Press Room

TNI UNVEILS PLANS FOR SECOND HALF OF 2004
AUSTIN, TEXAS – June 8, 2004 – In an effort to promote the growth of nanotechnology commercialization in Texas, including creating closer ties with large corporations and government officials, Kelly Kordzik, President of the Texas Nanotechnology Initiative (TNI), unveiled today the organization's plans and activities scheduled for the second half of 2004. Designed to allow TNI members to become more focused and active in the Texas nanotechnology sector, the activities are strategic in nature and focus on enabling the commercialization of nanotechnology throughout Texas. "When I was elected President of TNI in February, one of my many missions was to ramp up the level of TNI activity," said Kordzik. "For the past several months we have been working hard behind the scenes doing just that, and I am pleased to announce today several of the initiatives that we will continue to execute." To get things underway, Kordzik spearheaded the effort in redesigning the official TNI Web site (www.texasnano.org), which recently went live. The goal of the newly designed TNI Web site is for it to be positioned as the 'go to' education and information hub for Texas's emerging nanotechnology sector. Through a series of menu options, visitors will be able to access the latest in nanotechnology industry news and reports, regular updates about TNI and Texas's nanotechnology marketplace, a calendar of industry events, and information about Texas nanotechnology companies. "As the old saying goes 'knowledge is power' and providing Texas's nanotechnology community a vehicle to effectively communicate with one another and share valuable knowledge will be a powerful tool for accelerating the process of commercialization," said Kordzik. "By redesigning the TNI Web site we now have an effective, central location where academics, entrepreneurs, researchers, and venture capitalists can obtain valuable information about nanotechnology news and developments in Texas." In addition to the redesign of the TNI Web site, Kordzik also announced today the appointment of TNI's first Executive Director, Joseph H. McCall (Joe). As the new Executive Director, McCall will be responsible for steering activity and ensuring that TNI retains its position as the central body for promoting the growth of the nanotechnology industry in Texas. A 22-year veteran in the securities industry, McCall is well respected for his leadership in the formation of Austin's two oldest and most well-known technology networking organizations – the Austin Software Council (now Austin Technology Council or ATC) and the Technology Advisors Group (TAG). He served as a founding committee member for ATC and served simultaneously as program chair for more than three years. "I am honored to be involved with such an exciting organization that is bringing together all facets of technology and business to enhance the presence of nanotechnology in Texas," said McCall. "It is no secret that nanotechnology has become a global competition, and Texas is well positioned to be a leader in the application of nanotech in creating and improving a vast array of products. Furthermore, it is the economic and job growth engine of the 21st century." Finally, on June 16, 2004, in Austin, TNI will kick off its regularly scheduled monthly meetings, which will be hosted on a rotational basis between Austin, Dallas, Houston and other Texas cities. The meetings will be open to all interested parties, and will consist of a networking session and a series of educational keynote speakers. The mission of the monthly meetings is to let members of the business, government and academic communities to interact in an effort to facilitate the process of technology transfer and business formation. Details of the monthly meetings can be found on www.texasnano.org. "TNI is an important component to the growth of nanotechnology in the State of Texas. The State possesses the right assets and resources required to enable nanotechnology to become a viable and successful industry. What is needed is an organization dedicated to leading the charge. I believe TNI is just such an organization," concluded Kordzik. The Texas Nanotechnology Initiative is dedicated to establishing Texas as a world leader in the discovery, development and commercialization of nanotechnology. It is an organized consortium of Texas-based universities, industry leaders, investors, and government officials in order to allow communication, collaboration, and the sharing of resources to accelerate the realization of our goal.