Group + EdHeads: Making IT Better. [IT Martini]
Governor Announces Thomas Edison Grants. $9.6 million total. Eight Edison Technology Incubator grants and Edison Technology and five Industry Services Centers grants. [Ohio Department of Development, Advance Northeast Ohio, Business Courier of Cincinnati]
Apple to Ship Mac OS X Snow Leopard on August 28. [Apple: Hot News]
NorTech Chairman Attends Energy Leadership Briefing at White House. [NorTech]
Power2design moving to a larger facility in Mentor. [PR Web]
Amendment in budget bill could help Ohio’s public universities spin off more discoveries. HB 140 enables public universities and colleges to accept stock or other ownership stakes in companies that are created to develop and commercialize their discoveries. [Med City News]
Ohio’s Export Growth Focus of Global Summit. [Ohio Business Development Coalition Blog]
Reminder: Register for IT Martini 6. [IT Martini]

DEC presents...Bootstrapper's Pizza Lunch with Dave Bianconi of Progressive Medical - Sept 10

For more info and to register please go to: http://bit.ly/9sVaz

Ever wonder how bootstrappers succeed in building their business? The Dublin Entrepreneurial Center (DEC) and the International Bootstrapping Association (IBA) bring you a new opportunity to explore bootstrapping with a day of bootstrapping events.

Please join us for a complimentary pizza lunch and Bootstrapping event from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm featuring the IBA and Dave Bianconi, CEO and founder of Progressive Medical. The IBA will share some information about bootstrapping as a state of mind, the creativity, resourcefulness and tenacity bootstrappers use to be successful.

Dave will share how he bootstrapped his 25 year-old award-winning, INC 500 hall of fame company. Progressive Medical started from humble beginnings in Westerville, Ohio. Over the last 10 years the company has experience between 25-35% growth every year. Serving Health Care Industry Progressive Medical is one of Central Ohio’s largest privately held employers. A local business icon, Dave Bianconi offers great advice and insight into successfully growing your bootstrapped business. RSVP here to attend the Bootstrapping Pizza Lunch Event.

Other events to consider the same day:

DEC presents International Bootstrappers Association Kick-off at the DEC from 7-9:00 am. RSVP here.

Jelly at the DEC from 9-5. Free co-working, networking and more. RSVP here.

Location Details:
Dublin Entrepreneurial Center
7003 Post Road (off of Post Road and Eiterman)
Dublin, OH 43016

From I-270, Rt 33/161 Westbound, Exit at Post Rd, Left on Post, Left on Eiterman, Right into 7003 Post Rd. (Entrance is off Eiterman)
Map and Details here
view pdf map
PLEASE NOTE: some mapping applications and GPS are not yet accurate

PARKING: is free and plentiful

Introducing the AMA’s Social Media Special Interest Group

It’s officially here Columbus, a professional opportunity to explore social media. The American Marketing Association has evolved to create a new special interest group focused only on social media. This SIG was developed due to the overwhelming interest in discussing social media in the other four AMA SIGs: Healthcare, Non-profits, B to B and e-commerce. The Social Media SIG will meet every other month and bring you targeted opportunities to learn and engage with experts, consultants, marketing agencies, corporate marketers and students. Each social media SIG is open to both members ($5) of the AMA and non-members ($15). All meetings are held from 7:30-9:00 am at The Dublin Entrepreneurial Center (The DEC). Mark your calendars for the next few dates! The event details will be shared on the TechLife calendar prior to the events.

September 2nd
November 4th
January 6th
March 3rd
May 5th

The SM SIG is run by Sandy Blanquera, Principal of Social Boomerang. Sandy is working with a trio of talented businessmen, to bring you these professional events. The committee members are Steve Bell, Founder of Strategic Marketing Innovations, Jason Velliquette, Marketing for Peer Assist and Tom Williams, Founder of InnoGage.

