Northern Kentucky led the state's six regional Innovation and Job Centers in creating high-growth, high-paying jobs in the past fiscal year.
Northern Kentucky's ezone, a division of Northern Kentucky Tri-Ed, along with the region's entrepreneurs, created 189 jobs - out of 660 new jobs statewide - from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009.
The average salary these workers earned was $77,343, according to the 2009 Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC) report to the Department of Commercialization and Innovation within the state Economic Development Cabinet.
Northern Kentucky's ezone efforts at job creation for high technology businesses surpassed centers in Lexington, Louisville and Eastern, Western and South Central Kentucky.
"Despite the economic climate in 2008 and 2009, the state's six Innovation and Commercialization Centers helped create 660 new jobs throughout the Commonwealth," said Deborah Clayton, Commissioner of the Department of Commercialization and Innovation. "The Northern Kentucky ezone was very successful in creating high-tech jobs in the region."
The Northern Kentucky ezone worked with 29 new high tech companies, helping them garner $14 million in investments from venture and angel funds. An additional $2.1 million was invested in these companies from the KSTC and other public funds.
"Generating more than $16 million in investments for our companies is a significant milestone for the ezone," said Casey Barach, vice president of entrepreneurship at the Northern Kentucky ezone. "Northern Kentucky experienced a lot of growth in the life sciences sector over the last year, including the expansion of bioLOGIC Corporation and its portfolio of companies."
Find out more about the Northern Kentucky ezone and ezone companies here.
Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Cheryl Besl, STRATA-G Communications
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