(WisBusiness) FRI News Summary — 19 Sept. 2008

From WisBusiness.com …

— There’s no such thing as too much security or toughness when it comes to data centers.

That’s the thinking of the TEAM Companies, an Iowa-based firm that recently opened a new Tier 3 facility in the Fitchburg Technology Campus. CDW Berbee is the anchor tenant for the center.

The “Tier 3” classification means the facility has 14- to 24-inch concrete and steel reinforced walls that can withstand an F4 tornado with 200-plus mph winds and a fire detection system that can identify minute smoke molecules. It also has multiple levels of redundancy that TEAM officials believe will all but eliminate the likelihood of a catastrophic failure.

As for security, it has features such as retinal scanners for personal identification. When built out, the $50 million project will cover 50,000 square feet and have more than 20 high-tech employees. It will run around the clock, 365 days a year.

“It’s a state-of-the-art facility in terms of efficiency, cooling, power and security in the Midwest and nationally,” said Mark Kittrell, a TEAM Companies co-founder.

Read a new WisBusiness interview with Kittrell:

http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=136396

— The 2008 World Stem Cell Summit kicks off Sunday in Madison with “Lab on the Lake,” a series of free events at UW-Madison’s Pyle Center. The day includes a career & education fair, a hands-on stem cell lab experience and several lectures and documentaries from stem cell experts.

See the “Lab on the Lake” agenda: http://www.worldstemcellsummit.com/pdf/lab_on_the_lake_info.pdf

The bulk of the summit is set for Monday and Tuesday.

See the summit Web site for details:

http://www.worldstemcellsummit.com

— Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development announced that Wisconsin’s unemployment rate for August was 4.7 percent, down 0.1 percentage point from July. The rate was unchanged from the rate in August of 2007. The national rate for August was 6.1, up 0.1 percentage points from July, and up 1.5 percentage points from August 2007.

See the DWD release:

http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/newsreleases/2008/unemployment/0808_state_lmi.pdf

— Monsanto Co. has made a $1 million gift to support plant breeding and genetics in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison.

The Monsanto Graduate Fellowship in Plant Breeding will help fund Ph.D.-level graduate students in the plant breeding and plant genetics program.

See details:

http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=136503

— The state announced eight awards Thursday totaling $16.415 million that will be used to construct freight rail-related facilities, and preserve and upgrade rail infrastructure as part of overall efforts to support job growth and Wisconsin’s agricultural economy.

Gov. Jim Doyle made the announcement at Specialty Ingredients in Watertown, where he presented the company with a $737,700 award to build a rail track and facility to more efficiently transport ethanol and other products.

See details:

http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=136475

— Also Thursday Doyle and four other Midwest governors announced the creation of a regional transmission planning effort that will promote regional electric transmission investment and cost sharing. The Upper Midwest Transmission Development Initiative will identify wind generation resources, transmission projects and infrastructure needed to support those resources in a cost-effective manner.

Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota will join Wisconsin to coordinate efforts among state regulatory agencies, transmission companies, utilities, independent generation owners and other key stakeholders in the initiative.

See details:

http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=136480

**********************************

WISPOLITICS.COM/WISBUSINESS.COM: “DIAGNOSING A POLICY FIX TO U.S. HEALTH CARE”

WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com is convening a half-day conference Friday, Sept. 19 at the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall in Madison to bring together national, state and Canadian experts to discuss how health care providers, insurance companies and policy makers are addressing proposed health care changes this election year.

See more: http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=135065

****************************************
THANKS TO OUR WISBUSINESS SPONSORS

• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Madison Gas & Electric
• University Research Park
• Wisconsin Technology Council

****************************************