In his new role, Don will lead and coordinate the efforts of the TechCelerator@State College, a partnership among several local economic development programs including Ben Franklin, the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County/Centre County Industrial Development Corporation, and the Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which offers the region the “Next Generation of Entrepreneurial Support & Business Incubation Services.” For program details click on www.techceleratorstatecollege.org.

Stephen Brawley, President and CEO of Ben Franklin Technology Partners/CNP, commented, “We feel very fortunate that someone with Don’s background and experience was available to fill this important position.  His expertise in running a tech-based business will be invaluable to our Ben Franklin portfolio companies as well as the entrepreneurs who need the services provided by the TechCelerator.” 

In addition to his support of the incubator program, Don will also be the principal point-of-contact for the Ben Franklin Transformation Business Services Network in State College and the surrounding counties. In this role, his primary responsibility is to deliver critical management assistance to emerging, tech-based start-ups, which includes offering business support services relative to financial planning, cash management, market research, marketing strategy, corporate strategy, accounting operations, and software training.

 A graduate of Notre Dame with a Master’s Degree in Business, Don also has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the Pennsylvania State University.  For 20 years he held a variety of positions at the Bellefonte-based, Restek Corporation, culminating in five-years as “Head Coach.”  During his tenure, Restek, a leading developer of chromatographic materials, columns and accessories for gas and liquid chromatography, grew from 30 employees to a total of 275.  The company was subsequently sold to the employees as part of an ESOP agreement.

 Involved in the local community for the past 15 years, Don is a former board member of the Chamber of Business & Industry, a volunteer for State College Little League, a volunteer instructor for the Penn State Karate Club, and was part of a group that launched Centre Volunteers in Medicine in 2003, a free medical clinic for the uninsured in Centre County.  Don can be reached at dlm74@psu.edu.

Aither Chemicals, LLC, Joel Anstrom/University Research Project, Andre Boehman/University Research Project, Greenways Inc., HydroConfidence Inc., J&J Truck Bodies & Trailers, MicroEnergies LLC , OsComp Systems Inc., Polymics Ltd., ProChem Tech International Inc., Seraph Energy LLC,S4 Worldwide LLC

The contest, which is offering a total of $50,000 in cash prizes for the two best shale gas-oriented innovations, new product ideas, or service concepts was co-sponsored by the Marcellus Shale Coalition (www.marcelluscoalition.org), Little Pine Resources (www.littlepineresources.com), Chesapeake Energy (http://www.chesapeake.com), First National Bank (http://www.fnb-online.com), Range Resources (www.rangeresources.com)  and Schlumberger (www.slb.com) .

The judges, all of whom are senior gas industry experts, include representatives from the sponsoring companies as well as  CONSOL Energy Inc.  The panel began reviewing the submissions soon after the contest application closing date of January 30, 2012.

Bill Hall, Director of the SGICC remarked, “First, let me say how grateful I am to our contest sponsors. Without them, we couldn’t have offered such great cash prizes or even run the competition.  The judges, who have donated considerable time and effort to reading all of the 54 applications, were amazed at not only the number received, but also the overall high quality of the submissions.  There was such a broad range of technologies, products, and services represented that the judges were hard-pressed to whittle down the list of finalists to only 12.”

Each finalist will present a brief power point presentation to the judges from 2:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at the Hilton Hotel in Harrisburg, PA.  At the conclusion of the day’s events, the two $25,000 winners will be announced.

If you have a new, tech-based business idea that you’ve been kicking around – Accelerate it!   The Program requires a time commitment of at least 90 minutes per week on eight successive Tuesdays beginning April 24, 2012, from 3:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. 

 Those chosen to participate in this exciting opportunity will receive up to $1,000 toward professional service fees (legal and accounting), and will have the chance to compete for $10,000 to get the business off the ground.   Business mentoring from Ben Franklin’s Transformation Business Services Network and Penn State’s Small Business Development Center staff will be available at no cost. 

During the course of the Boot Camp you’ll hear from successful entrepreneurs, business support professionals, and even private and institutional investors on how to develop a solid, fundable business plan. You’ll come away from this experience with a list of best practices, lessons-learned, and a comprehensive toolbox that will help you start your own tech-business.

