Newest articles and comments on The Sacramento Press written by Laura Good

SARTA Program Honors Sacramento Region’s Best Medical Technology Innovations

2012-02-03T02:00:28Z

SARTA MedStart is now seeking nominations for the third annual Claire Pomeroy Awards for Innovation in Medical Technology. The awards recognize individuals in the Sacramento region whose innovative and high-impact inventions, products or designs have transformed some important aspect of the practice of medicine or the delivery of health-care services by improving efficiency, safety, efficacy or accessibility.

“The Sacramento region is establishing itself as a national leader in medical technology innovation and development,” said Meg Arnold, chief executive officer of SARTA. “This awards program recognizes not just individual company achievements but also the invaluable role that Dr. Pomeroy has played in so dramatically supporting and advancing this increasingly important sector of our regional economy. The awards send a strong signal that SARTA and the region’s business community value innovation and are ready to help.”

MedStart created the awards to recognize and celebrate successful innovators in our region. The Award is named for Claire Pomeroy, Chief Executive Officer, UC Davis Health System, Vice Chancellor, Human Health Sciences and Dean, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis. Pomeroy is a highly regarded health-care leader and enthusiastic and inspirational supporter of high-tech research and its translation through commercialization into daily use in medicine and health care.

“I’m proud to be involved with MedStart’s efforts to develop a thriving medical technology industry in the Sacramento region,” said Pomeroy. “Through the award program we hope to encourage others to become catalysts in transforming medicine and health through innovative technologies.”

The 2011 Pomeroy Award winner was Dr. Richard Wampler for his work on the hemopump and HVAD Heart Assist Device. 2010 award winners were Philip H. Coelho, BioArchive System by Thermogenesis; Edward A. Smeloff, Smeloff-Cutter Heart Valve; Warren D. Smith, PK Factor for assessing consciousness of patients under anesthesia; and Richard K. Wertz, Autoscan Automated Microbiology Diagnostic System.

“There are a growing number of successful medical technology innovations being created in our region,” said Cary Adams, chair of MedStart. “By highlighting these dedicated individuals and their creative innovations through the Claire Pomeroy Awards, we’re encouraging further economic development in our region, and greater opportunity for our talented area workforce. We’re highlighting for everyone that these successes can and do occur here repeatedly.”

To be considered for the awards, the nominee’s invention or product must be in commercial use or approved use by the medical industry. The awards committee may take into account benefits generated for SARTA’s nine-county region, which includes the Counties of Butte, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba. Other award criteria include:

• Brilliance or ingenuity in solving problems and designing solutions
• Impact on the lives of patients
• Size of the populations affected
• Extent of the impact in its market
• Impact on the institutions and processes of care delivery
• Economic impact on the health-care system

Self-nominations or nominations of a colleague for the award are invited. The nominee’s name, the nominator’s name, the device or product name and a brief description as to why it meets the criteria should be sent to awards@sarta.org by Friday, April 6, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. The entire nomination may not exceed two and one half pages. Downloadable nomination forms are available through the SARTA MedStart web site.

The award committee consists of Dr. Pomeroy; Mr. Cary Adams, founder and CEO, Proximal Ventures and MedStart chair; Professor Kyriacos Athanasiou, distinguished professor and chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering at UC Davis; Mr. Don Chigazola, Director of Western Region Facility Operations for Medtronic; Dean Emir Macari, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at California State University, Sacramento; Mr. John Maroney, managing member, Delphi Ventures; Mr. Robert Medearis, Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Silicon Valley Bank; Dr. John Mesic, chief medical officer, Sutter Health, Sacramento Sierra Region; Dr. Christian Renaudin, managing partner and CEO of The MarkeTech Group; and Professor Warren Smith, Electrical & Electronic Engineering Department, California State University, Sacramento.

For information on the Claire Pomeroy Awards, Med Tech Showcase or MedStart, visit www.medstart.org. Winners will be notified by April 27, 2012 and honored at the Sacramento Med Tech Showcase on June 5, 2012 at the Woodlake Hotel..

Disclosure: Laura Good is Director, Programs and Operations at SARTA.

Laura Good on " Sacramento: Is there an app for that?"

2012-01-04T23:53:05Z

Sacramento needs a Sacramento Kings app! I searched for the one on iTunes the other day to no avail.

Laura Good on "Baking with heart, one cookie at a time"

2011-12-30T22:09:51Z

I've had several meals at Plates and the food is always delicious! I didn't try any of their cookies at Christmas because my pulled pork on a biscuit was so delicious I did not save room for a treat! If you've never eaten here, put it on your to do list for 2012. Also, put St. Johns Shelter for Women on your charitable giving list -- they do great work in our community.

Laura Good on "Ending homelessness in Sacramento with better social business workflow – C7group to provide Sacramento Steps Forward with consulting services "

2011-12-30T22:04:01Z

Is this partnership a success story from the Social Media Club Sacramento Social Media Tune Up for Non-Profits held in December?

Laura Good on "Is David Garibaldi the Next Andy Warhol?"

2011-10-30T17:13:08Z

Nice write up. I was there and it was truly an amazing performance!

Laura Good on "Sacramento Public Library : Self-publishing made possible through Espresso Book Machine"

2011-10-25T19:20:11Z

I love it! Would be really cool to watch the machine making a book--great kid field trip!

Laura Good on "A need for caffeine, coffee shop roundup"

2011-10-09T16:42:24Z

Forgot to mention -- the photos really made this article for me. It's nice to see the space, not just hear about it.

Laura Good on "A need for caffeine, coffee shop roundup"

2011-10-09T16:41:36Z

I'd heard of Naked Lounge but I thought it was a bar! I don't think I've been to any of these spots but most are in downtown or midtown and I don't often hang there during the day. I like Tupelo in the Fab Forties, nearish Sac State.

Laura Good on "Restaurants Are Hungry for Your Business; Social Media is Their Platter"

2011-08-14T23:44:22Z

I learned a lot from this panel. Great job representing a wide range of restaurants--from very casual to elegant.

Laura Good on "Brands are listening to Mommy Bloggers, are you?"

2011-07-11T20:30:40Z

I'm amazed)at the influence mommy bloggers have on consumer choices. Mommy Blogs are word-of-mouth marketing on steroids! (or should that be progesterone?) I'm looking forward to hearing how mom's decide what to promote and how brands engage them.

Laura Good on "Local businesses 'Like' Advanced Facebook for Business workshop "

2011-07-07T03:54:11Z

Sean, there is a video of the entire workshop so you can still "attend" both remotely and after the fact: http://media.irt.drexel.edu/mediasite/Viewer/?peid=6dec1b33d98b4ce4beca5d0c4e86c37f1d

Laura Good on "Twitter, trunk of the tree for #HereWeBuild"

2011-06-25T20:06:31Z

Absolutely Mark! Blake was on the panel and recognized as starting the Here We Stay campaign with a few other bloggers in August of 2010.

Laura Good on "Twitter, trunk of the tree for #HereWeBuild"

2011-06-25T20:05:24Z

SMCSAC just uploaded the complete continuous video from the #HereWeMeme panel discussion on 6/9. You can view it here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/15610982

Laura Good on "Local businesses 'Like' Advanced Facebook for Business workshop "

2011-06-21T16:12:17Z

I thought I knew a thing or two about Facebook for Business but Josh taught me ten or more new things! I highly recommend watching the archived video and it's not just because I'm on the Leadership Team for Social Media Club. Trust me, you'll thank me later! :)

Laura Good on "What is Social Networking Really Worth?"

2011-05-28T16:14:46Z

Nice recap Sean! Thank you for attending Social Media Club Sacramento panel discussions and sharing what you learn with the rest of Sacramento!

Laura Good on "Is Social Media Making the World a Better Place?"

