Branding Q

A Memphis columnist reminds us small businesses, as well as big can benefit from strong branding that reflects consistent consumer experience. The CA has it.

Bredesen and two-year colleges

The Times Free Press' Joan Garrett provides in-depth coverage of Gov. Phil Bredesen's intentions regarding raising education outcomes at community colleges, while strengthening four-year institutions. Garrett also reports on the leverage inherent in the proximity of Chattanooga State Community College and UT-Chattanooga.

TN Green jobs review

Ed Marcum of Knoxville News Sentinel reviews prospects, pay and politics of Green jobs in Tennessee.

TN news media, FCC, Blog disclosure

The FCC wants to see conspicuous disclosures from bloggers who receive benefits from the subjects of their reviews or reportorial coverage. The CA reports. The Internet Advertising Bureau's CEO responded to this impulse. CA Columnist Chris Peck comments on related Tennessee media developments.

SiValley links to hedge fund scandal

Allegations of insider trading have broadened from Galleon and New Castle funds to tipsters and others in the Valley. The Mercury News reports.

VW prototyping on-sked

Volkswagen's testing of prototypes for the new midsize sedan (NMS) it will build in Chattanooga is on schedule. An advanced prototype will be built in Chattanooga in 2010, with production greenlighted in 2011. The TFP reports.

The Apple-Lala Axis

Apple is, according to a New York Times report, buying Venture-funded, Palo Alto-based Lala, to enable consumers to manage and enjoy their music via the Cloud (Web), rather than having to download, synch, etc.

Wamp stumping Defense-Security

U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Chattanooga) is still stumping for Tennessee and the TN Valley Corridor to seize opportunities to develop Defense and Homeland Security industries, according to a report in the Times Free Press. The story indicates Wamp's Republican opponents for governor in the 2010 race are unconvinced regarding his election prospects. Wamp first unveiled his Defense-Security strategy during the recen TVC meeting reported by VNC.

Team Health IPO

Knoxville-based TeamHealth, a hospital-staffing firm, is taking its investor show on the road, plumping for its shelf-registered IPO on the NYSE, where Team Health Holdings would trade as TMH. The KNS reports.

UT-ORNL fellowships

UT and ORNL are teaming to offer graduate-student fellowships in materials science, computational science, nuclear science and neutron science with coursework through UT’s College of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences. $30K annual stipends are offered. The KNS reports.

Luminetx being sold to Japanese

The creator of VeinViewer, Memphis-based Luminetx, may soon be sold to Japan-based Christie Digital Systems, part of Ushio Inc., according to Commercial Appeal and Memphis Daily News. The buyer's U.S. office is in Cypress, Calif. Christie has been a major lender to Luminetx, during the company's roller-coaster ride of recent years. Despite a celebrated technology and revenue, the company apparently failed to overcome management and strategy shifts and gain sufficient traction, on its own.

Volkswagen synergy

Volkswagen Chattanooga President Frank Fischer told a press conference yesterday that VW will probably locate nine supplier companies within its Enterprise Park site, and within 20 miles of that location may also establish a distribution center. VW received 65,000 applications for jobs, 25,000 for management posts. The VW training center, operated by Chattanooga State, should open in January. About 300 persons are currently employed in the area for Chattanooga, including 45 from Germany. Chattanoogan.com and TFP report it.

Slamdot BAM strategy

In Knoxville, web-developer Slamdot has opened a retail bricks-and-mortar presence, to help demystify web-developer selection. The KNS reports.

Ballmer, Lundberg at NTC event

Nashville Technology Council reminded us this morning its 2nd Annual Membership Breakfast, Jan. 20, 2010, will feature not only Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer (at left); but, also, former CIO Magazine Editor Abbie Lundberg.

Betancourt the Angel

Resolved in 2010: Get to know more about Ernie Betancourt. He didn't just sell his software firm (ICC), but he simultaneously launched QuikQ, a new software venture; and, said he's interested in becoming an active Angel investor. Kudos! Then, too, we learned he also crewed Jolly Greens in Vietnam. Hooah.

TNInvestco prospects

All six TNInvestco firms met their minimum insurance-industry commitment requirements, and now there's an unfolding discussion of whether and when to expand the pool of tax credits that fuels the TNInvestco fund now, and in future. State Sen. Doug Overbey weighs-in, somewhat cautiously. Read the story here.

