Governor Lynch Meets with NE Defense Technology Leaders

For Immediate Release     
May 9, 2008             

Contact: Cort Boulanger
339-222-2442

Governor Lynch Meets with NE Defense Technology Leaders
Discusses Regional Strategies to Grow Defense Cluster

Manchester, NH - Governor John Lynch today discussed regional growth strategies with defense technology leaders from the New Hampshire High Technology Council (NHHTC) and the Defense Technology Initiative (DTI), a new six-state network that is committed to growing the region’s premier defense technology cluster. 

NHHTC is a founding network partner of DTI, which is charged with creating jobs, strengthening the regional workforce and increasing the defense community’s political clout with the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill. The meeting was held at the NHHTC Hall of Fame at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.

"As Governor, I am committed to continuing to grow New Hampshire’s high-tech sector, and to make sure New Hampshire is competing successfully for the jobs and businesses of tomorrow," said Gov. Lynch. "The number of high-tech jobs in New Hampshire continues to grow each year. We must ensure we are taking the necessary steps to foster that growth – and that’s exactly what we’re doing."

The event marked the first official show of support for DTI by New Hampshire’s university, industry and government leaders. NHHTC will coordinate efforts with Governor Lynch and entire Granite State defense community as DTI develops a regional agenda, said NHHTC Chairman Matt Pierson.

“New Hampshire has a strong defense technology cluster already”, stated Pierson. “By participating in the DTI, we’ll be building on our existing strength, creating new jobs and delivering innovative products and services to the Department of Defense.  Many of our member companies were successfully launched based on DOD research grants, including the popular SBIR program.”

DTI was founded as a military base preservation group in 2003 by the Massachusetts High Technology Council, which has now partnered with leading technology organizations throughout New England to create a regional defense technology agenda.  In addition to the NHHTC, DTI partners include the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp., TechMaine and the Connecticut Technology Council.

A unified New England defense sector allows for more competitive regional bids for new military missions as well as protecting its military bases in future federal base closure processes, said DTI’s executive director Brigadier General Donald Quenneville (USAF, retired).

“One of DTI's top priorities is developing a regional strategy to bring the Air Force Cyberspace Command (AFCYBER) – and the hundreds of related jobs - to New England,” said Quenneville.  “New England has the commercial and academic research capacity, expert industrial base and skilled workforce to support critical Pentagon projects like AFCYBER. But the entire New England defense community must collaborate on a common agenda to compete with other states and regions.”

For more information on the Defense Technology Initiative visit www.defensetech.net.

For more information on the NH High Technology Council visit www.nhhtc.org.