2011-05-16T17:46:13Z

Here is the missing link for tomorrow's "Social Media ROI: Is it Measurable" panel discussion referenced at the bottom of the article: http://roiandsocialmedia.eventbrite.com/

Laura Good on "The Sacramento Press turns purple for #HereWePurple"

2011-04-21T16:57:45Z

I'm home in Calaveras County today but I'm wearing purple! Gonna put purple bandanas on the dogs too!

Laura Good on "UC Davis Professor to give 'Social Media & Social Uprising' lecture at The California Museum"

2011-04-15T06:18:37Z

I'm looking forward to this lecture! After following all the tweets about Iran, Syria,Tunisia and Libya, I'm ready to learn about the role new media has played in bringing about change in these countries in bigger bites than 140 characters! Social media isn't just for PR and marketing -- it's opening new doors for communication in every aspect of our lives. I wonder what impact new media would have made on the solidarity movement in Poland in the early 80s. It surely would have been a powerful tool for Lech Walesa.

Laura Good on "April Fools' Day: KJ joins the Kings"

2011-04-01T15:41:29Z

Thank you for the morning laugh! This is an awesome article! You guys rock April Fools' Day!

Laura Good on "Social Media Club's Sacramento chapter hosts "Blogging for Business" workshop"

2011-03-29T00:01:43Z

I learned so much at this workshop! Jennifer is the Blogging for Business Diva in my book!

Laura Good on "Social Networking "In-Real-Life""

2011-02-21T17:33:45Z

Sean--great article and welcome to citizen journalism!

Laura Good on "Locals Keep Fitness Resolutions Through Social Media"

2011-01-14T00:47:00Z

I'm really looking forward to this event! Improving my fitness level is my main goal for 2011. If social media can help me do that, I'm all for it!

Laura Good on "DSP's State of Downtown breakfast"

2011-01-13T16:35:28Z

I don't see it so much as a shift to the under-30 crowd as it is a message to Boomers and GenX to acknowledge that Millennials are now an important part of the workforce and are the future leaders. Their work style is very different from a Boomer's and we need to learn how to communicate & collaborate with each other. I'm now 50 but work daily with a 24 year old. We approach problem solving and project management very differently but are learning to leverage these differences rather than let them be an obstacle. But it "ain't" easy!

Laura Good on "DSP's State of Downtown breakfast"

2011-01-13T16:30:04Z

David--Don't move to Brooklyn! This community needs you and The Sacramento Press!

Laura Good on "DSP's State of Downtown breakfast"

2011-01-13T16:23:55Z

Great point Meg! For those of you unfamiliar with SARTA, you can check us out at www.sarta.org. Meg is our CEO and I am one of the Program Directors.

Laura Good on "Local tech company’s hard drive survives 12-gauge shotgun blast"

2011-01-08T16:37:15Z

You can vote for ioSafe's Rugged Portable for CES People's Voice awards up until 10 a.m. on Saturday! http://ces.cnet.com/ces/peoples-voice/

Laura Good on "Sacramento Facebookers racing to win $100,000 grant to fight hunger"

2011-01-08T03:48:22Z

Update: Sacramento ended up in 8th place, a no-money spot. Salt Lake City won the $1 million; Fresno and Bakersfield placed in $100,000 spots.

Laura Good on "Sacramento Press Journalism Open returns in January 2011"

2011-01-08T03:15:26Z

Colleen--I accidentally tagged the article I posted today as 2011open instead of open2011. Is this something that can be fixed? Can the tag be added to suggested tags when writing the article so I don't keep messing up? Or is dyslexia an automatic disqualifier? :)

Local tech company’s hard drive survives 12-gauge shotgun blast

2011-01-08T00:03:11Z

Robb Moore, President & CEO of Sacramento region tech company ioSafe, is well-known for his flashy Consumer Electronic Show (CES) demos of the company's almost indestructible hard drives. This year, he outdid himself by inviting journalists to fire a 12-gauge shotgun at ioSafe's new product, the Rugged Portable. The demo was held at American Shooters, a gun range close to the Las Vegas Convention Center, and participants included the BBC, Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, PCWorld, MacLife, the Canadian Discovery Channel and more. In addition to blasting the drive with a shotgun, journalists were also able to crush it with a vice, immerse it in water and hit it with a hammer. In each case the data was still recoverable, despite the extensive abuse.

CES announced today that ioSafe’s Rugged Portable is a Best of CES 2011 finalist. Sacramento can vote for the Rugged Portable in the People’s Voice awards. Voting closes Saturday 1/8 at 10 a.m. (PST) and winners will be announced at 11 a.m.

Just released this January, the Rugged Portable is CNC-machined from a solid billet of aluminum or titanium. This Full Metal Jacket™ Technology makes the drive crush resistant up to 5000 lbs (Ti) or 2500 lbs (AL). Like all ioSafe portable drives, the Rugged Portable can withstand fire, immersion and just about any kind of abuse as Moore continues to prove in his ever-popular annual CES demonstrations.

“This drive will make sure your data reaches its destination safely," said Moore. “Whether you need to protect important business data during your daily commute or protect photos during your family vacation, the Rugged Portable will do it. The drive will keep data safe from everyday knocks and bumps associated with travel as well as from moisture, chemicals and extreme environmental and weather conditions.”

ioSafe, a high tech startup in Auburn, manufactures fireproof, waterproof hard drives – like an aircraft black box but for consumer and business data protection. The company's customers include the Pentagon, the Army and Navy, numerous Fortune 500 companies, small businesses and home consumers. Consumer products are sold through Costco, Wal-Mart, Amazon, BestBuy and Dell. The Rugged Portable starts at $149.99 and is now available for pre-order at www.iosafe.com.

Robb Moore, a mechanical engineering graduate of UC Santa Barbara and Professional Engineer in the state of California, has developed hundreds of designs for the high tech, medical, consumer, and aerospace markets. In addition, he serves as CEO of Kollabra, a product development company, and on the Board of Directors for SARTA (Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance). SARTA, founded in 2001, is a non-profit organization founded to foster entrepreneurial growth in emerging technologies & attract venture capital to the greater Sacramento region.

Know of an interesting high tech story to feature in my Sacramento High Tech story line? Please email me with your ideas.

Disclosure: Author Laura Good is a HUGE fan of Robb Moore's guerilla marketing tactics and has invited him to speak at SARTA marketing for technology entrepremeurs workshops on on more than one occasion.

Photo credits: Johnny Klemme

Laura Good on "Sacramento Press Journalism Open returns in January 2011"

2011-01-05T18:14:12Z

Thanks for changing the rules! "Now anyone who works in one of the four counties that we cover (Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, El Dorado) is also eligible to enter the contest."

Laura Good on "A man called Moonbeam."

2011-01-04T16:33:03Z

Loved the article! Cleverly written and I felt like I was there (and am even happier now that I wasn't!).

Cornell University Glee Club Comes to Sacramento

2011-01-04T02:21:43Z

The world renowned Cornell University Glee Club will be performing a special concert here in Sacramento on Wednesday, January 5th at Congregation B'nai Israel beginning at 7:30 p.m. The program will feature both classical and contemporary men's choral music, including the Sacramento premiere of San Francisco Conservatory Professor David Conte’s new work for men’s choir, Crossing the Bar. This choral performance is a rare treat for the Capitol region and with tickets priced at only $15 per person, a classical performing arts bargain!

Brett Owens, a local Cornell alumnus who now calls midtown Sacramento home, is excited to see his alma mater's Glee Club here in town. "These guys are incredible - they can flat out sing and create some great music. They used to light up campus back during my college days, and I have no doubt their unique style and flare will be a real treat for the audience joining us this Wednesday!"

