SST 2008 Fosters Innovation

SST 2008 was another home run, featuring as it did so many hometown tech firms. Our congratulations to UWT Assistant Director of Industry Partnerships Andrew Fry.

This blog could resemble a short story if I were to report on all aspects of the SST 2008. But, you should have been there! The price was right - free, thanks to the UWT Institute of Technology. However, the final panel of the day focused on Tacoma area tech firms, and after an individual overview by the representatives, responded to a Q&A session. The answers to just one question - the first question, will be covered here.

That first question came from Andrew Fry, as a warm-up for the audience that mostly filled W. W. Philip Hall: Since our area gets no credit for a nexus of tech firms, most of which here are in cybersecurity and information assurance, why did you each locate here?

The answers:

• Gary Frank, Avue Technology: We lived here.
• Rod Rasmussen, Internet Identity: We lived here. He said he had to convince the co-founder, but that the existence of Click! Network and the UWT did that.
• Mike Brown, Prepared Response: The infrastructure here is the best. He specifically praised the power consistency and certainty as well as conductivity.
• Jennifer Leaf, NewTech: That's where our work is (Ft. Lewis). But, she noted this office has won accolades from the corporation as a recruitment base for the entire company.
• Mark Briggs, Serra Media: We lived here. We've established a joint presence in Tacoma and Seattle because of the regional nature of media. And, they intend to maintain a dual base. Besides, they are familiar with the local talent market and have a determined hiring base from the local community.
• Eric Hess, Sagem Morpho: Our first client in the U.S. (City of Tacoma) had the foresight to contract with us to locate our headquarters here.

Another quality event in Tacoma focusing on technology and entrepreneurship.