Newest articles 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.

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

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

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.

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/

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Social Media for the Social Good—Non-profits Explore New Methods of Outreach

2009-11-20T04:17:59Z

Three local non-profit organizations were featured in a Sacramento Social Media Club panel on Tuesday evening hosted by the Sacramento State College of Continuing Education. The panel included Celia Cortez, Projects and Event Manager for the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Jordan Blair, Board Member for River City Food Bank; and Jon Benorden, Program Coordinator for the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Service (CARES). Lesley Miller, Media Director for 3Fold Communication, also sat on the panel. Moderator Josh Morgan, principal at Morgan/Dorado and program director for the Sacramento Social Media Club, focused the discussion on how non-profits are using social media to educate, engage, and build lasting relationships with their communities.

Facebook was the unanimous point of entry into social media for all three organizations. Cortez said the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber selected Facebook because it was the most popular platform among their member organizations; Blair choose Facebook for River City Food Bank because it is the platform upon which he spends the most time. “Facebook provides an easy way for people to connect with causes and non-profits thanks to its one-click ‘become a fan’ feature, “commented Morgan. River City Food Bank, where many of their long-term contributors are past retirement age, is finding that Facebook helps them to engage with the next generation of donors. However some of their loyal supporters are stepping out into social media as well; an 85 year old volunteer joined Facebook just so he could “friend” the River city Food Bank. Benorden said that their “old school” supporters are beginning to mesh with the new people they’ve engaged through their group & page on Facebook but that CARES still has a long way to go.

Both the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and CARES are also using Twitter to promote their organizations and causes. Miller said 3Fold encourages their clients to cross post on multiple social media platforms to increase the traffic among all the sites. For example, use Twitter to remind people the organization is on Facebook or create an event on Yelp and ask people to write a review. I frequently use Twitter to drive traffic to SARTA.org’s website or LinkedIn group where more detailed membership and event information is available.

CARES created both a group page and a fan page for its campaign “Are You the Difference” which strives to eliminate new cases of HIV in the Sacramento region by 2015. Benorden plans to expand the campaign to include other platforms like Flickr and YouTube. On YouTube, CARES wants to personalize and promote their campaign by featuring user generated videos about how individuals can be or are the difference in eliminating new cases of HIV.

The biggest challenge for all of the organizations is finding the time to manage and maintain their social media accounts. Cortez shared that she uses cross posting tools to lessen the amount of time she spends managing each platform the Hispanic Chamber employs. Tweetdeck, Hootsuite and Seesmic were mentioned as free services for managing multiple accounts and platforms and Radian6 was recommended as a new professional service for this purpose. Benorden prefers to uniquely post to Facebook and Twitter to keep variety in the CARES messages, but he sticks to a common theme. Blair, who in addition to his responsibilities as a board member of the River City Food Bank works a full time job, schedules time on his weekly calendar to tend to his social media chores. When asked if a volunteer could handle the job, the general consensus among the panelists was that most volunteers and interns do not have enough depth or experience with the organization or its causes to determine social media platform content or to respond to questions and remarks received by followers and friends on the sites. For CARES, sensitivity to and experience with HIV/AIDS is a must for anyone representing the organization on its social media platforms.

The panel wrapped up with a discussion on event promotion using Facebook ads and other tools. All of the organizations are considering using Facebook ads and River City Food Bank has budgeted money for this purpose next year. Benorden pointed out that even if no one clicks through an “Are You the Difference” ad, if enough information is included about the campaign, there is value in people seeing the ad multiple times. Miller said 3Fold advises their clients to put nearly as much energy into post event promotion as they do pre event. Blair followed this advice after a recent River City Food Bank fundraiser, uploading event photos long into the night. The post event promotion is a valuable investment in the success of future events and helps those who attend feel more part of the organization—especially if they are featured in a photo!

After the panel ended, participants informally exchanged ideas on how they are using social media and also had a chance to meet the panelists and ask more questions. The event was live tweeted by volunteer Ira Cohen on behalf of @SMCSac using the hashtag #smcsac. The venue provided by Sacramento State College of Continuing Education is well equipped for meetings and seminars and the Senior Program Coordinator, Toni Ramirez shared that the college is considering offering courses on social media in the future.

Social Media Club, an international non-profit organization, brings together journalists, publishers, communications professionals, artists, amateur media creators, citizen journalists, teachers, students, tool makers, and other interested collaborators. The Sacramento chapter was founded in March of 2009 by local users of social media. Free events are normally held on the third Tuesday of each month, but in December, the group is planning a Holiday Party or “holitweetup” in partnership with SacTweetUp on December 10 at Hot Italian in midtown. In January, the normal schedule of monthly panels will resume. For information about the Sacramento Social Media Club and its events, join their groups on Facebook and LinkedIn and follow them on Twitter.