No doubt: Bradford reappointed Owen GSM dean

Vanderbilt University Provost Richard McCarty apparently knows when a school's on a roll: He announced the reappointment of Owen Graduate School of Management Dean Jim Bradford (left), who has an impressive career in business to draw upon.

Excellent TN Solar report

There's an excellent summary of Tennessee's Solar progress online from the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. (HT to ORNL news office.)

Dialogic's new GM

Bob Freinberg (at left) has been named vice president and general manager of Dialogic Communications Corp., a unit of PlantCML based in Franklin. Freinberg worked in executive and consultant roles with PlantCML, 2001-08, supporting sales, marketing and business development. Earlier, he was vice president for sales and marketing for Networks Telephony Corporation. Before NTC, he spent roughly 19 years with GTE/Verizon in eight different roles, ending in 1997 as vice president and general manager of business sales and service. He earned an MBA at Michigan State University's Eli Broad Graduate School of Management in 1978, and his bachelor's in marketing at the University of Baltimore in 1974. Dialogic sold to PlantCML in 2006.

Loophole tempest

Tom Humphrey of the KNS reports on the Tennessee Department of Revenue's refusal to undertake data analysis and reporting requested by Tennesseans for Fair Taxation.

edo Interactive: No worries

American Express recently cannonballed into the online payments field with its $300MM acquisition of Revolution Money, a person-to-person payments platform. Among other movants, SocialWise and OfferPal have teamed up to offer BillMyParents.com. No worries, though, at Nashville-based edo Interactive. edo CEO Ed Braswell (at left), responding to our query about the splash made by AmEx, told us a few days ago, "Revolution Money has not been a direct competitor to edo. I think the validation is that large payment companies are looking for innovation, they are not building internally due to budget cuts in R&D. I see the acquisition by Amex as positive for edo."

Mercedes C-class to Alabama

Birmingham Business Journal reports that Mercedes is adding 1,000 jobs in its Vance, Ala., plant to produce its C-class sedan.

Passport Health 'access' moves

Today, Brentwood-based Passport Health Communications is teaming with Dallas-based Interface People LP to integrate MEDITECH technologies for Passport clients. Guess they'll soon add these folks to the Passport partners page. Earlier, the company announced hiring another RCM-patient access expert.

Aegis CDO is Talbert

Pearson Talbert, formerly an executive with HealthSouth and with Ingram & Associates, an affiliate of AIM Healthcare Services, has joined Aegis Health Group as chief development officer for the workplace wellness-oriented company. Release here. Talbert earned his bachelor's in psychology at Sewanee in 1994 and his MBA at the University of Alabama in 1998.

'Fair taxation' protest

Tennesseans for Fair Taxation are demanding the State close what the group perceives as a loophole in tax laws that let companies domeciled elsewhere reduce taxable income by Tennessee subsidiaries making payments to parent companies for such things as use of company trademarks. Andy Sher of the TFP reports. Related story in the Commercial Appeal.

N'ville Software Golden Age?

Roughly five years ago, Nashville Technology Council, then led by David Condra, launched a Software Developers Roundtable. The energy in the room during the SDRT's first meeting at the University Club was amazing. People were there, open-minded and energized to plug into other people who cared about creating new technologies and applications. There were modest young startup geniuses there that day, as well as older hands (Tim, Major, Al and many others). Soon, volunteers cobbled-together a nice website (now gone into the ether), a few more meetings were held, but following Condra's retirement from his post, interest shifted to other things. I was reminded of the excitement around the SDRT this morning, while reading a story on the San Jose Mercury News' Silicon Valley site. The focus? The myriad opportunities associated with developing applications for new technology platforms. Whether SDRT or some other vehicle, maybe it's time to uncrate this idea, again.

Cogent lands Hackensack

Brentwood-based Cogent Healthcare announced today it's now contracted for hospitalist services with Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center, a 775-bed facility and the state's largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services.

GreenBank data security

Greeneville, Tenn.-based GreenBank won InfoWorld100 recognition for data security, after adopting ExaGrid data backup technology and services.

Broadlane alliance

Dallas-based Broadlane, which recently bought Gallatin-based Healthcare Performance Partners, announced its alliance with e-invoicing player OB10.

HCA speculation

Quick: How many times has HCA gone public? Erin Lawley's story today suggests HCA may be prepping for larger-than-usual M&A campaign or primping for another IPO. Story's here.

ARRA science impact tracked

A national association of universities has launched the ScienceWorksforUs website, to help citizens track the impact of Stimulus funding on U.S. science R&D.