Praised as one of America’s top collegiate choirs, the Club has performed internationally to wide acclaim in China, Brazil, England, and Venezuela. Here in the United States, it has sold out concerts at the Kennedy Center and the Lincoln Center, performed at Boston’s historic Old South Church, and conducted a private concert at the United States Supreme Court for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

The Sacramento program, The Cornell-California Connection, will feature both classical and contemporary men's choral music, including the Sacramento premiere of two works from California composers commissioned this year by the Glee Club. Sacramento music lovers will have an opportunity as well to meet the Hangovers, the a cappella subset of the Glee Club, which will perform several original arrangements of popular music. Cornell alumni will find themselves singing along to traditional Cornell school songs, including the Song of the Classes, the Evening Song and the Cornell Alma Mater. Preview the Glee Club on YouTube, but attend the performance in person to experience the richness of their unique choral sound.

“Throw out all stereotypes. The Cornell University Glee Club has developed a virtuosic choral sound that has far more in common with the King's Singers than 40 guys with a keg. ... this ensemble performed with uniform tonal production, clear diction and laserlike intonation ... " Arthur Thigpen, The Washington Post, January 11, 2010

Venue Details
Congregation B'nai Israel
3600 Riverside Blvd.
Sacramento CA, 95818

Concert begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets are just $15 and may be purchased in advance or at the door
Click here to purchase your tickets or for more information

Laura Good on "Sacramento Press Journalism Open returns in January 2011"

2011-01-03T18:06:46Z

"You must live in one of our four home counties listed above, and be at least 18 years of age." I wish the rule was "or work for an employer in one of our four home counties listed above." Would love to participate but I don't live in one of those counties.

Laura Good on "Sacramento Area Could Win $1 Million to Fight Hunger!"

2010-12-30T23:34:37Z

Readers! Please help Sacramento in our race to win $100K grant to feed the hungry! After "liking" our regions page at http://fightinghunger.walmart.com/city/Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville-CA we can earn extra "likes" in the campaign this way: From the Fighting Hunger app campaign page for Sacramento, leave a comment to post the link to your Facebook page. http://fightinghunger.walmart.com/city/Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville-CA You must post the link this way to Facebook for it to count (i.e. don't cut and paste to your wall). Legit posts will have a little star/Walmart icon just to the left of the "X minutes ago via Fighting Hunger Together" on the same line as option to like or comment. If you see those links posted on your friends' pages, liking, sharing & commenting on that link will help get more "likes" for Sacramento. We are still in 7th place and need all the help you can muster through yourself & your friends to win this thing!

Laura Good on "Sacramento Area Could Win $1 Million to Fight Hunger!"

2010-12-30T23:33:01Z

Thanks for keeping the torch burning on this Mary!

Laura Good on "Sacramento Facebookers racing to win $100,000 grant to fight hunger"

2010-12-30T17:22:28Z

I just placed a Facebook ad for this! Please help spread the word!

Laura Good on "Sacramento Facebookers racing to win $100,000 grant to fight hunger"

2010-12-30T04:18:15Z

There is more than one way to like! Please do some of these additional actions to increase our likes! # The following actions will increase a community's "Likes" total: * Clicking the "Like" button on the "Select the community you want to support" map or on the community's page will add a "Like" to that community's total. * "Sharing" upon clicking the "Like" button will add a "Like" to that community's total. * Adding a comment in the field that appears immediately after clicking the "Like" button will add a "Like" to that community's total. * "Liking" a community from another Facebook user's news feed (once that user has "shared" that community) will add a "Like" to that community's total. * Commenting on a community from within another Facebook user's news feed (once that user has "shared" that community) will add a "Like" to that community's total. * "Sharing" a community page that another Facebook user has already shared will allow others to add "Likes" to that community's total by "Liking" and commenting.

Laura Good on "Sacramento Facebookers racing to win $100,000 grant to fight hunger"

2010-12-30T04:06:58Z

In the time between drafting this article and publishing it, Sacramento is now back in 7th place and Charleston has moved to 6th place! Keep those votes coming!

Sacramento Facebookers racing to win $100,000 grant to fight hunger

2010-12-30T03:50:47Z

As part of its 2010 Holiday campaign focused on fighting hunger, Walmart launched a Facebook campaign that invites fans to select the communities that will receive $1.5 million in grants. By visiting the campaign website and "liking" a community via their Facebook account, people influence which communities will receive the funds. The community with the most "likes" will receive $1 million to fight hunger; the next 5 highest scoring communities will receive $100,000 each.

Why is this news? Because Sacramento is in now in 6th place which earns a $100,000 grant! With less than 48 hours remaining in the race, Sacramento's social media influencers are campaigning to keep Sacramento in 6th place or better.

Using social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, the word is spreading rapidly throughout the region. An event on Facebook has even been created to help people tell all of their Facebook friends about the campaign.

Unlike other social media campaigns that only focus on raising awareness about issues, this campaign awards grant money to the top 7 regions. Fresno, which has a significant lead over all the other regions, is likely to win the $1 million grant and Bakersfield and Sacramento are currently in 5th & 6th place which earns grant awards of $100,000 each. However, Sacramento, Grand Rapids and Charleston are running a very tight race, currently in 6th, 7th & 8th places respectively. Sacramento will need to increase its social media efforts to hold 6th place.

Sacramento Press readers can help the campaign by visiting the website and "liking" our region. Anyone who has a Facebook account can participate. There is no charge to "Like" or vote; just click on the community of your choice. You do not need to "Like" Walmart in order to participate The campaign ends on 12/31/2010 at midnight EST.

Laura Good on "Tasting 16 turkeys for charity"

2010-11-24T15:49:01Z

I want Jamie Bunnell's recipe!

Laura Good on "Sacramento hosts TEDx to celebrate youth"

2010-11-24T15:42:58Z

I participated vis the live stream. What a great event! Thank you Brandon and the team for making it possible!

Laura Good on "Innovation and Inspiration Converge at Clean Tech Showcase"

2010-10-29T13:32:31Z

I attended this event and was amazed by the number of exhibitors and the quality of the speakers. This was the 4th annual Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase and the buzz I heard throughout the day was that this event gains momentum every year. I found both Congresswoman Matsui's and Mayor Kevin Johnson's remarks on Sacramento's clean tech future.to be very encouraging. If you are interested in clean tech, renewable energy, green building but were not able to attend, you missed an important event for the region! Be sure to attend next year's Showcase!

Laura Good on "4-Alarm Midtown Fire Destroys Food Bank and Extends to Diocese"

2010-10-22T15:52:29Z

The food bank really needs help from the community to replace what was lost and take care of the hungry. If you can find it in your heart, please consider donating. http://www.rivercityfoodbank.org/

Matsui Rallies For Region's Clean Tech Future

2010-10-20T05:42:23Z

Congresswoman Doris Matsui is a featured speaker at the 4th Annual Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase on October 26th at Sacramento State. Organized by SARTA (Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance) as part of its CleanStart initiative, over 700 people are expected to attend this all day event. More than 40 speakers are included in the program and many of the region's clean tech companies are among the 80 exhibitors.

Congresswoman Matsui will share the federal perspective during the opening session, “Bold Visions For the Sacramento Region.” Matsui represents Sacramento in the U.S. Congress and serves on the Energy & Commerce and Committee. She has crafted and helped pass legislation that addresses some of the most critical challenges facing Americans today, including a comprehensive national energy policy that focuses on renewable energy and energy efficiency. SARTA interviewed her to get her perspective on Clean Technology in the Sacramento region.

SARTA: What interests / excites you about Clean Technology in the region?

Matsui: Clean technology represents an exciting opportunity for the Sacramento region. For the past several years, Sacramento has been reliant on the state government and the construction industry to provide jobs. But in order to recover from this economic recession, our region must diversify its economy. We have seen our health care industry expand and flourish in recent years, and I believe that clean technology represents a similar opportunity.