The first event will be held Wednesday, September 2nd and features the event “Out with the Old and In with the New: Shifts in Operations from Social Media”. This event features 3 speakers/panelists who will share their first-hand experiences implementing social media at their organization and the resulting shifts in their businesses. Our presenters represent diversity in the consumer sectors served and their use of social media. Ed Billmaier, Sr. Director of Relationship and Interactive Marketing for the Scotts Miracle Gro Company will share the company’s journey to incorporate social media as a tool for PR, branding and marketing, brand and customer monitoring, as well as internal communications. Julie Spicer, Relationship Manager at Quick Solutions will focus on changes to the recruiting and sales processes. To bring the non-profit perspective, Christiana Christian, Digital Marketing Manager at Mid Ohio Foodbank, will share their exploration in using social media to fund-raise and engage volunteers. After a brief presentation by each practitioner, you will have opportunities to ask about your own burning questions. There are about 20 seats remaining. Click here to RSVP for this event.

Global CIO Value Forum, Columbus 2009

Discussing Best Practices for Measuring IT Economic Value
October 8, 2009
Columbus, Ohio, USA

The Blackwell Inn and Conference Center
At The Ohio State University

For more info and to register go to: http://bit.ly/4F3IdS

Keynote Speaker:
Dennis Hummel, President and COO, Maritz

Welcome Address:
Kathleen Starkoff, Chief Information Officer, The Ohio State University

Panelists:
Mark Gaetano, CIO of Corporate Applications and Nationwide Better Health
Rod Houpe, Chief Information Officer, Columbus City Schools
Pamela Piar, Vice President of IT, Cleveland Clinic
Herb Smaltz, Chief Information Officer, OSU Medical Center
Kathleen Starkoff, Chief Information Officer, The Ohio State University
Bill VanCuren, Vice President and CIO, NCR Corporation
Vandhana Veerni, CIO of the Ohio Enviromental Protection Agency
Bill Waszak, Vice President and CIO, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company

Panel Moderator:
Gary Casale, VP Operations and Sr. EVC Analyst, Glomark-Governan

The Panel discussion topics will include:

-Assessing and measuring the economic value of IT to the Enterprise.
-Making objective investment decisions in recessionary times.
-Assessing your level of IT economic value maturity relative to industry peers.
-Establishing a consistent IT economic valuation process.

This event is for “end-users” of IT only; no vendor company participation is allowed without sponsorship commitment.

Multi-Disciplined Team of OSU Students Creating Solar-Powered Home for Competition in Solar Decathlon

Via TechColumbus

Students from 13 different disciplines across OSU are actively preparing for competition in the Solar Decathlon, an international competition between 20 universities to build and transport an 800-square-foot solar powered home for display on the National Mall in Washington DC this October. The competition, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, is expected to draw nearly 300,000 visitors during the event’s 10- day run.

The competition is named the Solar Decathlon because of the 10 areas in which the entries will be judged including:

• Architecture
• Market Viability
• Engineering
• Lighting Design
• Communications
• Comfort Zone
• Hot Water
• Appliances
• Home Entertainment
• Energy Balance

The OSU entry is currently under construction near the OSU football stadium. Construction will be completed sometime in September and the public will be invited to tour the solar house entry before it begins its journey, on the beds of three flatbed trucks, to Washington.

The OSU entry features a unique design and many innovative engineering systems. For more information on the OSU house click here

For more on the DOE. Solar Decathlon.

Open position - Short term .net (2 months?) gig

We are looking for a developer who knows and is very competent in:

o C#/ASPX .NET 2.0

o SQL Server 2005

o Ajax

The person will make significant enhancements to an existing web application. Any help is appreciated!

Interested? - send resume to techlifejobs@gmailcom

Sat Sept 5 - Greenovate Summer Workshop Series: bike community your ticket to ride

Did the Pelotonia biking bug hit you ?? Check out Greenovate Summer Workshop Series: bike community your ticket to ride on Sat Sept 5 from 10am-12pm.


http://www.greenovate.com/events-education.php

Engineering Student’s Work Assists NASA Shuttle Missions

Aug. 19, 2009
Michael Vandewalle has had a co-op at NASA for only a few months, but his project has already been used on two space shuttle missions.

NASA recognized Vandewalle, a Worthington, Ohio, resident and electrical and computer engineering major, for his work with the Co-op Special Achievement Award from the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Every semester, a co-op mentor and a supervisor have an option to recommend a student they think is above and beyond. Vandewalle was picked for his project that involved designing a circuit that controls frequency noise interference in ground systems that transfer shuttle high-definition video data.

“Receiving the award showed his ability to take knowledge he learned at school and his ability to apply that knowledge,” said Vandewalle’s mentor, Frederick T. Shetz, Electronic Systems Test Laboratory Test Director at the Johnson Space Center. “He also demonstrated his ability to learn new things quickly.”