TN solar shakeout

Nashville Public Radio reports some fledgling solar businesses are already folding.

PureSafety's eye on the prize

'Not sure they should allow Ironman tri-athletes in startups. Now, PureSafety CEO Bill Grana's got a list of 350 acquisition targets, and he sounds confident. Here's the story.

Brainwave opens Game category

Brainwave Studios may be launching wih FranktownRocks.com, but it could be the first of a series of products that will breathe new life into the smattering of gamer-driven cyberproducts in Middle Tennessee -- if they succeed in raising $3MM. The story's here.

Bondware buys content

Bondware Inc., the 11-year-old enterprise cultivated by CEO Tim Choate, has started buying content from other 3-D/2-D content creators, to accelerate growth and improve quality control of products in its proprietary Renderosity marketplace. The story's here.

Hapner to Vision Security

Bill Hapner (left), who'd led sales for Smartvue Corporation here, has established a Nashville presence for Birmingham-based Vision Security, as director-sales. Hapner was also once president of Beacon Technologies in Nashville.

Transcard payment solution

Chattanooga-based Transcard announced a new payment technology it's developing with the University of Pittsburgh for use in paying participants in clinical studies. Release is here.

Updated 3:23 p.m. NV Medical Trade Center unveiling

[Updated] Market Center Management Co. CEO Bill Winsor (left)told reporters a few minutes ago he believes lenders will be highly receptive to financing the planned Nashville Medical Trade Center. Owners and allies of the proposed Nashville Medical Trade Center gathered here today, announcing details of plans to locate the Center in Metro's existing Convention Center, after construction that will expand the facility to 2MM sq. ft. See our related story and check back for updates.

Noog's GoogleEarth 3D effort

A SmartFurniture creative director is leading the effort to elevate Chattanooga to 3D status on GoogleEarth, with support of Google. The TFP reports.

Research campus hotel

Cherokee Farm, the 188-acre University of Tennessee research and development campus, may get a hotel and conference center. The KNS reports.

EPB net funding

A federal grant should accelerate the buildout of Chattanooga EPB's fiber-optic network. The TFP reports.

TN Maglev allies need $3.5MM

Chattanooga and its Georgia allies for development of a maglev train connecting Choo-Chootown with Atlanta need $3.5MM before they can deposit a federal grant and complete an environmental assessment. The TFP has it. Post on possible Nashville link, earlier this year.

TN education push

State Sen. Andy Berke (D-10) puts an oar in on Gov. Bredesen's push to shift postsecondary budgeting emphasis from measuring students enrolled, to students graduated. The TFP has it.

TN's AgBio leverage

Peter Nelson (left) of Memphis BioWorks Foundation's AgBioworks project touts the leverage inherent in AgBio as he world turns to new sources of energy and food production. The CA has it.

UT aims for research hub status

The University of Tennessee's new Engineering building is further evidence, says the school's dean, of the University's progress toward becoming the state's research hub. Column in the KNS.

NV Med Trade Center debut set

As previously reported by VNC, the Nashville Medical Trade Center's location and some details on features and timeline are to be unveiled during a media teleconference, Monday, Nov. 30, at 3 p.m. Read background on the Trade Center here.

TVA $40MM biz retention fund

To help existing business lower energy outlays, the TVA has created a $40MM fund to help reduce energy costs for businesses that might otherwise relocate or close. The TFP reports it here.

Extreme Bootstrapping 'Food Equity'

The Mercury News reports on how tight money and easy access to willing talent have fueled the 'extreme bootstrapping' trend.

ORNL small-biz contracts

Small businesses got nearly $780MM in contracts from Oak Ridge NL during FY09, the KNS reports.

American Bicycle unveils new model

American Bicycle Group in Ooltewah has unveiled its new carbon-frame bike to great acclaim. The TFP reports.

More ORHS Kudos

Now, the oft-celebrated students of Oak Ridge High School have won a $10K Lemelson grant and are developing a clever water-purification technique, with the aid of engineer-mentors. The KNS reports.

Tim McGraw: Wounded entrepreneur

Country stars, as well as Rappers, have histories they carry with them into the big-time business of entertainment: Men's Journal on Tim McGraw.

WealthTrust in WSJ

The WSJ recently turned its gaze toward wealth aggregators, and spied Nashville-based WealthTrust, among others.