 Don’t hesitate to apply! To receive a one-page application, contact David Jordan with the Penn State Small Business Development Center at 814-865-1862 or daj7@psu.edu

For nearly 30 years, Ben Franklin has made investments in central Pennsylvania’s entrepreneurs, tech-based start-ups, and small manufacturers with the goal of assisting them in developing new technologies, hiring additional employees, and increasing sales. For more information on the program, click on http://www.cnp.benfranklin.org

 The companies that received a Ben Franklin investment are: 

Located in Potter County, Headwaters LLC will build and operate a state-of-the-art water remediation and recycling facility in Ulysses, PA. The company’s process will clean hydro-fracing water to recyclable standards that can be re-used for natural gas drilling.  Within 18 months, Headwaters LLC plans to have remediated and recycled more water than any other local facility. For more information, www.revh2o.com 

Hot Mix Mobile, located in Lebanon County, designs and manufactures a mobile mix-on-site volumetric Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) system called the RoadMixer™.

The unit is truck mounted and delivers hot mix asphalt on-demand for the permanent repair of roads with little or no waste.  The Roadmixer™ effectively eliminates the need for temporary “cold patching”. For more information, www.roadmixer.com

Operating out of the TechCelerator@Carlisle in Cumberland County, CrimeWatch US has developed a software platform designed to operate on web and mobile technologies allowing law enforcement agencies to manage, organize, and control fugitive/offender information.  The CrimeWatch portal is a control point for disseminating information to the general public, and encourages interaction across social media networks.

Located in Elk County, Super Abrasive Machining Innovation (SAMI) provides the latest in super abrasive machining capabilities to a wide range of markets.   SAMI offers  precision grinding at speeds as fast as those generated by single point machining, providing a cost effective stock removal process for even the most complex geometric shapes requiring tight tolerances.  For more information, www.samillc.com 

Alpine Sales & Rental, located in Centre County, received an Innovation Adoption Fund Grant to assist them with a R&D project they are having conducted at Penn State University. The project is designed to develop a soil sampling protocol to effectively characterize jobsite conditions.  This information allows for optimized equipment selection in terms of power, torque, and speed when blending soil. For more information, www.alpinecutters.com

In his tenure with the organization, B. J. has led the NWIRC in several initiatives including development of its highly successful Business Growth Services program.  B. J. commented, “Ironically, a significant part of what we offer manufacturers is help with succession planning, and I’m proud to say that we used that experience to ensure our own “passing of the baton” would be seamless to our employees and clients alike.”  A graduate of John Carroll University, past President of Lyons Transportation Lines, and Division Manager at DANA Corporation, B. J. Lechner has been with the IRC since February 2006.  

Stepping into the position of Executive Director is Bob Bengel, an Erie native who joined the IRC in October 2011 following a successful 25-year career with Ford Motor Company and Deloitte & Touche in Detroit.  Bob remarked, “B. J. has provided exceptional leadership for the NWIRC, and the succession plan he developed is helping me get up-to-speed very quickly.  Manufacturers throughout the Great Lakes region – including here in northwest Pennsylvania – are working aggressively to develop the innovative products, processes, and technologies that will help create the next great U.S. economy.  The opportunity is now.”

 Bob brings significant expertise in competitive strategy, business development, emerging markets, and risk management to the NWIRC.  His educational background includes an A.B. degree from Harvard University and a MBA from Penn State.  

About the NWIRC – The Resource for Manufacturers: Since 1988, the NWIRC has been the single source for consulting and support in virtually every area of manufacturing in the 13 counties of northwest Pennsylvania. The program helps manufacturers improve their bottom and top lines, as well as identify opportunities for streamlining production processes. The NWIRC connects companies with best-in-class consultants and helps make them affordable. For more information, see www.nwirc.org

On March 27, 2012, during the second week of the program’s 4-Week Kick-off Boot Camp, the class will be addressed by successful entrepreneur, Thomas Lancaster, former Vice-President of Research & Development (R&D) for SmartCells, Inc.  During his tenure with the company, he gained invaluable experience in all aspects of venture formation including financing, initial startup operations, technical operations, and the management of outside contractors. 