A transition to a clean energy economy is vital to creating jobs and increasing our national security. We can unleash private sector investment in clean energy to create millions of new jobs that can’t be shipped overseas. Clean energy technology should be made here in America and I have sponsored legislation, H.R. 5156, the Clean Energy Technology Mannufacturing and Export Assistance Act, to make this reality. Earlier this year, the House passed H.R. 5156, , as part of a Make it in America Agenda pushed by Democrats, that will help increase our American made clean energy products and assist those companies as they sell their products overseas.

And just a few weeks ago, I introduced H.R. 6212, the Small Business Clean Energy Financing Act, which will help small clean energy businesses access financing and remain competitive in the global market. By working within the existing Small Business Administration financing process, my legislation would direct the agency to prioritize clean energy initiatives, and make credit more accessible for our small clean energy companies.

I believe the Sacramento region is well-positioned to be a leader in this new clean energy economy. The region has proven academic and research excellence, cutting edge utility companies, a rapidly growing clean technology business cluster and access to policymakers and regulatory expertise.

We already have much to be proud of and immense momentum to build upon. The region has led the state in clean tech job growth over the last 13 years and our sector now boasts more than 13,000 clean tech jobs. Our clean tech business cluster has expanded to more than 230 companies, a tremendous increase in recent years. We have also been able to secure over $280 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for clean tech, a testament to our ability to coordinate, collaborate and execute.

If we continue to build upon our successes and collaborations, I believe our shared vision of creating a clean energy economy will become a reality.

SARTA: What excites you about the Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase?

Matsui: The Clean Tech Showcase is an appropriate title for an event of this kind. It is really a time for Sacramento to show that we are a clean energy hub.

The Sacramento region has the ingenuity and innovation to compete with any other region in the United States. I am looking forward to hearing more from these business owners about how the federal government can help them grow and succeed.

I am excited to see the numerous clean tech businesses that will have exhibits, including new companies who have put down roots in our community. Additionally, it is exciting to see all of the region’s stakeholders come together around a shared vision. Sacramento has the ability to collaborate and rally around a single cause and the participation at this event and others like it show that we are ready to be a national leader and are at the forefront of the clean energy movement.

SARTA: What pre-show nugget would you like to share to get people eager to attend your session or track?

Matsui: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act made some unprecedented commitments to funding clean energy and moving our nation on a path towards security and sustainability. The law had over $80 billion in funding and tax breaks related to the clean energy sector.

It is clear that the Sacramento region has been successful in pursuing and securing funds made available by ARRA. As a region, we have secured over $280 million in clean energy ARRA funds and hopefully more to come. Just recently we announced a $30 million grant for Rancho Cordova based Clean Energy Systems, Inc.

It is clear to me that the ARRA funds have helped lay the groundwork for the region. We must now build upon these successes and attract more private investment. The federal government can help play a key role in establishing this by passing a comprehensive energy bill. U.S. consumers are exporting $400 billion a year to pay for foreign oil – most of which comes from an instable region. We can no longer continue to operate under an outdated energy policy.

I believe that a new national clean energy policy will create American jobs, reduce our pollution and ensure further national security. The House charted the path last year when we passed the American Clean Energy & Security Act and I am hopeful that the Senate will act on this important legislation.

Photos: Image 1: Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps; Image 2: Clean Tech Convening ; Image 3: Clean Energy Sector Strategy Meeting. Source: www.matsui.house.gov

Additional Information:

Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase
October 26th from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Sacramento State, University Union
In Advance: General Admission: $80; SARTA member Rate: $40
At the Door: General Admission: $95
For more information on visit cleantechshowcase.org

Congresswoman Doris Matsui
U.S. House of Representatives, California’s Fifth District
http://www.matsui.house.gov/

Laura Good on "Social Media Helps Sacramento Art Scene"

2010-07-17T18:37:13Z

I'm really looking forward to this event! Love the way Sacramento Social Media Club brings all things social media to the Sacramento region!

Laura Good on "Social Media Rocks"

2010-06-12T00:50:40Z

I'm really looking forward to this panel and party!

Laura Good on "My (probably) last comment"

2010-05-31T16:28:40Z

The first time I had a nasty comment it upset me. But over time, I just learned to take them with a grain of salt. Any online newspaper will have lots of comments, both supportive and scathing. It just comes with the territory of being a journalist. I encourage you to continue to write if you have something the community should hear.

Laura Good on "The Job Search According to Facebook and Twitter"

2010-05-25T22:44:36Z

This was a fascinating panel--I'm so glad I attended! One tip I got from the panel was to make frequent small changes to your online resumes on job sites like Monster and Careerbuilder. This helps your resume show up in searches by employers for "new" resumes. For more tips from the panelists, search twitter for #smcsac -- quite a few people live tweeted last Tuesday's event.

Laura Good on "Metro Chamber's biz-to-biz trade show part of Gov.'s Collaboration series"

2010-05-14T14:04:17Z

SARTA will be there! We are looking forward to this event!

Laura Good on "Using Social Media To Find A Job and an Employee"

2010-05-13T20:51:52Z

Chance--you should come! The Social Media Club monthly events are always jam packed with information on how to better use social media tools. It's free--come check it out!

Laura Good on "May Declared International Internal Audit Awareness Month as a Result of Golden 1 Efforts"

2010-05-05T16:26:02Z

Go bean counters! We couldn't do it without you! I spent about 10 years in accounting jobs, including two positions as a controller. The audit teams did great work and I was always happy to have them come look at our books and processes.

Laura Good on "Evans receives ROY trophy, scenes from the rally"

2010-04-30T16:17:34Z

A well deserved win for Tyreke! Thank you for all the pictures!

Laura Good on "Community Center Theater renovation planned"

2010-04-29T16:49:32Z

This is great news! The theater really needs some renovation & updating. The wait for the Ladies Room is unbelievable! I would also like to see better seats for those with disabilities.

Laura Good on "The Eagles Concert at Arco Arena"

2010-04-29T16:45:09Z

I was at the concert too and this is a great recap. Our tickets weren't too expensive as we sat in the upper deck--I think about $50. It was well worth the price, especially if you were a teen in the 70s & early 80s. Music has the power to take me back in time, allowing me to re-experience feelings and emotions that I have thought about in 35+ years. The Eagles are one of those classic rock and roll bands that everyone should see live at least once.

Laura Good on "Tyreke Evans wins NBA Rookie of the Year award"

2010-04-29T00:21:14Z

My sister is going to be ecstatic!

Laura Good on "The Law & Social Media: what you missed at SMCSac's April meeting"

2010-04-29T00:20:24Z

Great wrap up of last week's event. Amazed that Mr. Stein attributes 95% of his law business to his blog. Did I read that right? 95% of his clients come to him from his blog? That is remarkable!

Laura Good on "'Bodies Revealed' back in Sacramento"

2010-04-22T22:14:46Z

I attended the "Bodies: The Exhibition" when I lived in Orlando. It was an incredible display and very thought provoking. I was expecting to be "creeped out" but I wasn't. I think the exhibit is suitable for most children but some displays might frighten younger children. Just my opinion--there aren't any age guidelines on the event webpage. I was easily frightened as a young child so perhaps I'm too sensitive on that issue.

Laura Good on "HIGHLIGHTS FROM TEDX SACRAMENTO April 16 2010 at Hinde Auditorium, 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819."

2010-04-22T21:27:05Z

Wow Ira! You really captured it! Those who missed TEDx Sacramento last Friday can gain "ideas worth spreading" insight just by reading this article! I'm looking forward to the next TEDx Sacramento in November 2010.

Laura Good on "Health IT M&A: Impact of Oracle Acquisition of Phase Forward "

2010-04-21T15:42:23Z

Hey Sacramento Press -- the Tweet feature doesn't work right for this article.