Vandewalle began working at NASA in January at a communication test lab supporting Shuttle, Space Station and Constellation missions. He had a working system by March for the shuttle’s STS-119 mission to the International Space Station, where it was successfully used during two events.

“Michael fit in from day one,” Shetz said. “Quite often students come into a work environment wanting to impress. Michael did that with a quiet confidence, listening before speaking.”

His system was in place during the May 11 launch of the shuttle’s STS-125 (Hubble Servicing Mission 4) for all crew highlight videos, crew news conferences, the first ever high-definition linkup with a U.S. Senate subcommittee in the Capitol Building, and the review of in-cabin IMAX footage for a film to be released in the spring of 2010.

“Everything is pretty awesome,” Vandewalle said. “Almost every day you see something that is just really crazy. For a week, I walked through mission control, and I even met Gene Kranz (legendary director of mission operations) once.”

This summer, Vandewalle has been turning his prototype into a finished design. The process included a printed circuit board design, mechanical design and the development of a user interface that allows engineers to make changes to the unit’s settings.

During winter quarter of 2010, he will be working at Johnson Space Center in the Mission Operations Directorate. The following summer, he will be in the Engineering Directorate to work on power systems for the Orion spacecraft. He will also return two additional quarters before he graduates in December of 2011.

Help put Central Ohioans on the national map - SWSX 2010 - We need your help - please

South by SouthWest (SXSW) Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer. It is arguably one of the biggest national events in the interactive space and a tremendous opportunity for national exposure. SWSX 2010 is on March 12-21


We need your help to help get local proposals on that national stage.

You can help by voting yes and commenting on the following panel proposals. Public opinion counts for 30% of the weighting in the panel picking process.


1. Benefits and Challenges to Building Internet Startups in the Midwest - Organizer Brian Link - http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/3095


2. How to get FREE everything in Social Media - Organizer - Ryan Bauer - http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/5045

3. Discovery, Identity and Rights: Three Deep Web Problems - OCLC - http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/3018

4. Seven Ways to Stand out in a Sea of Software Developers - Organizer - Jeff Blankenburg - http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/2321

5. Building Social Strategies at Fortune 100 companies - Shawn Morton of Nationwide on the panel - http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/3160

6. 60 Predictions for 2010 in 60 Minutes - Dan Shust of Resource Interactive -http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/3643

7. 10 Steps to Building an online fan following - Chris Elliott - http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/3264

8. Nita Rollins: Digital’s Emerging Role in Unconsumption - http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/3706

9. Mike Krotscheck: How not to get fat -http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/3713

10. Mike Krotscheck and Andrea Hill: Forging your ideal career -http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/4553

11. Love AND Money: Can Fansites pay the bills - Michael Kaply- Brand Thunder - http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/3521

Please, please, please - spread the word and get some national exposure to our local talents. Do it now - vote and spread the word to others to also vote/comment. Voting closes on Sept 4 . Let's show them what we can do in Central Ohio!!!

Thanks again for your consideration,
Ben

OCLC signs 4 overseas deals for WorldCat

Business First of Columbus

OCLC Inc. is adding millions of records to its global online library network following four recent deals with libraries and institutions in Europe and the Middle East.

The Dublin nonprofit, formerly Online Computer Library Center, unveiled a spate of deals this week that it says boosts the collection of records in its WorldCat database and in turn raises the profile of the groups signing on. Details on the deals, financial terms of which weren’t disclosed, included:

• Denmark’s Dansk BiblioteksCenter has agreed to load the Danish National Union Catalogue onto WorldCat. The deal follows a year-long pilot program with the Danish Agency for Libraries and Media government organization that is adding 10 million records to WorldCat. OCLC said Danish citizens also will have access to WorldCat through a service managed by BiblioteksCenter.

• Switzerland’s Informationsverbund Deutschschweiz, which also includes the national libraries of Luxembourg and Lichtenstein, is loading about 10 million records onto WorldCat.

• IZUM, a consortium of 380 libraries and other groups in Slovenia, has committed to load 3 million records later this year to WorldCat.

• Israel’s MALMAD, a digital consortium of more than 30 institutions, signed a deal to load information on its library holdings onto WorldCat.

