GBJ Staff

Gwinnett Tech primed to fill bioscience jobs

Gwinnett Tech's three-story, 78,000-square-foot Life Sciences Center is dedicated to educating and training those life sciences and healthcare professionals. Over the next four years, to serve residents, the region will need to add 27,000 healthcare jobs.

When a major manufacturer like Baxter International picks Georgia to build a 1,500-employee, high-tech pharmaceutical plant, the buzz begins. For students already enrolled in Gwinnett Technical College’s Bioscience Program, this news is music to their ears. For others on the fence about pursuing a science career, learning that they can receive skilled training to become instantly marketable in two years or less gives them incentive to try.

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GBJ Staff

Gwinnett hosts SMTA Atlanta Expo

A few short weeks ago, more than 80 exhibiting electronics companies converged on the Gwinnett Civic Center for the sixteenth year in a row to participate in the annual Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA) Atlanta Expo. The event saw increased participation and attendance exceeding last year.

“The Gwinnett Civic Center has become familiar and well-known to our exhibitors and attendees,” explains Ryan Flaherty, SMTA Atlanta Chapter spokesperson. “The location is close in proximity to many of Atlanta’s high tech/electronics companies. The free parking and convenient location provide easy access for exhibitors and attendees alike.

The keynote presentation from IPC Board Chairman Steve Pudles, CEO of Spectral
Response headquartered in Lawrenceville, focused on EMS companies, as well as the opportunities and challenges regarding program management and the global supply chain.

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GBJ Staff

Emphasizing IT in business

by Mary Hester

Not long ago and before computers were ubiquitous, having an IT system gave businesses a competitive advantage. Few had the resources, talent and vision to purchase and manage computer systems. However, for the company using technology to analyze data and streamline operations, it often meant stellar growth.

Today, computers are as much a part of modern business operations as phones and file cabinets. In general, most businesses computers are tools that help the workforce perform redundant tasks. Interestingly enough, not recognizing what IT has to offer in terms of power and increased efficiency still plagues much of the business community.

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GBJ Staff

FleetCor acquisition opens doors to Brazil

FleetCor Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: FLT), headquartered in Norcross, has signed an Arrangement Agreement to acquire CTF Technologies, Inc., a transaction that is expected to close in approximately 60 days.

CTF provides fuel payment processing services for over-the-road fleets, ships, mining equipment, and railroads in Brazil.

“We are pleased to announce the acquisition of CTF, which is consistent with our global acquisition strategy of identifying attractive assets with performance upside,” says Ron Clarke, chairman and CEO, FleetCor Technologies, Inc.

“We are pleased to be partnering with FleetCor. We are confident that they are well positioned to help the company accelerate its growth in Brazil and throughout the world,” said Arie Halpern, President of CTF Brazil.

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GBJ Staff

Words from a young visionary

Teen entrepreneur Albert Renshaw is an iPhone developer and founder of Apps4Life LLC.

Special Focus: Small Business/ Entrepreneur

As a society, child prodigies endlessly fascinate us. Gwinnett is home to a 17-year-old who has been carving his niche in the business world for quite some time.

According to Albert Renshaw, iPhone developer and founder of Apps4Life LLC, “I hardly ever think of what I do as a business (with the exception of keeping tax records and what not),” adding, “It’s more of a hobby that I’ve been fortunate enough to make some capital off of along the way.”

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GBJ Staff

Barco deploys FAA equipment

Barco and Raytheon welcome air traffic controllers to Barco’s U.S. headquarters in Duluth during the January NATCA Conference. L-R: Randy Kenagy, director, Business Development at Raytheon; Mike Espinola, director, Terminal Automation at Raytheon; John Dobroski, market manager of Barco’s Air Traffic Management; Dave Scott, senior vice president and general manager of Barco’s Defense & Aerospace Division.

Last fall, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chose Duluth-based Barco to fulfill a multi-million dollar contract.

In accordance with the FAA’s Terminal Main Display Monitor (MDM) Replacement program, Barco has now delivered 100 of more than 2,000 ISIS 2Kx2K LCD monitors ordered as fully form/fit/functional replacements for existing CRT displays in ATC-consoles.

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GBJ Staff

Apply now for GGC Tech Camp

Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) is now accepting applications for its fourth annual Tech Camp.

“No experience is needed,” said Nannette Napier, assistant professor of information technology and a camp co-director. “Students are only limited by the boundaries of their imaginations.”

The 2012 summer enrichment program enables middle and high school students to explore computing careers, design their own games and mobile applications, and build robots during a hands-on, experience-based week of exposure to the computing future.

The program is offered through the GGC School of Science and Technology. This year’s camp dates are:
• Session I: June 11-14 (high school coed)
• Session II: June 18-21 (middle school boys)
• Session III: June 25-28 (middle school girls)

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GBJ Staff

Technology entrepreneur wins $25,000 grant

Gary Webb, JBOD Storage Solutions founder

Gwinnett Innovation Park (GIP) has named JBOD Storage Solutions the first recipient of its quarterly Founders Grant. Sponsored by GIP and Intelligent Systems, the grant is a $25,000 quarterly award to an eHub Nspire Program participant or a qualified company in the GIP.

“I am honored to receive the Founders Grant. The GIP Trustees have created a platform to help technology start-ups grow and succeed,” acknowledges Gary Webb, JBOD Storage Solutions founder whose company markets SSD-based data storage arrays. “I highly recommend any Atlanta-based technology entrepreneur to apply for this program and look forward to continue participating in the Nspire program.”

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GBJ Staff

Gwinnett students build champion robot

Controlled by the RoboLions Team 1261, robot Mar Madness makes a basket at the 2012 FIRST® Robotics Peachtree Regional Competition at the Gwinnett Arena.

The Peachtree Ridge High School RoboLions Team 1261 beat out 59 other teams to win the 2012 FIRST® Robotics Peachtree Regional Competition at the Gwinnett Arena in March.

This student-led team and its parent/technical mentors are busy preparing to take their robot, Mar Madness, to compete in the FIRST Robotic Competition Championship in St. Louis, Mo. The nearly 50-member RoboLions need to raise $16,000 before the end of April to send as many on the team as possible to the event.

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GBJ Staff

Gwinnett home to top tech innovators

Tino Mantella, president & CEO of the Technology Association of Georgia presents a 2012 Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia award to Data Oceans, LLC.

The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) honored the Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia at its annual Technology Summit. Five of these companies are based in Gwinnett:
•    CompliancePoint, Inc. – Duluth
•    Concurrent Computer Corporation – Duluth
•    CubeVibe – Sugar Hill
•    Data Oceans, LLC – Norcross
•    NCR Corporation – Duluth

As the leading technology industry association in the state, TAG is an active proponent of Georgia’s fastest-growing tech clusters: health IT, information security, financial technology, logistics and communication services. According to experts, clusters bring about more resources that lead to greater innovation.

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