Laura Good on "Health IT M&A: Impact of Oracle Acquisition of Phase Forward "

2010-04-21T15:40:20Z

Ahsan--great article. Interested in your background and experience in EMR. Are you familiar with SARTA's MedStart program? We are a non-profit focused on the growth of the medical technology industry sector in the Sacramento region--medical devices as well as healthcare information technology. EMR/EHR/PHR is on our "hot list" of technologies essential to health care reform. We have a Telemedicine Task Force that meets monthly and the scope of their discussions also includes EMR/EHR/PHR. If you are more than a reporter on this subject you might be interested in connecting with this forum. Likewise, any readers of this article who have a keen interest in the subject are welcome to connect with our forum.

Laura Good on "TED 'Unleashed' Thursday"

2010-04-21T15:01:46Z

Anyone know if this event will be recorded? I don't think I will be able to attend but I'd love to watch the video clips of the 5 minute presentations.

Laura Good on "CIA Director tells Cap-to-Cap delegates: Cyber attack could be next “Pearl Harbor”"

2010-04-21T14:47:18Z

We knew all along that Chloe was the real secret weapon against terrorism. Forget about Jack Bauer!

Laura Good on "Sacramento baristas return from nationals"

2010-04-21T14:42:48Z

Glad to see the follow up story! I was just wondering this morning how our local Baristas did in the competition. Is photo 1 Lance & photo 2 Erik & Kyle?

Laura Good on "Sacramento Mountain Lions' Fan Club Kicks Off"

2010-04-19T19:27:24Z

When I lived in Orlando, I had season tickets to the Orlando Predators for a couple of years (late 90s). I wouldn't call myself a huge football fan, but I really enjoyed attending the UFL games. The fan participation was a big highlight of the experience.

Laura Good on "TEDx Sacramento launches to sold-out crowd"

2010-04-19T19:23:46Z

There is a TEDx Silicon Valley too. I haven't checked it out many of the videos yet, but there is a YouTube channel for TEDx --perhaps you could catch some of the content there.

Laura Good on "TEDx Sacramento launches to sold-out crowd"

2010-04-19T19:21:00Z

Taking off my journalist hat, I enjoyed the first Sacrament TEDx very much. The pace was quick and the topics were all interesting. My favorite speakers were Robyn Waxman on FARM and Scott Brusaw on Solar Roadways. But all of the speakers were very good. I was excited to hear that the next event is planned for November. The challenge will be to find a venue large enough to allow everyone who wants to come to be there! I also enjoyed talking with fellow attendees at the reception after the event. I reconnected with some friends and twitter buddies and also met some new folks.

Laura Good on "Diggin' in and Diggin' it! Part II"

2010-04-17T20:34:29Z

Chi's work on the maps for the homeless is an illustration of David Garibaldi's message last night at TEDx Sacramento. She has turned her passion and skill at cartography into a purpose. Thank you for sharing your story!

Laura Good on "Diggin' in and Diggin' it! Part I"

2010-04-17T20:31:54Z

Chi--thank you for posting such a heart warming article that may serve to encourage others in Sacramento to see how they can become more involved in the community.

TEDx Sacramento launches to sold-out crowd

2010-04-17T18:45:19Z

Who is Ted and why is he so popular? The nearly 200 people who attended Sacramento’s inaugural TEDx conference last night at Hinde Auditorium at Sac State discovered that “what is TED?” is the better question. TED is a nonprofit devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading.” It started out in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from three worlds--Technology, Entertainment, and Design--and now its scope has become ever broader. Since the launch of the TEDx program only six months ago, thousands of individuals have gathered to enjoy independently organized TEDx events. Last night, Sacramento made local history with its first TEDx conference.

TEDx Sacramento curator Brandon Weber, co-owner of The Urban Hive, is a long-time TED fanatic. Immediately upon learning about the new TEDx program, he applied for the Sacramento license from his cell phone! Last night’s event was organized by a creative team comprised of local entrepreneurs, artists, political activists, students, social media mavens, engineers and designers. The team also had support from Sacramento State, Capital Public Radio, SACE (Sacramento Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs), The Urban Hive and Whole Foods Market.

Five innovators presented on sustainability themed topics such as turning a toxic strip of land into an urban vegetable garden, greening the city of Sacramento and creating a solar roadway. Artist David Garibaldi shared how he turned his passion for painting into a greater purpose and local musicians--Sea of Bees, Ross Hammond and Autumn Sky--entertained with their unique sounds ranging from improvisational jazz to folk rock. All of the presenters except for Scott Brusaw, who hails from Idaho, were from the Sacramento region. TEDTalk videos featuring a variety of “ideas worth spreading” were sprinkled in-between the live presentations. 18 different ideas were shared in just under 2 ½ hours! All of the presentations were recorded and will be available for viewing at the TEDx YouTube channel soon. At the end of the event, attendees cheered upon hearing that the next TEDx Sacramento event is planned for November 2010.

List of Topics & Speakers*
An American Frontier David Mogavero, Mogavero Notestine Associates
The Great Green City Ron Vrilakas, Vrilakas Architects
Recycling Carbon Chris Schuring, Ternion Bio Industries
FARM (Future Action Reclamation Mob) Robyn Waxman, FARM
Solar Roadways Scott Brusaw, Solar Roadways Project
Paint with Passion + Purpose David Garibaldi, Garibaldi Arts

*does not include video presentations

You can stay up-to-date on TEDx Sacramento events by following them on twitter, fanning their Facebook page or joining their mailing list.

Laura Good on " “Web of Justice”--not the latest thriller at the Cineplex."

2010-04-16T21:26:07Z

I'm really looking forward to this session! Sharon Lovell aka @NoReinsGirl is using social media in such creative ways to study for law school! I'm sure students of other professions will learn from what she has to share.

Laura Good on "Eureka! It's not a bird or a plane"

2010-04-16T00:30:49Z

I saw this flying over McClellan on Tuesday evening. Hard to miss!

Laura Good on "Hometown baristas compete at nationals"

2010-04-16T00:16:44Z

Picture 2 made me drool! OMGoodness! I need to check out these coffee shops!

Laura Good on "Harv's tax day car washes benefit Weave"

2010-04-14T14:30:00Z

What a great idea and a super way to give back to the community!

Laura Good on "Metro Chamber Organizes Lobbying Trip to Washington, D.C."

2010-04-14T14:25:15Z

My boss, Meg Arnold, CEO of SARTA is part of Cap-to-Cap and is one of the leaders for the Clean/Green technology team. This is one of the great ways Sacramento stays on Washington's radar.

Laura Good on "West Sac to get biggest solar plant"

2010-04-13T15:45:33Z

The green & clean tech stories keep coming! Great coverage Suzanne! I'm curious as well as to how the power generated from the plant makes it to homes in West Sac. Does PG&E buy the power from the power plant?

Sacramento Statewide Leader in Green Job Growth

2010-04-12T20:57:28Z

Sacramento led the state in green job growth in 2008, with an increase in green jobs of 87% between 1995 and 2008, reports Many Shades of Green: Diversity and Distribution of California’s Green Jobs. This report was released by nonpartisan Next 10 and Collaborative Economics, and provides the most comprehensive green jobs accounting to date, systematically tracking the most recent available data on green companies, job type, location and growth across every sector and region of California.

There are other positive indicators in the Sacramento region that we are on our way to becoming the clean tech capital of the state. In its annual CleanStart Progress report, SARTA identified over $130 million in clean tech grants that were awarded in 2009 to organizations in the region. In 2010, we’ve already seen $905 thousand awarded to Sacramento State University for the development of a new training and workforce development program to enhance the region’s growing smart grid system.

SARTA’s CleanStart program identified 98 companies in the region engaged in the clean tech sector for 2009; twenty of these companies were new to the list. The clean-tech companies in the region include three publically traded companies: Solar Power Inc. (SOPW.OB), Octus Energy (OCTI.OB) and Pacific Ethanol (PEIX). Solar Power, Inc. one of the biggest clean tech success stories in the region, is making a splash with its 3.6 MW solar installation at Aerojet, soon to be upgraded to 6 MW. That installation will be the largest single industrial solar site in the country. The company recently announced a move to the growing clean tech park at McClellan, with an intention to add over 100 jobs there.