Rein van Charldorp, managing director of OCLC’s Europe, Middle East and Asia division, said in a release that the deals “show that libraries from around the globe are responding very positively to the opportunity that WorldCat offers to streamline (work flow) and increase visibility in WorldCat.org.”

OCLC more than two years ago reorganized its Dublin headquarters in order to place more focus on the global market. WorldCat, which hit the Internet the year before, now links 71,000 libraries in 112 countries worldwide. OCLC ranks as one of the 100 largest employers in Central Ohio, with about 800 employees in the region and 1,300 worldwide. The company in the year ended June 30, 2008, recorded $246 million in revenue.

Ohio clinches $11M stimulus grant for clean-fuel vehicles

Business First of Columbus

Ohio officials say an $11 million infusion of federal stimulus dollars unveiled Wednesday will help put nearly 300 vehicles powered by alternative energy sources on the road.

The grant headed to Ohio is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program, which encourages the use of alternative fuel. The government on Wednesday awarded a total of nearly $300 million to 25 projects in amounts ranging from about $5 million to $15 million, although amounts could be modified pending further negotiation.

The state grant was awarded specifically to the Ohio Advanced Transportation Partnership, run by Clean Fuels Ohio, a Columbus-based organization that advocates for greener fuels and vehicles. The funding will help buy and convert 283 vehicles so they’re powered with resources including natural gas, propane, ethanol, biodiesel, electricity or hybrid technology. The state said the grant funding also will provide for the construction of 15 fueling and service stations for the vehicles, which will be used in taxi, city, school and delivery fleets.

Area companies, organizations and municipalities lined up to benefit from the Clean Fuels Ohio project include the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, the Mid-Ohio FoodBank, the cities of Columbus and Dublin and Franklin County.

Projects awarded stimulus dollars Wednesday were required to put up roughly $2 for every dollar of federal investment, which pegs the Ohio project at more than $30 million. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said in a release that the state expects the plans outlined in the partnership could cut petroleum consumption by 875,000 gallons annually.

The Energy Department said the projects it’s funding nationwide will help put more than 9,000 alternative fuel vehicles on the road and construct more than 500 refueling stations. That could lead to cutting petroleum consumption by 38 million gallons annually.

For more details on Wednesday’s awards and a full list of winners, click here.

Dublin grant request part of $11 million stimulus funds for Clean Fuels Ohio

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $11.04 million in economic stimulus funding to Clean Fuels Ohio through the U.S. DOE Clean Cities Grant program.

Part of this grant reflects a request from the City of Dublin for $1.5 million dollars to convert 44 city vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG) and add the necessary infrastructure to dispense CNG at the City’s existing refueling station at the Service Center on Shier-Rings Road.
During the next few months Dublin will work with Clean Fuels Ohio, finalizing project details. Those details will be presented to Dublin City Council, which will determine whether accepting the grant funds will be beneficial to the City.

The City also will explore providing limited access to the CNG fueling stations for the public. The City of Dublin will partner with IGS Energy and FirmGreen Incorporated, which would share in the associated

Statewide, funds will support deployment of 283 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles plus refueling infrastructure for 26 government and private sector partners.

The deployment of these 283 vehicles will displace an average of 875,927 gallons of petroleum fuel per year, with most fleets expecting vehicles to perform a minimum of 10 years service. This reduction in petroleum fuel directly relates to major reductions in harmful transportation emissions such as carbon dioxide, volatile organic carbons, nitrous oxide, particulate matter, and others. The project is designed to stimulate broader, ongoing activity in all of these advanced transportation fuel and vehicle technologies.

This large collaborative project was made possible only through the generous support of Clean Fuels Ohio members, particularly contributors to CFO’s Federal Funding and Project Development Coalition. These include: SWACO, AeroVironment, IGS Energy, City of Dublin, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, Ferrellgas, MedCorp Inc., the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, and Worthington Industries. Clean Fuels Ohio expressed gratitude for the vision, expertise, and financial support of these partners as well as the hard work of the twenty-six grant partners.

Clean Fuels Ohio is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the use of cleaner, domestic fuels and efficient vehicles to the transportation industry, government officials and the general public. We provide technical support to transportation professionals, advocate for sustainable transportation energy policies and serve as a resource clearinghouse for fleets, policy makers and the public. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, we work extensively around the state in collaboration with local partners.