Photgraphs by Marie Young Photography. For more photos of this event visit her Facebook Page

Sacramento Social Media Club Leadership Team:

Julie Berge, Angela D'Arcy, Laura Good, Suzanne Hopkins, Ronnie Ledesma, Jeff Marmins, Josh Morgan

Finding God on Facebook

2009-11-16T19:42:28Z

Some say God is everywhere but last month, we discovered that social media is everywhere too—even in our churches! On October 20, 2009, the Sacramento Social Media Club held a panel discussion on the use of social media by local churches. The event, “Pray for Social Media”, was hosted by The Sacramento Press, and was moderated by Jeff Marmins of Social Media Path and partnership director for the Sacramento Social Media Club. Panelists included Josh Trevino from the Parish Council of St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church in Roseville; Robert Mees, Director of Evangelism at Sierra Baptist Church in Pioneer in Amador County and CJ Alvarado, Director of Communications and Technology at Bayside Church in Granite Bay.

I was posting live tweets during the event, and was joined by several other tweeting guests in reaching over 50,000 followers on Twitter (Sacramento Social Media club uses the hashtag #smcsac to live tweet all of our events).

In what could have been subtitled “Finding God on Facebook,” panelists agreed that the most active use of social media in their churches is individual members connecting with each other on Facebook which allows them to share more about lives than they could from the pew. Members, they said, are using Facebook to build a stronger internal community.

While none of the churches represented reported having an official social media strategy yet, Bayside Church developed and implemented a campaign to introduce their staff of about 75 people to Web 2.0. Alvarado, their communications and technology director, is charged with the church’s presence online, which primarily centers on their website and “listening” to online dialogue to “improve the church experience.” Mees, from Sierra Baptist Church, said that “internal relationships are growing organically on Facebook”, and Trevino said that at St. Anna, "the church blog is the most effective social media tool being used."

Where the speakers differed most was on the issue of how to use social media for outreach and evangelism. Both Alvarado and Trevino said that face-to-face dialogue is essential. “The single best way to evangelize is through the example of a life lived,” said Trevino. Alvarado commented that there is not a big difference in how he approaches evangelism in person versus online--“It’s always permission based.” Mees articulated a vision for using social media to be present in more lives. “In a world where church members either have no significant relationships outside the church, or segregate their Christian and non-Christian friends,” he said, “all of their friends, churched and unchurched, wind up as their friends on Facebook, followers on Twitter, and contacts on LinkedIn.” All three panelists agreed that spiritual dialogue was important, but Mees was a strong proponent of using of social media to initiate that discussion. Mees said "social media is an effective tool in building relationships that enable spiritual discussions to take place both online and off."

Following the moderated panel discussion, the audience was invited to ask questions. Several wondered if any of the congregations have people tweeting in church. Alvarado answered that Bayside has experimented with tweeting and texting during conferences but not during church service. A question about how the churches monitor their congregation’s online activity led to a discussion about how church youth have embraced Web 2.0. Mees shared that the teens in his church bring their computers and use Google to check facts during youth bible study. The teens are also using Facebook groups to communicate events and to “go deeper” using the discussion features.

After the official program ended, many of the attendees stayed to engage the panelists in additional questions and discussions. There was a tremendous amount of passion around the topic of using social media to share the message of the churches. At my small church, Grace Fellowship Church of San Andreas, we recently created a Facebook Page. We are hoping this outreach tool helps us to better connect with our community. How is your church using social media?

Social Media Club brings together journalists, publishers, communications professionals, artists, amateur media creators, citizen journalists, teachers, students, tool makers, and other interested collaborators. The Sacramento chapter was founded in March of 2009 by local users of social media. Free events are held on the third Tuesday of each month. "Social Media for the Social Good" is the topic of the November 17 event hosted by Sacramento State College of Continuing Education from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Local non profits River City Food Bank, CARES and the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will share how they are using social media to educate, engage, and build lasting relationships with their communities. For information about the Sacramento Social Media Club, join their groups on Facebook and LinkedIn and follow them on Twitter.

About the author: Laura Good is a member of the all volunteer leadership team for Sacramento Social Media Club. Follow her on Twitter at @goodlaura. She is also director of programs and operations for SARTA.

Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase Announces Keynote Speaker Daniel Sperling

2009-10-03T01:39:34Z

The Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase keynote speaker Daniel Sperling is an internationally-renowned expert on transportation, energy and sustainability issues. In December he co-authored the book Two Billion Cars which projects that within 20 years the number of motor vehicles on the planet will double from its current total of one billion due primarily to growth in India and China.

Sperling is a Professor of Engineering and Environmental Science & Policy at the University of California, Davis, and Founding Director of the university's Institute of Transportation Studies. He also serves on the California Air Resources Board, chairs the Future of Mobility Council of the Davos World Economic Forum, and has authored 10 books and over 200 technical papers and reports on transportation and energy.

