Archive for September, 2009

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the Dona Ana Community College is hosting a SBA 8(a) Business Development Program Application Workshop on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 from 12:00 noon through 3:00 p.m. The workshop will be held at the DACC Workforce Center, 2345 E. Nevada, Room 127, in Las Cruces.

The workshop will assist small business owners in:

• Learning about the SBA 8(a) certification process and discovering the benefits of the SBA 8(a) program participation;
• Finding avenues for marketing, networking, sub-contracting and business development;
• Gaining valuable knowledge about the SBA 8(a) program business development and government contracting opportunities;
• Learning of the success of the SBA 8(a) program in New Mexico;
• Discovering other programs, certifications, and services available to small business through federal government agencies, and SBA Resource Partners (Central Contractor Registration, Hub-Zone, etc.);
• Receiving guidance for applying electronically for SBA certifications.

There is no charge for the workshop and light refreshments will be served. Register for the workshop on-line or by phone – (575) 528-7430.

During the Lt. Governor’s Graduation Summit held in Las Cruces on September 10, the Bridge of Southern New Mexico announced the hiring of its first Executive Director. Selected is Nancy Barnes-Smith, a New Mexico native currently residing in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where she serves as manager of Family and Community Support Services in the Town of High River. She will begin her new role November 16th.

The Bridge was one of several presenters at the Lt. Governor’s Graduation Summit from around the State of New Mexico focusing on increasing the high school graduation rate. The presentation included details of New Mexico’s first Early College High School (ECHS), which will be built in the Arrowhead Research Park at New Mexico State University.

The Bridge has launched a new website which provides more information about the organization and its mission. The September/October issue of the organization’s newsletter, “The Link” includes more details about the new Executive Director and the Graduation Summit presentation. It will be available on the website in the near future.

New Mexico Economic Development Department Secretary Fred Mondragon presented the Arrowhead Technology Incubator (ATI) with a certificate designating ATI as a “Certified Business Incubator” on Thursday, September 10, 2009.  The “Certified Business Incubator” designation program was created through legislation in 2005 establishing requirements for state incubator facilities that provide business support and assistance to accelerate the successful development of start-up and fledgling companies of entrepreneurs.

Dr. Kevin Boberg (center) accepts certificate from Secretary Mondragon (left)

The ATI offers five areas of focus through Technology Innovation Programs related to NMSU innovative research directions as well as the state of New Mexico economic development clusters. The programs include:

• National Security
• Digital Media
• Space and Aerospace
• Biosciences
• Energy and Natural Resources

During his remarks, Secretary Mondragon noted that over 90% of small businesses that start in business incubators succeed.  He noted that much of the funding for improvements at the Arrowhead Technology Incubator was due to successful grant applications to the Economic Development Administration (EDA).

In accepting the certificate, Arrowhead Center CEO Kevin Boberg was joined by several ATI staff and a number of the Arrowhead Advisory Committee members.

For more information about the Arrowhead Technology Incubator, please visit their website.

The Leonard R. Sugerman Public Forum is an annual event to help inform the public about the progress of the commercial space business in Southern New Mexico.  This year’s event, “Building a Spaceport Community” is free and open to the public.  It will be held on Tuesday, October 20 at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 1:00 p.m.

This year’s forum will focus on the roles that various private and public sector organizations will have in building a spaceport community.

• The role of Government will include speakers from local, state and federal governmental offices.
• The role of Business will include speakers from Spaceport America, Virgin Galactic, economic development agencies, the banking community and the construction industry.
• The role of Education will include speakers from New Mexico State University, Dona Ana Community College, and Southern New Mexico public school systems.

Following the panel presentations, Steve Landeene, Executive Director of Spaceport America, will provide an update on Spaceport America.  There will be time allotted for the public to network with the panelists prior to adjournment. The complete agenda, including panelists, is available on the Sugerman Forum website.

The event is hosted by the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium and sponsored by New Mexico State University, the Physical Science Laboratory and the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce.  The forum is held each year in conjunction with the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight.

The 5^th Annual International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) will held in Las Cruces, New Mexico on October 21 and 22 at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. This annual conference brings together the current space community, academics, the innovators and entrepreneurs, and the civil and military government communities to discuss the current and future growth of global space commercialization.

Keynote speakers and panel chairs for the event include:

• Gary Payton, Deputy Under-Secretary of the Air Force, Space Systems
• Lori Garver, Deputy Administrator, NASA
• Yngve Bergqvist, CEO and Founder, Ice Hotel
• Wayne Hale, Deputy Associate Administrator for Strategic Partnerships, NASA
• James Van Laak, Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Transportation, FAA
• Bill Klanke, Vice President and Publisher, Space News
• Jeff Greason, CEO, XCOR Aerospace
• Tom Burton, Department Head, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering , New Mexico State University
• Alan Stern, former NASA Associate Administrator for Space and Earth Science
• Clay Mowry, President, Arianespace, Inc.
• Marshall Kaplan, Ph.D., Space Department – Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University
• Keith Beck, General Manager, Jacobs Technology

As a prelude to this year’s conference, a workshop and tour of the NASA White Sands Test Facility is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20^th.  It will include a panel of experts who will speak to assets in the local community that are capable of supporting the commercial space industry.  On Friday, October 23^rd, there will be a tour of Spaceport America led by Steve Landeene and Dr. Jerry Brown.  Both tours require separate registration and seating is limited.

All ISPCS sessions are plenary, allowing everyone to receive the same information simultaneously. Responding to feedback, ISPCS has created multiple means of engaging the audience in discussions with speakers during the sessions. Additional networking opportunities are scheduled throughout the two days.

A video from the 2008 International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight is available on YouTube.

A complete agenda of session topics and panelists is available on the ISPCS website. Early bird conference registration ends October 1^st and online registration closes October 16^th.