Prospectus
A Publication of the Pitt County Development Commission  

The Ideations staff in their temporary quarters at the TEC facility. From left to right: Adrian Blanarovich, Matt Carbone, Matt Topper, Sam Baker, Tim Murphy, and Keri Klockowski.

TheyÕve been dubbed the "Cyber Kids," by one of their older colleagues. TheyÕre under thirty, hold advanced degrees, and are humanitarians. TheyÕre smart. Really smart. Incredibly hardworking and innovative. Enthusiastic. Cool. And they are developing applications for cutting edge technologies that can change the world.

Keri Klockowski and Matt Carbone, and their associates could locate their company, Ideations, in any city in the countryÉany city in the world. Their work in communications architecture and industrial design is more advanced than that of major corporations. But Ms. Klockowski, Mr. Carbone, and Ideations, along with sister corporations MindTel and The Center for Really Neat Research, chose the Greenville, NC MSA as the location for their work. They and their co-workers, Tim Murphy, Rahul Panesar, Matt Topper, Sam Baker, and Adrian Blanarovich bring an exciting new dimension to the community.

"Explaining what we do is difficult," says Mr. Carbone. "We wanted to work toward ŌmoreÕ (when they were developing technologies to help the disabled), but we were not sure of what ŌmoreÕ was." Then they partnered with the Telemedicine Department at ECU in the Brody School of Medicine. Telemedicine can employ the methods and devices MindTel develops, and Ideations can respond to their needs for remote, wireless applications. For a variety of reasons, the company concluded that Syracuse, where they were then located, was not the place for the next phase of growth and development.

"All of us who are here made conscious decisions to be here," says Mr. Carbone. "We had many job options in many places, so weÕre here as a matter of choice." Ms. Klockowski echoes his sentiments.

"IÕve lived in London, D.C., and Syracuse," she says. "It takes a lot of time just to exist in those places. Here there is time to live. ItÕs laid back but intellectual." On a professional level, both Ms. Klockowski and Mr. Carbone found Syracuse reluctant to take economic risks and feel that the Greenville, NC MSA has a different economic attitude. Syracuse, they explain, simply had an older mindset.

"This community is young, thriving and growing without being daunting, says Ms. Klockowski. "Everyone is friendly and helpful. The networks are positive, and we were able to plug into them and get more done faster. We could become part of the network in far less time, and thereÕs coalition building, partnerships. ItÕs great to have so many people and groups willing, anxious, to work together."

"We were looking for a not structured, not corporate America environment," adds Mr. Carbone. "WeÕre out of the box, creative. We are not Ōsuits,Õ and normal business structures are not our style." And Ideations management found larger metropolitan areas, even D.C., RTP, and Charlotte, more corporate than the environment they were seeking. They wanted and needed everything to be out of the box.

IdeationÕs research and development and its applications are the epitome of out of the box. Telemedicine is radical, cutting edge technology, and Greenville is its true home, they say. The Brody School of Medicine, partnering with University Health Systems of Eastern North Carolina, leads the world in this field. Dave Balch, who often collaborates with MindTelÕs Dr. Dave Warner, guides the program and pushes it toward ever greater innovation. Two members of the Ideations team came directly out of East Carolina University; others came here to train and are now here full time to live and work. And what kind of person works at Ideations, MindTel, and the Center for Really Neat Research?

"We look for people who have a sincere interest in a project rather than specific skill," says Mr. Carbone. "We can teach skills. People have to be excited by the work and committed to it. ItÕs not nine to fiveÉ sometimes the hours are long, but you make your own schedule. If a schedule isnÕt working for you, you change it. And it has to be fun." Mr. CarboneÕs background is industrial design, while Ms. Klockowski studied political science and public administration.

"WeÕre in love with our jobs," emphasizes Ms. Klockowski. "ItÕs contagiousÉenergy, excitement. You can taste it." And the work itself remains challenging, exciting, and fun. The company is growing rapidly, requiring an additional 3000 square feet in the Technology Enterprise Center (TEC). They expect to triple their employment within the next 18 months. The individual employees and the company have traveled far since their beginnings. The original idea was for a research center exploring a wide variety of core technologies and their applications for real people in everyday life, especially the disabled.

"Now itÕs a little different," says Mr. Carbone, who was part of the original creative team that worked only for a place to live. "ItÕs good to have a paycheck, but our methodology is the same. We truly do work for higher purpose." Ms. Klockowski adds that theyÕre interested in volunteering in schools, particularly rural schools, throughout the region. MindTel employees use the words "fun" and "challenging" almost interchangeably, and they want to get young students excited in the same way they are.