Recently, The Clean Tech staff sat down with Dan Sperling to discuss the future of green technologies in the Sacamento region and the upcoming Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase.

CleanTech: How important will green technologies be to the economic growth of the Sacramento region?

Dan Sperling: Green technologies could provide a large economic boost to the Sacramento area. UC Davis and Sacramento State provide the knowledge base and, very importantly, the scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs needed to build green technology companies. Angel and venture capital investors are key to launching entrepreneurial start-ups, while larger biotech and IT companies have the resources to expand their Sacramento initiatives.

CleanTech: Can you give us a preview of your keynote address?

Dan Sperling: We need to transform our vehicles, fuels, and mobility systems if we are to significantly reduce oil use and greenhouse gases. It is less a question of cost than vision, leadership, and will. Most vehicles of the future will be powered by electricity, hydrogen and biofuels. Such a future transportation system would be very efficient and could be very low carbon.

The two places with the most troublesome emissions problems - California and China - are taking the lead in developing effective strategies that can help wean us from our reliance on conventional, petroleum-fueled cars.

California's embrace of eco-friendly policies, supported by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and China's willingness to confront the twin environmental and energy crises wrought by exponential growth in cars, suggest that if they can develop ingenious and effective solutions, there really is reason for hope.

The Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase features some of the nation's key thought leaders on green and clean technology. It is the ideal venue to network with experts, explore new technologies, navigate regulations and examine workforce concerns.

The Clean Tech Showcase will be held Friday, October 16 at Sacramento State University. For more information or to register, visit www.cleanstart.org.

The Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase is produced by CleanStart, an initiative of SARTA (Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance) designed to accelerate the development of clean technology ventures within the Greater Sacramento Region. SARTA is a non-profit organization founded to foster entrepreneurial growth and attract investment capital to the greater Sacramento region.

Join the Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase Facebook Page

Sacramento Social Media Club Hosts Crime Fighters for Online Safety Forum

2009-08-20T07:00:23Z

Police converged on a ballroom in a downtown hotel Tuesday night, but there wasn’t a crime in progress. “Social Crime” was the topic of Tuesday evening’s Sacramento Social Media Club event hosted by The Citizen Hotel in Downtown Sacramento. Representatives from local law enforcement shared how their organizations are using social media tools to prevent crime, improve community outreach, and even take down predators.

Josh Morgan of Morgan/Dorado Public Relations and programming director for the Sacramento Social Media Club presented a “101” on Facebook Privacy. He explained how Friends Lists on Facebook can be used to limit information connections can see on your profile. Josh, for example, uses a list called “Not People” for businesses he “friends” and excludes that list from seeing family photos and other personal information. More information about Facebook Privacy settings is available at Facebook’s Help Center and Josh's presentation is available on SlideShare.

Detective James Carden of the Fairfield Police Department introduced the “#1 Friend“ program which recommends that children, tweens and teens “friend” the Fairfield Police Department on MySpace and set them as their #1 Friend. Adding the Fairfield Police Department as #1 Friend lets visitors to the child's page know that parents are involved and monitoring their child's online activity and that this family has a direct link to the police department and will report any inappropriate or unwanted contact. Read more about the #1 Friend program on the Cops 2.0 blog site. Detective Carden also shared a “true crime” story about luring a predator to a fake MySpace account which resulted in an arrest.

Mike Belcher, Director of the University of the Pacific’s Public Safety Department, explained how his department uses social media tools, including Facebook and Twitter, to improve student safety and to enhance community outreach. Pacific is only one of two private universities in California with sworn police officers. Social networking and communication sites like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are used to monitor student events, share information on crime prevention, and stop inaccurate rumors on campus by providing timely accurate information. Recently, the department began using Nixle, a free service that allows subscribers to receive trusted, up-to-the-minute neighborhood information from local police departments, city and municipal governments, and their local agencies through SMS, web, and email distribution.

Social Media Club brings together journalists, publishers, communications professionals, artists, amateur media creators, citizen journalists, teachers, students, tool makers, and other interested collaborators. The Sacramento chapter was founded in March of 2009 by local users of social media. Events are held on the Third Tuesday of each month. Social Media in the Classroom is the topic for the September 15 event hosted by The Urban Hive in Midtown Sacramento from 6:30-8:30 p.m.. The keynote speaker is Steve Hargadon, Elluminate's Social Learning Consultant, the director of the K12 Open Technologies Initiative at the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), and the founder of the Classroom 2.0 social network. For information about the Sacramento Social Media Club, join their groups on Facebook or LinkedIn and follow them on Twitter.

About the author: Laura Good is a member of the all volunteer leadership team for Sacramento Social Media Club. Follow her on Twitter at @goodlaura.