“Solar Power is joining a half dozen others in clean tech at McClellan Park,” said Gary Simon, Chairman of CleanStart. “All of them will be showcased at a networking mixer we are hosting at the Lions Gate Garden Pavilion at McClellan Park from 5 to 8 pm on Tuesday April 13, open to the public*. The entire growing clean tech cluster is one of the brightest spots in the local economy.”

Details for registering to attend Tuesday’s PowerSurge networking mixer as well as downloads of the CleanStart 2010 Progress report and the complete list of companies in Sacramento’s Clean Tech Cluster are available at www.cleanstart.org.

*PowerSurge is open the public but includes a general admission fee of $30; a reduced rate of $15 is available for SARTA members, full-time students and facutly members.

Laura Good on "Serving up faith"

2010-04-12T05:23:03Z

The article does not mention what faith this church is. Curious if it is Christian, Unitarian, New Age, or one of the many other religions practiced in the United States. As for the comments about churches being segregated, that has been my experience too (in the Christian church). Not so much that one race or another is not accepted, just that people of similar race often congregate at the same place of worship (especially true when I lived in Florida). The larger churches I've attended in highly populated metropolitan areas tended to be the most diverse, especially the non-denominational/inter-denominational Christian churches.

Laura Good on "Matsui pushes Sac as clean tech capital"

2010-04-12T05:06:07Z

Great coverage Suzanne! For those of you reading this article who'd like with connect with the clean tech and green tech players in the Sacramento region, SARTA is hosting a networking mixer, PowerSurge on Tuesday 4/13 at McClellan Park. Robert Weisenmiller, one of the newly appointed commissioners for the California Energy Commission is one of the speakers. There will also be a tour of the Renewable Energy Testing Center and several of the clean tech business who call McClellan Park home. More info at www.cleanstart.org

Laura Good on "Events planner rolls with times"

2010-04-11T03:23:25Z

For SARTA, our business events are what attract sponsorship from local businesses and organizations and also provide them a platform to connect with the community. There is always a business purpose--it's not just a party. Most of our events are planned by staff and volunteers with the exception being the annual Liquidity Event, which is a partner event with two other organizations. Our focus is on economic development via growth in high tech industry sector which is what makes our organization attractive to sponsorship from local businesses. Grant money is another key way to raise funds, but it isn't the only way and depending on the mission of the non-profit, not always the best way. Events also raise the awareness in the community about the programs SARTA offers to entrepreneurs and emerging tech businesses. If we just wrote grants all day behind closed doors, no one would ever have an opportunity to meet the people in the community who can help make their venture successful. For us, events help raise sponsorship and also promote our core mission by connecting people in the high tech community.

Laura Good on "Pinkberry Grand Opening Party in Sacramento- Howe ‘Bout Arden"

2010-04-11T03:09:10Z

I had the opportunity to meet the Pinkberry folks and taste their delicious yogurt at last month's Sacramento Social Media club event at The Urban Hive. So good I had to have seconds! You MUST try this frozen yogurt--it's like nothing you've ever tasted before!

Laura Good on " SARTA's Med Tech Showcase 2010 "

2010-04-09T15:47:18Z

Great pictures Tia! If readers are interested in more about the work SARTA does to advance the high tech industry sector in the region, follow my story line on Sacramento High Tech.

Laura Good on "Inc. Magazine’s 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year to Keynote Roseville 2010"

2010-04-09T04:58:03Z

Kevin Surace was the Keynote at SARTA's Tech Index Celebration Luncheon in February. He was an awesome and engaging speaker! Good choice Roseville! Love your choice of CEO's for the panel too. PRIDE Industries is a fantastic company to have in the region and Solar Power Inc. is kicking renewable energy buttocks!

Laura Good on "Events planner rolls with times"

2010-04-09T04:50:53Z

Sharon organized a SARTA partner event in January--The Liquidity Event, which celebrates local entrepreneur successes. She did at great job and everyone enjoyed who attended had a wonderful time.

Laura Good on "I Like Mine With Lettuce and Tomato. . . ."

2010-04-09T04:43:31Z

I worked in Menlo Park in the 80s and 90s. Often hung at the Goose after softball games and threw peanut shells on the ground but have to say Oasis burger was my fav! I haven't tried any of the spots mentioned in Sac (lived here 2 years). Which is extremely sad since my niece works at The Squeeze! One of my fav burger joints in the East Bay was Nations. They make a great burger and are open late (or at least used to be).

PowerSurge highlights clean tech enterprises at McClellan Park

2010-04-09T03:44:44Z

This Tuesday, clean tech players from around the region will gather to discuss the latest industry buzz at CleanStart’s PowerSurge networking mixer at McClellan Park. The event includes a tour of Technikon’s Renewable Energy Testing Center (RETC) as well as several other clean tech businesses located in McClellan Park. Featured speakers include Robert Weisenmiller, who was recently appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger as one of the five commissioners for the California Energy Commission (CEC) and Kristine Mazzei, partner at Valley Vision, a nonprofit association working to secure the social, environmental and economic health of the Sacramento Region.

"The Sacramento Region's clean technology industry sector is experiencing rapid growth. There are now nearly 100 clean tech companies in the region which is far more than the 29 that existed just four years ago," stated Meg Arnold, SARTA CEO. "SARTA's CleanStart program and our partners at Green Capital Alliance find great satisfaction in knowing that our public-private coalition of organizations, by collectively executing on our common set of goals, has helped to make this happen.”

CleanStart chose McClellan Park as the venue for PowerSurge because it is becoming a hotbed of clean tech and green focused companies. Tenant Advanced Data Centers is one of only six LEED Platinum Data centers in the country and was the first to qualify. Solar Power Inc., N Solar Inc. and EPOD Solar Inc. recently announced their intentions to build facilities at McClellan Park.

“McClellan Park has embraced green technology, recycling, and sustainable energy sources. In cooperation with Sacramento County, SHRA, SARTA and SMUD we make every effort to make McClellan as green and clean as possible,” said Larry Kelley, President of McClellan Park. “As a Superfund site we embarked on a program to turn a brown field into a sustainable attractive location that is a model for reuse--the ultimate in recycling and redevelopment. In addition to the cleaning of soil and remediation that has taken place and will take place over the coming years, with the support of the our Congressional Representatives, the US Air Force, the Environmental Protection Agency, Cal EPA, and the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment, we have been able to add new roadways, and infrastructure, remediate and reuse the property. In the process we have recycled concrete pads and buildings into road base, reducing material that would otherwise go to landfills. In the near future we are installing our first covered parking with solar panels. Our commitment to sustainability and green technology is paying off. We are truly the center for green technology in our region.”

McClellan Park clean tech and green focused tenants include Technikon, Renewable Energy Institute International (REII), Ternion Bio Industries, Pacific Renewable Fuels, Sierra Energy Corp., ZETA Communities, Fiberwood LLC, SunEdison, Visions Recycling Inc, Beutler Heating and Air Conditioning and Advanced Data Centers.

“The growing clean tech industry in Sacramento is getting some real traction with a total of 13,000 jobs associated with it,” said Gary Simon, Chairman of SARTA’s CleanStart Program. “McClellan has become a great place for companies to get economical space to grow and expand. There alone, we are expecting to see more than 200 jobs added in the near future.” CleanStart provides coaching and support to clean technology ventures in the region to help them succeed. CleanStart is also the organizer of the annual Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase at Sacramento State, which attracted over 700 attendees last year.

PowerSurge is expected to attract nearly 200 people engaged in the clean tech industry in the Sacramento region.