One of their earliest and most exciting projects with the ECU Telemedicine program was Operation Strong Angel, which MindTel participants describe as "fabulous" and "difficult, challenging fun." The United Nations and the World Health Organization were among the many international entities involved, along with the U.S. military. East Carolina University provided the bridge for this global exercise in the delivery of medical services in extreme conditions.

Participating teams were place in a simulated cataclysmic disaster, actually located on a Hawaiian island covered in volcanic ash. There were no utilities of any sort, the wind was constantly blowing, and a limited number of medical personnel were available. Using wireless communication, information was relayed to the participating medical facilities around the world. Conditions placed extreme demands on both people and equipment.

"Strong Angel was an amazing performance," says John Chaffee, Executive Director of the Pitt County Development Commission, "and weÕre proud to have the Cyber Kids in town to collaborate with the research team at ECU. TheyÕre already a great success story, and their future looks even brighter." And the team is as committed to the community as they are to their work.

IdeationsÕ Tim Murphy shows the totally wireless laptop computer, complete with video, to visitors at the companyÕs open house on January 16. The laptop can also "talk" to the userÕs PDA wirelessly.

"We are at the center of so much here, strategically and geographically," says Ms. Klockowski. "We are right between RTP (Research Triangle Park) and ECU (East Carolina University. And, of course, your (North CarolinaÕs) whole state university system is superb. We couldnÕt pick a better place."

"When an area is based around education, it develops some very positive attributes. Research is going on constantly in an education hub; ECU is such a major asset; itÕs the leader in telemedicine," adds Mr. Carbone. "And there are so many related attributes. It just penetrates the culture." And they urge other high tech companies and young professionals to join them.

"Look at a map," says Ms. Klockowski. To the east is water, a beautiful river and the Atlantic Ocean; to the west are mountains, to the north is Washington. You can be at the center of everything without the hassle." SheÕs enthusiastic about going skiing; Mr. Carbone wants to get to the Outer Banks.

"In part, itÕs about atmosphere," explains she continues. "Here we have a greener lifestyle. We can get to work and back without a commute. The weather is stunning. The standard of living and cost of living are great. Living doesnÕt stress you out."

Welcome to the Greenville, NC MSA, Cyber Kids. ItÕs great to have you here.

Matt Topper briefs visitors, including Lentz Stowe of SBTDC and John Chaffee of the GovernorÕs Economic Development Board, on visual streaming and the conversion of data to images at the Ideations open house.

The Pitt County Development Commission has joined organizations and communities across the state, including The North Carolina Electronics and Information Technologies Association (NCEITA), and the North Carolina Department of Commerce in a strategic partnership to promote the technology industry in North Carolina. Through the NCEITA component of the partnership, many private firms, including SAS, Cisco, and Red Hat, are also involved in the comprehensive effort technology-based development throughout the entire state.

"We were honored to be invited to participate in the strategic planning session that followed the completion of the perception audit, says John Chaffee, Executive Director of the Pitt County Development Commission. "Wanda (Yuhas) represented us admirably," he adds.

"The primary goal of this partnership is to enhance North CarolinaÕs image as a global technology destination," emphasizes NCEITA President Joan Myers. "Our main thrust is the brain trust Š we must find ways to keep North CarolinaÕs top talent as well as attract talent from around the globe to help build and grow North Carolina tech companies."

Matt Carbone (far left) and Rahul Panesar (far right) demonstrate Ideations innovations for Nic Heinke (Communications/Government Affairs), Rich Wilder (Business Manager/Education), and Joan Myers (President) of NCEITA during their January 17 Greenville technology tour.

The availability of a qualified labor force is of paramount importance in recruiting new technology-based industries to the state and to help existing industries expand, but that is only one of the coalitionÕs many efforts.

NCEITA, through its members, and the Department of Commerce will also work together to seek both private and public funding to help promote North CarolinaÕs technology industry to key constituencies outside North Carolina. These key constituencies include individual technology workers and company decision-makers that the state would like to attract. Contact with state and national legislators, support of education issues, and assisting young companies with finding funding and expertise are also part of the partnershipÕs commitment.

"We look forward to a long and strong partnership with NCEITA and all the other agencies and communities involved," says Mr. Chaffee. "NCEITAÕs commitment to technology-based development throughout the state is evident in all their efforts. The perception audit (a study of the perceptions high tech workers have of North Carolina, commissioned by NCEITA) came at precisely the right time for us, enabling us to develop an employee recruitment package for a high tech client." He also sees the partnershipÕs support of individual companies and of research at ECU as crucial to future successes.