Ohio Third Frontier Drives RFID Technology Investmen

COLUMBUS, Ohio ' The Ohio Third Frontier is a main driver supporting new technology investment, innovation and business development in the Dayton's emerging radio frequency identification (RFID) technology field. Since its inception, the program has created or commercialized more-than 500 companies and has attracted $3.5 billion in private investment to Ohio, a 9:1 return on investment.

Dayton's RFID business boom is the result of significant funding from the Ohio Third Frontier. Dayton's recent 30-acre Tech Town development is anchored by the Dayton RFID Convergence Center business incubator and the Institute for the Development and Commercialization of Advanced Sensor Technology (IDCAST). The convergence center, which opened last month in Tech Town's $6 million, 35,000-square-foot Creative Technology Accelerator building, is being called the world's first business incubator for start-ups in the field of radio frequency identification technology (RFID). IDCAST was born out of an Ohio Third Frontier award for $28 million to the University of Dayton and partner organizations in academia, industry and the military to create Ohio jobs and technology innovation in the sensors industry.

Additionally, IDCAST received $3 million in Ohio Third Frontier funding in May to create the Center for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Exploitation to be located at the Air Force Center for Rapid Product Development in Dayton. The project will account for at least 45 new jobs this year alone, and a steady stream of new investment and technological innovation is expected as the incubator program takes flight.

"Business development opportunities like those found at Dayton's Tech Town, the RFID Convergence Center and IDCAST would simply not be possible without the support that Ohio provides through the Ohio Third Frontier,' said Larrell Walters, director of IDCAST. "It's this kind of innovation that is helping to make the Dayton region a global hub for the development of technologies in the RFID industry.'

"Our goal is to help make incredible dreams a reality,' said Norm Chagnon, executive director of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission. "Business owners have access to a variety of programs that nurture business development, growth and innovation. The state's culture of collaboration between entrepreneurs, businesses, large companies and individual workers really makes any ambition achievable.'

Later this summer Ohio Third Frontier will release additional Sensors Program Requests for Proposals that will continue to support the expansion of this growing cluster in Ohio.

Established in 2002, The Ohio Third Frontier represents an unprecedented and bipartisan commitment to expand Ohio's technological strengths and promote commercialization that leads to economic prosperity throughout Ohio. Since its inception, the program has created or capitalized more than 500 companies and has attracted $3.5 billion in private investment to Ohio, a 9:1 return on investment.

For more information, visit http://www.thirdfrontier.com.

Ohio Governor Strickland Announces Thomas Edison Grants

Columbus, Ohio ' The State Controlling Board has approved $9.6 million in economic development grants to expand Ohio's economy through the Ohio Thomas Edison Program. Targeted industry sector support, combined with assistance from the National Institute of Science and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership, enhances Ohio's ability to continue to bring world-class goods, services and technologies to market.

The current Thomas Edison Program awards were made in two areas: Edison Technology Incubators provide a comprehensive package of business assistance services which include: expert financial & legal to access to scientific, technical, and business talent, as well as access to shared laboratory and business facilities. Edison Technology Centers focus on companies in the market entry and growth and sustainability phases of the commercialization framework. The grants are administered through the Ohio Department of Development.

Edison Technology Incubator grants were awarded to eight entities:

Mansfield Richland Incubator, Inc. will receive $200,000 to provide Edison Incubator services in the City of Mansfield (Richland County).

BIOSTART, Inc. will receive $230,000 to provide Edison Technology Incubator services in the City of Cincinnati (Hamilton County).

Akron Industrial Incubator will receive $400,000 to provide Edison Technology Incubator services in the City of Akron (Summit County).

Dayton Miami Valley Entrepreneurs Center, Inc. will receive $325,000 to provide Edison Technology Incubators services in the City of Dayton (Montgomery County).

Great Lakes Innovation and Development Enterprise (GLIDE) will receive $325,000 to provide Edison Technology Incubator services in the City of Elyria (Lorain County).

Hamilton County Business Center will receive $475,000 to provide Edison Technology Incubator services in the City of Cincinnati (Hamilton County).

Launch Accelerating Technology will receive $350,000 to provide Edison Technology Incubator services in the City of Toledo (Lucas County).

