Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Diaspora Economic Development

More good news out of Youngstown:

The Diaspora returning to the Surprising New Youngstown! continues unabated.

Our latest returnee is Jack Scott, the former President/COO of the Parsons Corporation, a $5 billion global engineering and construction company with world headquarters in Pasadena, California.

Wait...it gets better.

Not only did Jack return, but he was so excited about what he saw happening in Youngstown, that he brought his company Applied Systems and Technology Transfer (AST2) along with him from Utah. Now located on the Youngstown Business Incubator's campus, AST2 will be providing hands-on technology commercialization assistance to YBI portfolio companies as well as other businesses interested in relocating here.

Wait...it gets even better.

AST2, along with YBI portfolio company M-7 Technologies, have joined together to form yet another firm. The new venture, Ohio Clean Technologies Group, is focused on bringing to market efficient energy and sustainable technologies, with four projects already underway both here and in Israel.

The Surprising New Youngstown!

No better place to start your next global enterprise.

The above is from Jim Cossler. I consider Cossler to be out in front of the trend of benefiting from outmigration. Inevitably, some talent will leave the region. Why not develop a policy designed to take advantage of this flow? The lack of innovation for regional economic development is perplexing. Your community doesn't need another anti-brain drain initiative. Try something different for a change.

1 comment:

John Morris said...

Of course, that Youngstown's congressman will soon fill the seat of the late U.S. Rep. Jim Murtha, on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee could be a factor.

The Business Journal article I read implied this could be a big factor since the military now has lots of "green" contracts.

Even so, I think Youngstown is very well positioned.