Governor appoints council to help increase high-tech industries

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack said today he’s establishing a committee designed to spur the growth of high-technology industries in Iowa. Vilsack wants to put four-and-a-half million dollars into his “Iowa New Economy Council.” Vilsack says he’ll fund the council by shifting money within the Iowa Department of Economic Development.Vilsack says the council will work to help life sciences technology, improve the rural Iowa’s connection to telecommunications services. Vilsack says The Vision Iowa program that funds economic development projects in the state is also a key to the council. But, Vilsack says the legislature needs to fully fund the program.He believes the program needs to have 300 million dollars — legislators gave it only 180-million dollars. Vilsack says the legislature doesn’t have to come up with the money immediately, but does need to put it in their plans.Vilsack says the full funding is needed to fund two or three major projects that can bring Iowa nationwide and worldwide attention. He won’t say what those projects might be.Vilsack appointed three businessmen to lead the Iowa New Economy Council. They are: Clay Jones, President of Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids; Carl Williams, Senior Vice President of Principal Financial Group in Des Moines; John Greaves, President of Kemin Industries in Des Moines.