Youngstown Business Incubator will receive $350,000 to provide Edison Technology Incubator services in the City of Youngstown (Mahoning County).

Edison Technology and Industry Services Centers Grants Were Awarded to Five Entities:

EISC, Inc. will receive $700,000 to provide Edison Technology Center services in the City of Toledo (Lucas County).

BioOhio, Inc. will receive $1.2 million to provide Edison Technology Center services in the City of Columbus (Franklin County).

TechSolve, Inc. will receive $2.1 million to provide Edison Technology Center services in the City of Cincinnati (Hamilton County).

EMTEC will receive $1.4 million to provide Edison Technology Center services in the City of Dayton (Montgomery County).

will receive $1.6 million to provide Edison Technology Center services in the City of Columbus (Franklin County).

Further awards for four additional Edison partners are expected this fall. The additional partners are Jumpstart, TechColumbus, PolymerOhio, Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (MAGNET).

Starting a Business – Cheaper Than You Think

Original posting at: Entrepreneurship.org

For many, the biggest problem with getting a good business idea off the ground is the cost. From administrative and legal costs, to product development and marketing, office space and employees, starting a business can be incredibly expensive. However, with the right set of resources, many of these costs can be pinched down without risking your venture. Of course, sometimes quality trumps price, but there are a few gems below that might just meet your start-up's needs without busting the bank. And if you know of some others not on this list - let me know! That is what the comment button is for.

Select an Area

• Free Phone, Fax, Internet & Email Services
• Free Logos and Websites
• Free Marketing
• Free Business & Legal Forms
• Free Business Advice & Training
• Free Financial Services
• Inexpensive Labor & Contracting
• Free Business Management Tools
• Free Software Solutions

Phone, Fax, & Internet

• Get Free Voicemail from Google Voice. (You will need to sign up for an invite).
• Send Free Faxes from Here or Here
• Voice-to-text for note taking from Jott
• Web conferencing from DimDim
• Pay for your phone 1 time, never again, with Ooma (requires broadband internet)
• Find free internet access (dial up only)

Corporate Logo & Website

• Set up your blog at WordPress.com for free
• Free webhosting via DotEasy or a more comprehensive list at Free-Webhosts
• Get free website templates here, their Terms of Service allow you to modify the template as you like, and don't require you to link back.
• Find free logo templates here or here.
• Stock images for your site are free here and here.

Marketing

• Free press release services from here, here, or those on this list.
• Get free business cards from VistaPrint
• Get free Google Adwords budget by hosting your site with a company that offers Adwords credits (normally up to $75 in free clicks).
• Register your start up at sites like Cool New Startups and Microsoft BizSpark.
• Use a free blog, your twitter account, and Craigslist to get the word out about your products or services.
• Make sure your business is listed locally via sites like Google Local and Yahoo Local

Business & Legal Forms

• From OfficeDepot
• From FreeBusinessForms.com
• From Entrepreneur.com

General Business Advice

• The US Small Business Administration offers free publications on small business or take online courses
• A well known source for business advice SCORE
• Find business advice and partners at PartnerUp
• Contact your local Chamber of Commerce

Financial Services

• Completely Free Small Business Checking Account from Capital One
• Manage finance, budgeting, and more with Mint
• Free Simple-Start QuickBooks software or use the fully featured open source PostBooks
• Good community advice on money management from Wesabe
• Since so many entrepreneurs have their personal finances tied up with their business, you may want one of these free personal finance managers: jGnash, gnuCash, Grisbi, and GFP
• Look out for a Valentines Day Free Tax Prep gift from IAC-EZ if you sign up on February 14th.

Labor & Contracting

• Interns: Locate your business near a college campus if possible. If not, look to local high schools.
• Use the Mechanical Turk from Amazon to have hundreds of people crunch through your monotonous tasks for pennies on the dollar.
• Hire at your price with eLance, GetAFreelancer or RentACoder

Business Management Tools

• Manage online projects with iTeamWork, CentralDesktop, or Huddle
• Keep up with your todo lists via TaDa List or ToDoIst
• Store your contacts online with Keepm or Zexer
• Manage your team with Open Teams

General Software

• Use web apps whenever possible such as...
  • Word Processing: AjaxWrite or Google Docs
  • Spread Sheets: EditGrid, Google Docs, or ZoHo
  • Photo Editing: Photoshop Express, Pixlr, or Phoenix
• Or go Free Open Source Software (FOSS)...
  • Office Applications: Open Office
  • Photo Editing: GIMP or CinePaint
  • Web Development: Quanta Plus
  • Find More at Open Source Alternatives

Nominate An Innovator Today - 2009 TechColumbus Innovation Awards‏

Central Ohio has a growing, vibrant technology community...
from startups to large companies to research institutions. 
Do your part to recognize its top innovators. 

