LANSING ? Ken Theis, the Director of the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget and the state's Chief Information Officer, will take a new job on Oct. 1 - as Chief Operating Officer for technology consultant Dewpoint Inc. Before his 12-years of service with the State of Michigan, Theis worked 10 years at General
ANN ARBOR -The University of Michigan ranks first in research and development spending among the nation's public universities and colleges, according to the latest rankings from the U.S. National Science Foundation. The rankings, announced by the agency on Monday, show that U-M moved up two positions, passing the University of California, San Francisco, and the
LANSING - After months of debate and several failed vote attempts, the Legislature passed a retirement incentive for state workers on Thursday that is the linchpin in wrapping up most of the outstanding 2010-11 budget bills. The struggle to pass SB 1226 was different than when the Legislature passed a similar plan for school employees
LANSING - Carrie Jones, the new director of the Film Office, said this week that sharp criticism about the state's film credits hasn't dampened her excitement about using the film industry to diversify and improve Michigan's economy. Jones said she plans to keep the momentum in the growing industry going by working with the foundation
ANN ARBOR ? Three Michigan companies recently received a combined total of $110,000 through the Michigan Microloan Fund Program, bringing the total amount invested through the Fund to over $1.69 million. GreenSand Corporation, iQ-Telematics and MyBandStock Corporation received the funding to support commercialization of their core products. GreenSand, located in Lake Linden, Mich., plans to
LANSING - A tax amnesty program the state is counting on netting $61.8 million to balance the 2010-11 fiscal year budget passed the House on Tuesday after the chamber made a few changes. The amnesty program would run from May 15 through June 30, 2011, and would allow people with unpaid taxes before December 31,
LANSING - Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder leads Democrat Virg Bernero by 21 percentage points and has the best favorability numbers of any candidate for governor in the country among independents, according to a new poll. The numbers mean doom for Bernero's bid, said Tom Jensen, director of Public Policy Polling, the North Carolina firm
LANSING - A new group made up of the Business Leaders for Michigan and the University Research Corridor called Accelerate Michigan was unveiled Tuesday as a way to boost the state as a top state for economic development. The new program is aimed at helping both groups "better connect" their strategic strengths and assets to
DETROIT - The Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan announced that the Accelerate Michigan Student Idea Competition, with prizes up to $50,000, is now open for registration. The application deadline is Oct. 22. Open to any undergraduate or graduate student attending a Michigan college or university in the fall of 2010, the Accelerate Michigan Student
ANN ARBOR - The Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan Tuesday announced a $1 million international business-plan competition aimed at developing very high growth potential, second-stage technology companies in Michigan. Top prize is $500,000. Applications are due Oct. 6. But there are 16 other cash prizes in nine business categories, plus a top prize of