UT's Fox on corporate tax-shifting

University of Tennessee economist Bill Fox has reported the state may be losing tax revenue it is due, because of inappropriate shifting of corporate profits to tax-haven states like Delaware. Revenue Commissioner Reagan Farr reportedly told The Tennessean he's concerned broad changes in state laws could scare-off industry prospects and jobs, but that the issues raised can be addressed in targeted ways. The Fox report was commissioned by State Comptroller Justin Wilson.

Bredesen likes dorm idea

During a visit to Chattanooga, Gov. Phil Bredesen indicated receptivity for the idea of resident halls on the campuses of two-year campuses. The TFP reports.

Nashville biz online directory

The Tennessean has launched its online FindItNow business directory and ratings service.

ORNL shines in WSJ today

Today's Wall Street Journal report on the national labs certainly burnishes the reputation of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a major recipient of a tide of Stimulus funding for research. Meanwhile, the KNS reports on the impending opening of Y-12's new U-235 storage facility.

Kisber, Farr comment on TNInvestco evolution

At 5:22 p.m. today, VNC received the following statement from ECD and Revenue Commissioners Matt Kisber and Reagan Farr regarding the status of TNInvestco: "In our November 5, 2009 announcement of the finalists for the TNInvestco program, we publicly stated our intention to seek two additional allocations of tax credits from the Tennessee General Assembly totaling $40 million dollars. Our goal is to award allocations to the Tennessee Angel Fund and Solidus-TNInvestco, LLC, which were both selected as alternate funds. Subsequently, we've been approached about our support for an additional allocation over and above the $40 million we intend to seek. Our position is that while we believe an expansion of the program beyond our request has merit, any additional allocation over and above our request would need to be initiated by members of the General Assembly." Our original story earlier this afternoon.

Innova nails TNInvestco goal

Innova Fund II may be the first TNInvestco company to plant its flag in the insurance industry. VNC reported today that there may eventually be 10 winners, rather than six, and the capital pool could rise to $200MM. Now, Innova's Ken Woody has confirmed that his fund has "successfully closed on a commitment for all of our $20MM allotment of tax credits. Four Bridges assisted us in that transaction," Woody told VNC.

Metro in hedge funds

Metro Nashville Chief Investment Officer Fadi Bousrama told VNC Friday that the investment committee of the Metro employee benefit system agreed Nov. 19 to approve investing up to 10 percent of fund assets in hedge funds. An RFP will be out eventually for a hedge-fund advisor, but the RFP's issuance is "not even close." The advisor retained will be asked to create a special-purpose vehicle for Metro and to help develop policy. The SPV will contain "equity long/short hedge funds," said Bousrama. Other tactics may also be employed, subsequently. VNC's original story is here.

Waddey & Patterson adds IP lawyer

Matthew Cox, a UT-minted lawyers and VU-trained engineer, has joined Nashville-based Waddey & Patterson in Nashville. The full story's here.

Ayers Capital formed

Ayers Capital LLC began operating this week as a registered investment advisory company providing services in Tennessee. The company is a JV between an affiliate of Parsons, Tenn.-based Ayers Asset Management Inc. and Chicago-based InterOcean Capital LLC. Principals include executives previously with U.S. Trust, Bank of America, SunTrust and InterOcean Capital.

Escalator Pitch winners

MarksMenu.com, a portal with menus from participating restaurants, won the Memphis Elevator Pitch competition. The CA reports.

UTC-IBM pact revealed

UT Chattanooga and IBM are putting the finishing touches on a partnership to first simulate aircraft turbines and, later, maybe enter into a longer-term partnership to leverage the Simulation Center resources in Chattanooga. The TFP reports.

State's Lumina grant

The TFP reported the State announced it has received a $1.2MM Lumina Foundation grant to help reenroll adult students in college to complete their degrees. Also, the KNS reports State THEC and Education agencies have reportedly given grants to MTSU and UT-Knoxville to increase the numbers of students graduating to become science and math teachers.

TN Valley Summit in Boro

The Tennessee Valley Corridor Fall Summit is underway in Murfreesboro today. U.S. Reps. Bart Gordon (left) and Zach Wamp are among featured speakers, addressing energy and the economy, workforce development, innovation and entrepreneurship. The agenda's here.

arGentis licenses UT therapy

Memphis-based arGentis Pharmaceuticals has licensed a therapy for rheumatoid arthritis from the UT Research Foundation. The CA reports.