Nominate individuals, teams, or companies for the
2009 TechColumbus Innovation Awards.  

It's quick, it's easy, and it's up to YOU.

Make a nomination:
http://www.techcolumbusinnovationawards.org/makenom2_08.cfm

View our award category details:
http://www.techcolumbusinnovationawards.org/categories.html

Thriving in Turbulent Times Upcoming Foundation Workshop

For more info and to register please go to: http://bit.ly/ruDV0


We are pleased to announce the next Building Transformational Leadership Foundation workshop focusing on giving leaders practical tools that will impact your work immediately. It is led by Maureen Metcalf & Belinda Gore, Ph.D

Thriving in Turbulent Times:
Building Transformational Leadership

Transformational Leadership is the leadership that can consistently transform organizations in the face of ongoing change and even adversity. In these turbulent times, nearly every organization is facing the need to transform to survive or to thrive. Help your leaders transform themselves and your organization!

In this workshop you will:

• Understand Transformational Leadership (Level 5 Leadership, Jim Collins, Good to Great)
• Understand your leadership level
• Identify your leadership goal
• Determine top priority and create personal action plan
• Determine top organizational priority to improve organizational leadership effectiveness

At the end of the day you will be able to leave with a workable plan to use transformational leadership help you achieve your goals!

What others are saying about this program:

• “Now I have a framework going forward. What an exciting future”
• "Topic and presentation was extremely interesting and relevant to my current situation.”
• "Leaving here today I have a clearer understanding of myself and my future journey of growth."

State accepting proposals for wind, solar stimulus grants

Business First of Columbus

The Ohio Department of Development over the next month is accepting applications for a piece of $14 million in federal stimulus funding set aside for the growth of wind and solar energy technology in the state
The department said its state Energy Office is fielding applications through Sept. 25 for individuals and companies looking to install qualified solar electric, solar thermal and wind electric technology. The grants, part of the Deploying Renewable Energy: Wind and Solar program, will be handed out in chunks ranging from $250,000 to $1 million.
The funding, the state said, is the first set of renewable energy grants tied to the $787 billion federal stimulus legislation signed in February. That legislation set aside $3.1 billion for the U.S. Department of Energy’s State Energy Program, which then earmarked $96.1 million for Ohio.
The nearly $100 million in renewable energy funding headed to Ohio will come in the form of grants and loans, according to details state officials unveiled in June.
Development Department Interim Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel said in a release that the state’s investment in renewable energy is key not only to its job growth prospects but to meeting requirements set in a comprehensive energy law Gov. Ted Strickland signed last year. Under the legislation, 25 percent of all energy generated in Ohio by 2025 is to come from advanced energy sources, such as wind power, fuel cells and clean-coal technology. Half of that amount, the bill stipulates, should come directly from renewable energy.
Additional details on the proposal process for the grant program:
• Projects must be in Ohio, have a match of at least 50 percent of total cost and be set for completion within a year.
• A one-page proposal is due here no later than 5 p.m. on Sept. 21.
• Projects chosen to move ahead with formal proposals must submit applications to the Ohio Energy Office by 3 p.m. Sept. 25.
More details on stimulus-related funding are available here.

Polyflow Secures Agreement to Sell Product on the Spot Market

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Re: Polyflow Secures Agreement to Sell Product on the Spot Market

Akron, Ohio / August 25, 2009 – Polyflow LLC, an Akron, Ohio based early stage advanced energy producer has established an agreement with an Ohio based petroleum trader to sell the Polyflow product commercially. The petroleum trader has agreed to purchase liquid pygas manufactured by Polyflow’s polymer recycling pilot plant. Negotiations for the long term contract continue. This contract will handle the ramp up in volume as Polyflow’s operation evolves from the initial volume yielded by the pilot plant to a full production facility that is currently under development for construction in the Akron/Cleveland area.