PowerSurge Event Details
Date: Tuesday April 13 from 5 to 8 pm
Location: McClellan Park, Lions Gate Garden Pavilion, 5640 Dudley Blvd., McClellan, CA 95652
Cost: General Admission: $30, SARTA Member $15, Full-Time Student/Faculty $15
For more information or to register visit www.cleanstart.org

About SARTA
SARTA (Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance) is a tech-focused 501(c)(3) corporation that supports entrepreneurial programs, companies and technology investment throughout Butte, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties.
SARTA’s mission is to accelerate the growth and development of technology companies and the technology sector in the Sacramento region. SARTA connects and provides resources for the region’s high-tech entrepreneurs, investors, business, non-profit, economic development and community leaders, supporting its goal to attract $1 billion in investment capital to the region. SARTA also provides high-tech entrepreneurs, executives, and other business and community leaders with connectivity and resources for growth, networking, and educational opportunities.

Laura Good on "Sac Region’s Growing Med Tech Industry Showcased"

2010-03-31T17:05:15Z

Fabulous event yesterday! Over 300 people registered. The keynote speakers were awesome! The panel discussions informative! The exhibits were intriguing.

Sac Region’s Growing Med Tech Industry Showcased

2010-03-28T01:15:56Z

There is more to Sacramento than clean tech and government—we have an impressive number of medical device companies in our region. SARTA, the Sacramento region's technology business accelerator, is hosting the first Sacramento Med Tech Showcase at Sacramento State on Tuesday to spotlight the medical technology industry --one of the few growing, high-value industries in the region. The event will feature companies that are positively contributing to the ongoing economic development and job growth in the Sacramento area.

With over 50 organizations exhibiting at the event, most of them involved in the research, development and/or manufacturer of medical technology, this is an unprecedented opportunity for the Sacramento business and technology community to learn what’s been developed in our own backyard. Local success stories Volcano Corporation and ThermoGenesis are among the exhibitors, as well as a number of lesser known companies with exciting products and great stories to tell.

In SARTA’s Growing Medical Device Manufacturing and R&D in the Greater Sacramento Region report, a 46-page brief released last week, over 70 companies in the region, engaged in medical device or medical information technology, were identified. This report is available for review and download at www.sarta.org.

Sacramento has long been home to medical technology innovation and on the forefront of medical technology. To recognize this achievement, SARTA’s MedStart Initiative created the Claire Pomeroy Awards for Innovation in Medical Technology . The 2010 award winners will be announced at the Showcase.

The Showcase begins with a conference from 1:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. and the exhibit hall will be open from 5:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Keynote speakers are David Logan, TED speaker and co-author of Tribal Leadership, and David Sheehan, President of IVUS and FM Business Units for Volcano Corporation. A venture capitalist panel will discuss trends in med tech investing and another panel will discuss new frontiers in healthcare via advances in telemedicine. Five start-up companies will compete in the Next Wave Med Tech Innovators Challenge.

Sacramento Med Tech Showcase Details:
Tuesday March 30 from 1:00 p.m. to 7:30 pm; Exhibit Hall open 5:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Reception with appetizers & cash bar in Exhibit Hall.
Sacramento State, University Union Ballroom
Cost: $80 General Admission, $40 SARTA Member, Faculty or Student
For more information, call 916-231-0770 or visit www.sarta.org.

Tapping into the $80 billion federal information technology marketplace

2010-03-18T02:15:47Z

Sacramento companies have significant opportunities to grow their revenues by landing federal contracts. There are over 27 different vertical markets in the United States Federal Government. For 2010 alone, the budget for information technology is over $80 billion. Although rumors abound about purchases of $1000 hammers and toilet seats, the U.S Federal Government is one of the smartest buyers of goods and services. If your company is engaged in commercial and/or state business, there is a way to leverage what your company already does now, here in California, into a federal contract.

SARTA, the Sacramento region's high tech business accelerator, knows that dealing with government contracts can be overwhelming. To help local businesses understand the federal marketplace and win business, SARTA is offering “Tools and Tactics for Navigating the Federal Information Technology Marketplace” on March 24th at Drexel University in Sacramento. If your company is engaged in the information technology marketplace and interested in securing government contracts, this seminar will teach you to successfully pursue federal government business.

James J. Baker, noted speaker, author, consultant and strategist on the public sector technology marketplace, is the instructor for this seminar. He will address many of the topics covered in his book, "How to Win Business from the Government-A Tactical Guide to Understanding the US Federal Government Information Technology Marketplace." Participants will learn tactics from inside the Washington, DC Beltway including:

Where to look for funding
Building your sales pipeline and presenting
Marketing, Social Media and true return on investment
Capture and proposal

Seminar Details
Wednesday, March 24th from 8:30 am to 11:30 pm at Drexel University, One Capitol Mall, Suite 260, Sacramento, CA 95814.
General Admission $50, SARTA Member $25 (includes 4 hours of parking at One Capitol Mall Valet garage & a continental breakfast)
For more information or to register, visit www.sarta.org

About the Author
Laura Good is program and operations director at SARTA.

Laura Good on "Capital Public Radio wants competitor's jazz fans"

2010-03-10T03:33:39Z

Another great reason to financially support Capital Public Radio who continues to play great jazz commercial free!

Laura Good on "Sacramento Hispanic Chamber 38th Annual Business Awards & Recognition Gala"

2010-03-10T03:31:11Z

Looks like a very festive event! And beautifully captured in your photos Tia!

Laura Good on "Arranged Marriage at Sacramento Theatre Company"

2010-03-10T03:28:37Z

I heard a piece this morning on Insight on Capital Public Radio about this production. Do you have the future performance details? Date, time, place?

Sacramento Companies Navigate the Grant Maze

2010-03-10T02:58:13Z

While winning grant monies in the private industry sector sometimes seems impossible, a number of technology companies in the Sacramento region have recently won government grants to help fund research and underwrite programs. For example, in September, Renewable Energy Institute International received a $20 million economic stimulus grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a pilot biorefinery to turn crop and wood waste into diesel fuel. In October, Insera Therapeutics was awarded a $150,000 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that they will use to develop the industry's first clot-specific catheter-based platform for treatment of ischemic strokes. And just last month, Arcadia Biosiences received a two-year $855,500 federal stimulus grant to help fund the development of wheat varieties with reduced celiac disease-causing proteins.

The grant writing process is time consuming and excruciatingly detailed. Most entrepreneurs find it difficult to even know where to start. Identifying grant opportunities for private industry can be elusive, in spite of the helpful information found at grants.gov.

SARTA, the Sacramento region's high tech business accelerator, understands the frustrations private industry encounters when they try to unravel the government grant maze. To help navigate grant opportunities, SARTA is hosting a grant writing seminar on March 17 at Drexel University. "Grant Writing Basics for Private Industry" will include instruction on how to get started from experienced grant writers Trudy Kilian and Dan Arementa of DJT Consulting Group, as well as a panel discussion featuring local technology companies who have secured grant monies. Vikram Janardhan, CEO of Insera Therapuetics, will represent medical technology; Jeff Jennings, Grant Development Practice Manager at Western Blue, an NWN Company, will represent government technology; and Greg Tamblyn, Executive Director at Renewable Energy Institute International will represent clean technology.

Seminar Details
Wednesday, March 17th from 8:30 am to 11:30 pm at Drexel University, One Capitol Mall, Suite 260, Sacramento, CA 95814.
General Admission $50, SARTA Member $25 (includes 4 hours of parking at One Capitol Mall Valet garage & a continental breakfast)
For more information or to register, visit www.sarta.org

SARTA’s mission is to accelerate the growth and development of technology companies and the technology sector in the Sacramento region. SARTA connects and provides resources for the region’s high-tech entrepreneurs, investors, business, non-profit, economic development and community leaders, supporting its goal to attract $1 billion in investment capital to the region. SARTA also provides high-tech entrepreneurs, executives, and other business and community leaders with connectivity and resources for growth, networking, and educational opportunities.