Campus spin-out SAS braces itself

The New York Times' Sunday story of the top-workplace culture of SAS Institute Inc., based in Cary, N.C., is a good read, with lessons about freeing the workplace from distractions that create a drag on creativity...as well as how success in analytics and predictive modeling breeds new competitors, such as Big Blue. fPrivately owned SAS resulted from university faculty research and development.

Procon in deal with Joe Gibbs

We're not sure we fully understand this, but it seems Knoxville-based Procon Partners has entered into some kind of co-marketing agreement with fabled coach and racing impresario Joe Gibbs. Procon's about mobile-resource management. The Gibbs organization is placing increasing interest, it seems, on leveraging the brand.

Bredesen ire works

KNS Columnist and Capitol Hill Reporter Tom Humphrey writes that Gov. Phil Bredesen's blunt criticism of legislators and others who have criticized his initiatives has been pretty effective. Related background.

KNS columnist: More calamity ahead

Knoxville News Sentinel columnist David Moon, president of Moon Capital Management, seems to be saying factors converging for another big financial and economic jolt.

'Core' entrepreneurship

Memphis keeps generating new forms of networking and co-learning: This past week it was 'Core Conversations on Entrepreneurship' and the EscalatorPitch event. One participant said he sees renewed 'vigor and tenacity' in Memphis startups. Here's an earlier story on Memphis' energetic scene.

TN will honor ECD commitments

Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber told the Times-News the State will honor all the incentive and support commitments it has previously made to new industry, including Volkwagen and Wacker.

Memphis Business optimism

Respondents to a Commercial Appeal poll seems slightly more optimistic, in the wake of news of GDP gains.

Knoxville Quadriciser device lauded

The KNS reports on the Quadriciser Corp. therapeutic device created by Larry Bohanan. The machine exerciser helps patients regain lost mobility and flexibility, and it's now at the center of a growing business. Bohanan is a former ORNL patents illustrator.

VW history factoid

Chattanoogan.com reports on a Volkswagen executive's remarks before locals, when he explained the role of the British Army in keeping VW alive, after Germany's surrender. The VW factory was to be dismantled, but was saved by demand for vehicles for occupation troops.

Hot100 includes Dandy Dozen

BusinessTN offers its Hot100 Tennessee up-and-coming companies, and included among them are a dozen or so VNC thought you might want to know more about: Aegis Sciences ... Capital Confirmation ... Cell Journalist ... eMids ... Emma ... Informatics Corp. of America ... Magazines.com ... onFocus ... StudioNow ... VGT ... Human Capital Corp. ... Waddey & Patterson ... Enjoy!

Cogent eyes hospitalist acquisitions

Cogent CEO Gene Fleming (at left) told NashvillePost.com he intends for the company to grow significantly via aquisitions, but no deals announced. VNC's earlier profile of the hospitalist company is here.

'Wacker mag Dich'

We think that means "Wacker loves you," but Wacker Chemie execs' comments about waiting for market conditions for polysilicone to stabilize have sent a few tremors through Chattanoogans, who're hoping the Munich- (or, Munchen-) -based company follows-through on its announced plans for a $1BN factory in Hamilton County, where about 500 would be employed, beginning in 2011. State ECD says not to worry, alles gut. The Times Free Press reports.

ORNL gets more ARRA

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is getting more than $54MM for its new Carbon Fiber Technology Center and for study of ways to make commercial buildings more energy-efficient. The KNS reports.

ORNL team wins app prize

An Oak Ridge NL team of scientists won the ACM Gordon Bell prize for development of a scientific application, in this instance for measurement of certain properties of materials, in the interest of improving magnetic properties. Release here.

HHS questions integrity of former VU researcher

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is being criticized by PETA regarding treatment of animals and a former VUMC researcher, who's now an MBA student in Georgia, is accused of falsifying data in a cancer-related trial. The City Paper reports.

Entrepreneurs meet ORHS students

The KNS reports Oak Ridge High School students and EastTN entrepreneurs had a great time this week, getting to know one anoher.

Incentive for McKesson

The Memphis-Shelby County IDB has voted approval of a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) incentive to McKesson Corp., making the action the first time the incentive has been used in an effort to retain existing jobs. The future of the company's presence will remains uncertain, some months. The CA reports. The IDB also voted incentives for American Esoteric Laboratories.

CA's recap of TNInvestco

The Commercial Appeal this morning recaps the rationale and requirements of TNInvestco, citing importance of Innova Memphis having won a capital allocation, and the hoped-for impact of that on Memphis-area startups.