Jay Schabel, Chief Executive Officer of Polyflow commented on the quality of the liquid pygas and the incremental sales strategy for Polyflow, “The product will be marketed at a premium to high grade crude oil that will initially be blended into diesel fuel and gasoline”. “Our goal is to eventually split the stream further to recover the valuable aromatic compounds such as styrene, toluene, and cumene to name a few”. These chemicals are used to make plastics, solvents, paints and other engineered products.

Polyflow’s ability to utilize waste plastics and sell the fuels produced as a replacement for commercial grade crude oil signifies the progress the company has made over the past 18 months. Since early 2008, Polyflow has secured over $700, 000 in angel investments, have proven the production capability with over 50 process runs, and created a strategic alliance with local municipalities, waste haulers, waste districts, and a college for the supply of polymer feedstock.


About Polyflow

Polyflow’s innovative technology offers an alternative end-of-life solution for all types of mixed and contaminated plastic and rubber waste including tires and carpeting. Normally these materials are discarded in landfills or incinerated. Polyflow cracks the mixed plastic and rubber waste into fuels and raw materials, the building blocks of polymer and rubber manufacturing, using a patented pyrolysis process. Aromatics are traditionally derived through the importation and refining of crude oil. The primary environmental, economic and social benefits of commercializing Polyflow’s groundbreaking technology include the diversion of plastic and rubber waste from landfills, the creation of green collar jobs and a calculable reduction of our country’s dependence on foreign oil.


Contacts: Jay Schabel (CEO) Joe Hensel (Chairman)

Polyflow LLC Polyflow LLC schabeljl@polyflowcorp.com henseljd@polyflowcorp.com

(330) 253-5912 (330) 253-5912

Communication Vehicle Inventory in Information Services at Progressive Medical

I recently spoke at a TechColumbus session regarding transforming your organization. In that discussion I spoke about an inventory of our communication vehicles in our team. Many of you have asked to see the list. Following is an inventory of those vehicles, their focus, timeline, and responsibility.

Enjoy,
Ben

#	Communication type	Focus	Timeline	Responsibility
1	BSA/Development Team Meetings	Team and morale	Ongoing	Shelly
2	Java/Perl Development Team Meetings	Team and morale	Ongoing	Mark
3	Team Meetings	Team and morale	Ongoing	IS Management Team
4	Quarterly Celebration	Team and morale	Ongoing	Ben
5	Instant Messaging, Yammer	Team and morale	Ongoing	Ben
6	Solve the Puzzle/Lunch w/IS Leader	Team and morale	Ongoing	Angelo
7	Production Meetings	Open and Honest Communication between Leadership and Employees	Ongoing	Ben
8	One-On-One’s	Open and Honest Communication between Leadership and Employees	Ongoing	IS Management Team
9	Quarterly Reviews	Open and Honest Communication between Leadership and Employees	Ongoing	Ben
10	Annual Meeting	Open and Honest Communication between Leadership and Employees	Ongoing	Angelo
11	Lunch with the CIO	Open and Honest Communication between Leadership and Employees	Ongoing	Angelo
12	Open Door	Open and Honest Communication between Leadership and Employees	Ongoing	IS Management Team
13	Communicate Individual Accomplishments to IS Team	Open and Honest Communication between Leadership and Employees	Ongoing	IS Management Team
14	Training Meetings	Training and Career Growth, Supervisors Provide Constructive Feedback to Employees	Ongoing	Ben
15	Career Path Overview – Review IS Job Descriptions and Resp.	Training and Career Growth, Supervisors Provide Constructive Feedback to Employees	Ongoing	Ben
16	Training Classes	Training and Career Growth, Supervisors Provide Constructive Feedback to Employees	Ongoing	Angelo
17	Huddles	Training and Career Growth, Supervisors Provide Constructive Feedback to Employees	Ongoing	Angelo/Ben
18	PMI Portal/Intranet – searchable knowledge for all systems and applications	Training and Career Growth, Supervisors Provide Constructive Feedback to Employees	In Process	Jeff
19	How to provide constructive feedback sessions	Training and Career Growth, Supervisors Provide Constructive Feedback to Employees	Not Started	Angelo
20	Track Training Classes	Training and Career Growth, Supervisors Provide Constructive Feedback to Employees	Ongoing	Ben