NCEITA and the Pitt County Development Commission are working on a number of community specific issues. Ms. Myers spoke in Greenville at the Development CommissionÕs Technology Roundtable on December 3, 2001, addressing approximately 70 members of the technology community in the Greenville, NC MSA. She and

NCEITAÕs Business Manager/Education Coordinator, Rich Wilder, and their Communications/Government Affairs Coordinator, Nic Heinke visited the community in January to tour ECUÕs Telemedicine program, meet with Ideations staff, and discuss the development of a science center with Dr. John Meredith. NCEITA is committed to knowing and understanding the technology communities throughout the state in order to be able to promote the state as a whole.

"We have some work to complete to enhance the image of North Carolina as a key player in the technology industry," says Dave Rizzo, chairman of Osprey Systems and chairman of NCEITA. "The industry is looking forward to enhanced partnering with the state of North Carolina to bring more talent and more great technology companies to the state." Our community, like the state, has some public relations work to do, but our statewide partnerships are at their strongest. The spirit of cooperation is incredibly high, and the Greenville, NC MSA is recognized as a growing center of importance.

"The only difference in Greenville and Silicon Valley is where they are on the evolutionary scale," notes Ms. Myers. "And Greenville doesnÕt want to be Silicon Valley, anyway. It has its own niche."

The partnership is now focused on establishing "North Carolina, the State of Minds," the technology brand that has been developed for the state. The slogan and mark can be used to establish image and as the tag-line for state and its technology industries. Future plans for the partnership, though not final, may include development of a web presence that will contain resource information that can be utilized by economic development agencies across North Carolina to assist in their recruitment of companies and by persons interested in relocating to North Carolina.

Secretary of Commerce Jim Fain Visits ECU, University Health Systems

North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Jim Fain visited Pitt County in December, touring telemedicine, robotic surgery, and visiting with East Carolina University Chancellor William Muse. Secretary FainÕs visit was coordinated with the Development Commission by Doug Byrd of the Department of Commerce. Mr. Byrd initiated the contact, noting that East Carolina University is an international leader in a number of areas.

"The continuing expansion of the technologies industry is vital to North Carolina's economic future," says Secretary Fain.  "We've built a great base, as more than 250,000 information technology and biotech workers at more than 4,000 companies will attest.  Furthermore, the foundation we've built will assist our ongoing efforts to continue to attract knowledge workers and new technology companies to our state.  The public-private partnership (we have with NCEITA) can be a valuable tool to achieve this growth and bolster our economy."

The North Carolina Science and Technology Board, formerly located in the GovernorÕs office, is now a component of Department of Commerce. In addition, the GovernorÕs Economic Development Board, is in the process of developing a comprehensive, strategic plan for the state. While traditional manufacturing development is still very important to the state, technology-based industries are of growing importance. Secretary Fain is making a concerted effort to know the assets of communities throughout the state, and the Greenville, NC MSA is well-positioned to take advantage of the stateÕs evolving economy.

The Secretary began his visit with Drs. Randolph Chitwood and Wiley Nifong for a briefing on minimally invasive surgery using the daVinci robot. Dr. Chitwood is a pioneer in the field and is perhaps best known for his mitral valve repair surgeries using the daVinci system. He and his team train surgeons from some of the worldÕs most prestigious hospitals and universities. Dr. Chitwood, who holds several patents, is currently completing the second phase of his FDA trials.

Dave Balch provided the Secretary with an overview of telemedicine and a tour of existing facilities. Mr. Balch shared information on both the simple applications of telemedicine as well as the more extraordinary applications. A specialist at University can treat a patient at a remote location, one of the hospitals in the system or a clinic, with a technician assisting using real time voice/video communication. The patient doesnÕt have to take a day off work to travel to Greenville in order to secure specialized medical care. For routine matters, a patient might also be treated at home, with a family practice doctor checking medications or monitoring vital signs using wireless interfaces.

Secretary Fain was joined at lunch by Tom Feldbush, Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies; Janice Faulkner, former Secretary of Revenue and State, and Director of DMV; Paul Phibbs, Chair, Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology; Chia-Yu Li, Chair, Dept. of Chemistry; Ron Newton, Chair, Dept. of Biology; John Sutherland, Chair, Dept. of Physics; Al Delia, Vice Chancellor, Regional Development Services; Darryl Davis, Vice Chancellor, Technology. The department chairs briefed Secretary Fain on the most significant developments in their departments and important accomplishments by their faculty and graduates. Chemistry graduate Phil Hodges, for instance, founded Metrics, a highly successful contract testing and production lab that now employs more than 70 people, after working a number of years for Burroughs Wellcome.

