FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2000
Contact: Rusty Cheuvront or Channell Barbour (502) 564-2611
Frankfort,
KY. ---- Governor Patton today assembled a team of newly appointed members of
the Kentucky Innovations Commission to grow a knowledge-based economy in the
Commonwealth.
“The
key to wealth and job growth in Kentucky is knowledge, innovation, and
technology,” said Governor Patton. “We
must use the progress we’ve made in infrastructure, education and economic
development to become competitive in the knowledge-based economy of the
future.”
The
Commission was created by the enactment of House Bill 572 during the 2000
legislative session, and will serve as the primary advisor to state policymakers
on issues related to Kentucky’s competitiveness in the new economy.
Commission
members include: Governor Patton, Speaker of the House, Jody Richards, President
of the Senate, David Williams, Secretary of the Governor’s Executive Cabinet,
Crit Luallen, State Budget Director Jim Ramsey; President of the Council on
Postsecondary Education, Gordon Davies, and Secretary of the Economic
Development Cabinet, Gene Strong.
Appointed
members of the Commission are: Nancy Martin, Louisville, Ken Roberts, Lexington,
both representing members as an engineer/scientist or as an educator teaching
highly skilled workers; Craig Greenberg, Louisville, representing a member with
experience in venture capital; E.C. (Eddy) Roberts, Jr., Louisville,
representing member with extensive experience and expertise relating to
providing and supporting communications infrastructure; Henry Jackson,
Lexington, Harold Doran, Murray, Dean Hughes, Princeton, and Charleen Combs,
Harlan, representing members from the private sector and high-tech experience.
The legislation also created a Commissioner of the New Economy to provide
direction to the initiative. Jim
Ramsey has been named acting Commissioner until a national search results in a
permanent appointment.
The
New Economy Initiative proposes several steps over the biennium to further
develop the knowledge-based economy in Kentucky.
The Governor proposed and the General Assembly enacted the budget plan to
direct more than $55 million to the knowledge-based economy effort over the
course of the 2000-2002 biennium.
“If
Kentucky plans to be a player in the fast-moving, global, high-tech economy of
the 21st Century we’ll have to change the way we educate our
people, train our workers, and grow our businesses.
We must build on the foundations laid by KERA, Higher Ed Reform and
‘Bucks for Brains’,” said Governor Patton.
“Today’s announcement is the next critical step toward a stronger
economic future.”
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