Laura Good on "City and Arden Fair Mall prepare for holiday traffic"

2009-11-26T05:44:47Z

I've never been a Black Friday shopper (except via online shopping) but if I was out at Arden Mall on Friday, I'd be thankful for these measures! Shoppers (and drivers), remember to play nice :)

Laura Good on "Midtown Church Feeds the Community"

2009-11-26T05:41:10Z

What an awesome ministry! I am seeing Jesus shine through in this outreach. Caring for people is walking the walk. Way to go First United Methodist!

Niche TweetUps—There’s One For Every Interest

2009-11-24T06:58:41Z

Have you been to a TweetUp? They come in every size and shape and there is nearly one for every interest! A TweetUp is a social event that is promoted and organized on Twitter.

“It's basically a place to meet and network with people in the Sacramento area who use Twitter,” said Alejandro Reyes, co-organizer of #SacTweetUp, a monthly networking mixer that regularly attracts over 100 attendees. “We wanted to create an atmosphere where people using Twitter could connect on a much deeper level, build new relationships, and have a lot of fun.”

#SacTweetUps usually occur in the evening at a downtown or midtown hot spot; but what if big crowds or night life venues aren’t your thing? For those who prefer smaller groups or a different venue or focus, the Sacramento region has much to offer.

“Niche TweetUps, like the #ZooTweetUp we had in October and our upcoming #HikeTweetUp, are a great way to bring folks with similar interests together in a fun setting,” commented Jim Hoglund, co-organizer of the upcoming #HikeTweetUp. “I've always found that meeting an online friend in person has made for a richer connection online and often times a friendship beyond that of the digital realm.”

Outdoor TweetUps: Next Saturday, November 28, the first #HikeTweetUp is happening at Hidden Falls Regional Park in Auburn. This TweetUp features a leisurely 3 mile round trip hike to Hidden Falls followed by a late lunch at Awful Annies. The group is meeting in the parking lot at Hidden Falls at 11:00 a.m. For more details or to register to attend, check out the event on Facebook.

Holiday TweetUps: On Thursday, December 17, Sacramento “tweeps” will gather for the first annual #HoliTweetUp at The Park Ultra Lounge in downtown from 6 pm to 9 pm. This festive TweetUp is co-hosted by SacTweetUp and the Social Media Club Sacramento. Attendees will eat drink and be merry and all will be entered into a raffle for prizes supplied by the hosting organizations and their sponsors. Register to attend this free event at holitweetup.eventbrite.com.

Family Friendly TweetUps: In October, The Sacramento Zoo hosted its second #ZooTweetUp (the first was in June). Attracting about 25 participants, this event featured half-price admission to the Zoo. The event kicked off with complementary refreshments and Zoo Crafts for the kids at a private party in the Discovery Room. Attendees enjoyed a free ride on the Conservation Carousel, an Animal Encounter in the Amphitheater, and animal enrichment talks with the Ring-tailed Lemurs, Ground Hornbills and the Spotted Hyena. As a special treat, attendees were invited to check out the new Giraffe Observation Deck, which is scheduled to open on President's Day weekend next year as part of the newly renovated exhibit.

"#ZooTweetUps are a fun and casual way to meet animal lovers and Zoo supporters, explained Jamie Wilson, Web Development Coordinator and official Tweeter for the Sacramento Zoo. “We talked about social media & Twitter app--I always learn something new! The Zoo Tweetup brought out lots of families, but even more adults without kids. Even though we are a family-friendly venue, the TweetUp reminded people the Zoo really is fun for all ages."

Generation Specific TweetUps: On November 12, the first ever #GeezerTweetUp happened at Scarlet’s Saloon in Folsom. The term “Geezer” was used tongue in cheek—this event was for anyone born before 1970. The group considers itself “tech geezers” because most of them graduated from High School before personal computers were invented. About 30 people who remember the 70s because they lived through them—not because they saw “That 70s Show” --gathered to enjoy a drink and to meet interesting people with shared life experiences.

“The #GeezerTweetUp is a great example for the social part of social media--groups of people who connect on-line are able to meet in person and develop stronger relationships,” commented Jim Pelley, Creative Director at Laughter Works Seminars and co-organizer. “It's also good for local business; Scarlet's offered to host the event, and in the process found some new customers.”

all Photos of #VinoTweetUp by John Onate

Wine Tweet Ups: In July, three wineries came together at the L Wine Lounge in midtown to host a #VinoTweetUp. For a nominal charge, attendees enjoyed appetizers and were able to sample wines from James David Cellars, MAS Wine Company, and Radee Wine.

“Not only have I developed relationships and exposure from participating in TweetUps, but have really had a great time at each and everyone,” said David Cole, Proprietor at James David Cellars. “At the #VinoTweetUp I meet Sarah Campbell of Twinsoup.com and have now worked with her and her sister Rachel on their Stiletto Crawl events around Sacramento and Roseville, each of which sold out and were a ton of fun to do!”

Arts & Entertainment Patron TweetUps: In May, The Sacramento Press, in conjunction with Social Media Club Sacramento and Capsity Offices, hosted a TweetUp that featured belly dancing from Red Tent Belly Dance, performance art from Phoenix Gallery, wine tasting from MAS Wine and James David Cellars, break dancing from Capitol Roots Dance Studio, chalk drawing from Chalk it Up! artists, a presentation from the Sacramento Opera, and music from DJ Reason.

“We wanted to host a TweetUp to meet our Twitter followers. It became an ‘Arts TweetUp’ when we noticed how many people in our Twittersphere are artistically amazing! A definite highlight was when the Capitol Roots dancers managed to get our Managing Editor, David Watts Barton, to join them and show off his dance moves,” reports Mona Romero, Social Media Lead at the Sacramento Press

Other TweetUps: In addition to the monthly #SacTweetUp, other organizations have also hosted more generally focused networking mixer TweetUps. In February, the first ever Sacramento TweetUp was organized by Ricardo Robles of Capsity Offices and Andy Arnott of AdCause and hosted by Pangaea Café. About 30 people, including me, attended this inaugural event which set the stage for future Sacramento TweetUps. “It is an event that businesses can participate in as well as regular people to network and meet in person,” said Robles. In August, The Urban Hive in partnership with Sacramento365, hosted an #Only2DegreesTweetUp which featured wine tasting by James David Cellars and a presentation on social media by @Only2Degrees. While most of these TweetUps have happened in Sacramento, in March #SacTweetUp hosted an event at The Boxing Donkey in Roseville.

Have you organized or participated in a TweetUp in the Sacramento region that is not listed above? Let us know about it in the article conversation section below. Not finding a TweetUp that fits your niche? Organize one! All you need is a Twitter account to spread the word. It’s a great way to make new friends with shared interest.

Twitter tip: The # designation--called a hashtag-- is a Twiitter practice that helps people to categorize tweets about certain topics. For example #sactweeup, #holitweetup and #hiketweetup are tags the organizers and attendees use in their tweets about the event.

Laura Good on "Lucky the Fire Dog Not stolen at All!"

2009-11-23T18:06:00Z

So glad to hear that Lucky is not missing!

Laura Good on "Finding homes and hope at the Sacramento SPCA"

2009-11-22T17:02:34Z

It breaks my heart that there are so many homeless animals. Thank you for posting this article--I hope it helps find homes for some of these sweeties!

Laura Good on "A Night with Michael McDonald"

2009-11-21T21:16:26Z

Good story Steve! Makes me wish I was there!

Laura Good on "National Adoption Day is November 21"

2009-11-20T05:06:00Z

What a wonderful cause! I hope this event brings more awareness to the community about the needs of children in foster care.

Laura Good on "Hundreds queue for free Swine Flu vaccine"

2009-11-20T05:00:43Z

I think I saw that same episode :)