TNInvestco, TTDC budget prospects

This week, Gov. Phil Bredesen, his Cabinet and their staffs are reviewing each agency's budget issues, and face a myriad of challenges amid an economic recovery that promises to drag on for years. During a break in the hearings, the Governor and Economic and Development Commissioner Matt Kisber entertained reporters' questions. We asked for their comments regarding further funding for Tennessee Technology Development Corporation (TTDC) and how the Administration might fare in asking the General Assembly to authorize an additional $40MM in premium-tax credit allocations, to fund two additional TNInvestco proposals that were deemed meritorious in the latest round, but which went unfunded. Kisber said cautiously the climate is "favorable" for authorization of further TNInvestco allocations, (a program which is viewed as producing a net return for the state, economically). Regarding TTDC, Kisber noted that TTDC continues to work to achieve the objectives on which funding has previously been predicated, and must now demonstrate they have achieved enough progress to warrant further funding. TTDC has projected that the $5MM it obtained through a contract with Kisber's ECD will be virtually exhausted by June 30, 2010, and is pressing for what TTDC sometimes refers to as a B-round, given that it feels constrained from seeking funding from the same private-sector and other sponsors who now support TTDC stakeholder groups. Commenting on such requests, generally, Gov. Bredesen indicated there'd be efforts not to "gut" organizations and programs that rely on state funding. Meanwhile, comments by all hands throughout this week's budget hearings suggest that a Damoclean Sword may hover over the General Assembly, when it convenes in about seven weeks.

Genera to get $11MM from state

Genera Energy, the UT Research Foundation startups charged with advancing biofuels in Tennessee, got approval for an $11 MM transfer of funds, which had been sought by Gov. Phil Bredesen. Larisa Brass reports for the KNS.

TNBIO stakeholders unite

Grad-school scientists, future lawyers, engineers and MBA-wielding execs statewide are being invited into a relaunching Tennessee Biotechnology Association Graduate Alliance. Industry executives will convene with TBA-GA members, Dec. 7. The story's here.

TN Green-jobs training grant

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded Tennessee more than $765K in ARRA funds for training and information services to help Tennessee workers retrain for Green jobs. DOL release here.

TCRS taps Draper Fisher Jurvetson

TCRS Private Equity Director Lamar Villere is doing business with some VC luminaries. The latest: A $25MM investment commitment from the state's pension fund to Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Menlo Park. Read about it here.

PureSafety adds content director

PureSafety President and CEO Bill Grana announced today the company has added Kevin Eggers, who previously held a similar position with Dealerskins.com, and who retired as a Chief Petty Officer after an enlisted career in the U.S. Navy. PureSafety has recently stressed it'll be expanding through acquisitions, which means an ever-broadening content footprint for Eggers to manage.

FiledBy partners with Scribd

Nashville-based FiledBy, an online directory of authors, writers, illustrators, photographers and other book contributors, said today it's integrating Scribd Reader technology into the online toolset for authors and other creators. This will let registered FiledBy users use Scribd to publish documents on FiledBy and Scribd, simultaneously.

GE hiring engineers by dozens

Louisville's Business Journal reports GE Consumer and Industrial is hiring more than 40 engineers, and searches of job sites indicates many of those are in software fields, as well as industrial.

B'ham's BioCryst tells of $57MM raise

Birmingham-based BioCryst, which has a product targeted H1N1, said yesterday it intends to raise about $57MM through a stock offering. The release is here and a Birmingham Bus. Journal story here.

Waller partner to lead HCA development

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis partner Joe Sowell has been selected to lead corporate development for HCA, according to a Waller release today.

Duncan-Williams expansion

Memphis brokerage Duncan-Williams Inc. announced adding three executives to its private-client wealth management office, release here.

Goldman Sachs aid for Small Business

Goldman Sachs, Warren Buffett, community-college leaders and others announced $300MM in aid for inner-city businesses and workforce development.

More love for Clarksville

This time, it's BusinessWeek, naming Clarksville the best city in Tennessee in which to raise children. Earlier, the city made CNNMoney's list of top 4 places to start a business. Gannett's Leaf Chronicle reports.

ORNL 'world hub"

The KNS' Frank Munger chronicles the rise of Oak Ridge National Laboratory as a world hub for supercomputing, right here. More on Jaguar.

Biz-retention incentives in Memphis

Memphis City Council voted to allow the local industrial development board to use tax incentives to keep, as well as recruit businesses. The CA reports.