"ThereÕs so much going on here (Pitt County, The Greenville, NC MSA) that itÕs hard to list it all," says John Chaffee, Executive Director of the Pitt County Development Commission. "We have a large number of existing high tech/biotech companies--Metrics, Encelle, PhytoMyco, Ideations, MindTel, Catalytica.. The ECU Biotechnology Center and telemedicine program are here, the Warren Life Sciences Building provides space to train teams from the most prestigious placesÉHarvard, Johns HopkinsÉin robotic surgery. The universityÕs new science and technology facility is under constructionÉthe list goes on and on. And thatÕs before we even start naming individuals or particular areas of research."

The Pitt County Development Commission has been working with state and local agencies for a number of years to position the community for high technology development. East Carolina University has been an especially strong partner, not only in formal university programs such as Technology Transfer, but in individual start-up companies such as Encelle and PhytoMyco. Ideations and MindTel (see related story this issue) are in close partnership with the Brody School of MedicineÕs telemedicine program which, in turn, is closely associated with Cisco Systems, a longtime member of NCEITA.

The Development Commission, aided by the Center for Applied Technology staff, also operates the TEC facility (Technology Enterprise Center) for high technology start-ups. Quarterly technology roundtables bring the science and technology community together for speakers, networking, and planning for the future. The N.C. Biotechnology Center is a strong partner at the state level, and the N.C. Department of Commerce is a long-time supporter.

John Chaffee, Executive Director, Wanda Yuhas, Assistant Director, and Nichole Icenogle, Graduate Student Intern, all of the Pitt County Development Commission, hosted Secretary Fain for the day. They were assisted by Len Kulik, Marketing Director, North CarolinaÕs Eastern Region; Johnny Rogers, Economic Development Representative, Eastern Region; and Donna Phillips, Existing Industry Specialist, Eastern Region.

"This visit was really important to our university and our whole community, and weÕre indebted to all the people at ECU and University Health Systems who took time to meet with Secretary Fain," says Mr. Chaffee.

Chairman's Report

The Development Commission Board and staff extend our warmest welcome to Susanne Sartelle, the new president of the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce. She is a person who has earned a reputation for building partnerships, especially with education, and we look forward to working together on many successful projects in the years to come. Her professionalism and positive approach are already making their mark. We appreciate the work of Anne Sneed as Interim Chamber president.

Congratulations to Nancy Jenkins on being honored as the ChamberÕs Citizen of the Year. As mayor, Mrs. Jenkins was a tireless supporter of the community, and her love and enthusiasm for the City of Greenville is still evident. During her tenure as mayor, Mrs. Jenkins often worked closely with the Development Commission, particularly in the area of international industry. Her leadership will be missed, but we look forward to working with Mayor Don Parrott and the new Greenville City Council.

Secretary of Commerce Jim Fain recently honored us with a visit; our thanks to Dr. Tom Feldbush and Margaret Pio at ECU and Doug Byrd at N.C. Department of Commerce for helping set up and coordinate Secretary FainÕs tour. ItÕs always impressive to see some of the remarkable programs we are privileged to have in our community. Dave Balch (telemedicine), Randolph Chitwood and Wiley Nifong (robotic surgery), Paul Phibbs (Microbiology), Chia-Yu Li (Chemistry), Ron Newton (Biology), and John Sutherland (Physics) kindly shared their time.

Joan Myers, Rich Wilder, and Nic Heinke of NCEITA also got a first hand look at high technology in the east when they visited on January 17. No matter how often we visit telemedicine, robotic surgery, TEC, or Ideations, we see something new to find amazing. We also appreciate Ms. Myers speaking at our most recent Science and Technology Roundtable.

Welcome to Ideations, the newest company in the TEC (Technology Enterprise Center). If you read Ginger LivingstonÕs article in the Daily Reflector, you already know something about this exciting young company that is, in owner Matt CarboneÕs words, "preinventing the future."

Congratulations to PCDC Executive Director John Chaffee on his appointment to the GovernorÕs Economic Development Board. Not only are we proud of John as one of our own, we know he will do an outstanding job on behalf of the entire state and all its citizens.

A number of community leaders and potential investors attended the EC Venture Forum sponsored by SBTDC, Ward & Smith LLC, East Carolina University, and the Pitt County Development Commission. Ven Subbiah and Dennis Burns (PhytoMyco), Darwin Richards (Janus Development Group), Jim Manning, Tim Schnell, and Tom Wiseman (Treyco Supply), and Anton-Lewis Usala (EctoCelle) made very strong presentations on their groundbreaking research and companies.

Our client mix continues to include numerous international and high technology companies, as well as our traditional manufacturing clients. Diversity has always been the key ingredient in our ongoing economic health. We do find, however, that all the companies with which we work have increasingly stringent educational demands. Representatives from public schools, the community college, the university, and the business community are working closely together to insure continuous improvement.

David H. Stowe
Chairman