From 2004 – 2011, Dr. Lancaster designed and implemented key innovations for the company’s insulin and lectin protein technologies and managed the company’s team of scientists, engineers, and laboratory staff from R&D proof of concept experiments through an early stage human clinical trial.  In addition, he was a critical member of the management team that eventually sold the company to a large pharmaceutical company in a deal valued at more than $500 million. 

 Thomas Lancaster received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University.  In addition to his literature and conference publications, his name is listed as the first inventor or co-inventor on 16 pending or granted patents. 

 In 2011, Dr. Lancaster founded TML Consulting, LLC.   For more information on the company, click on http://www.tlancaster.com

March 13, 2012                                90-Minute “Research to Start-up” Workshop – Sold Out

                                                                Rescheduled for April 18, 2012

March 20, 2012                                4-Week Kick-off Boot Camp for PSU Faculty – This fast-track course is designed for faculty, students, and post-docs who are interested in how to successfully commercialize intellectual property (IP). 

Week One:  Participants begin a market research info exchange project, learn about the changes in Penn State University’s IP policy, and get their first homework assignment on market validation. 

Week Two:  Includes a discussion on risk tolerance and a live presentation by a successful entrepreneur, Dr. Tom Lancaster, on topics such as business formation, financing, initial operations, technical operations, and management of outside contractors.

 Week Three:   Overview of business development models and the inherent risks and opportunities associated with commercializing a new product.

Week Four:  Review of funding options and Boot Camp Graduation

• Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County/Centre County Industrial Development Corporation
• Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
• Ben Franklin’s Transformation Business Services Network and Venture Investment Forum
• Penn State Office of Technology Management
• Innovation Park at Penn State

This innovative, one-stop-shop approach to business incubation will encourage an entrepreneurial climate, increase technology transfer opportunities, and help develop a robust “startup” culture in State College and the surrounding area. 

A full menu of services designed to support new business activity will be offered including: designated, shared workspace; on-site, one-on-one business mentors; professional marketing research; startup boot camp sessions for faculty and students; and entrepreneurial training classes.

John Vidmar, Director of Ben Franklin’s Transformation Business Service Network, commented, “We believe that co-locating business start-up providers and their services creates economies of scale while bringing value and convenience to our clients.”

The TechCelerator @State College will be open for business starting Monday, March 5, 2012.

• Tuesday, March 6, 2012 – The First Step of Starting a Business- 200 Tech Center, Room 221, 9:00 a.m. to Noon – FREE – Sponsored by Susquehanna Bank/Graystone.
  
• Tuesday, March 13, 2012 – Tax and Bookkeeping - 200 Tech Center, Room 221, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – $79 fee – Sponsored by SF&Company.
  
• Tuesday, March 20, 2012 – Cash is King, Cash Flow – 200 Tech Center, Room 221, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – $79 fee.
• Thursday, March 29, 2012 – The Second Step of Starting a Business – Writing a Business Plan – 200 Tech Center, Room 221, 9:00 a.m. to Noon – $49 fee – Sponsored by SPEFCU.
  
• Tuesday, April 3, 2012 - The First Step of Starting a Business – 200 Tech Center, Room 221, 9:00 a.m. to Noon – FREE.
• Thursday, April 11, 2012 – A Look Back, a Look Forward: Partnering Traditional Marketing with a Social; Media Twist, 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. - $49 fee.
• Friday, April 13, 2012 – How to Increase Your Website’s Visibility, Rankability and Findability, 9:00 a.m. to Noon. – $49 fee.
• Thursday, April 19, 2012 – Introduction QuickBooks™, 8:00 a.m.to Noon – $99 fee.
• Thursday, April 26, 2012 – Advanced QuickBooks™, 8:00 a.m. to Noon – $99 fee.

For more information visit http://www.sbdc.psu.edu/calendar.htm.  Register and pay for all Penn State SBDC seminars on-line at http://www.sbdc.psu.edu/seminar-registration.asp or by calling (814) 863-4293 or (717) 247-1280.