Look who's turning 10!

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT STE. MARIE INNOVATION CENTRE

************************* The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre celebrates its 10-year anniversary with the community

A public 10-year anniversary celebration event will take place on December 8, 2009, at the Grand Theatre in Sault Ste. Marie

SAULT STE. MARIE - The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC) invites all community members to a 10-year anniversary celebration event on December 8, 2009.

Taking place at the Grand Theatre in Sault Ste. Marie, SSMIC will highlight many projects and accomplishments within the community since 1999 and plans for the future.

The afternoon celebration will not only highlight SSMIC’s successes, but the successes of Sault Ste. Marie in the technology, science and knowledge sectors as well.

The celebration event kicks off at 1 p.m. with special presentations made by SSMIC’s key partners, including Alex Miller, president, ESRI Canada.

SSMIC has worked in partnership with ESRI Canada on a number of projects and initiatives which have led to many great achievements in Sault Ste. Marie, including the establishment of a health informatics research chair position at Algoma University last year.

“We invite everybody to attend our 10-year anniversary celebration and join us as we commemorate the past decade,” said Tom Vair, executive director, SSMIC. “We will not only be looking back at our past, but looking to the future and what we hope to accomplish with our continuing community partnerships. Sault Ste. Marie has experienced a lot of positive growth, innovation and change over the last 10 years and we are excited with the potential for growth in the next decade as we continue to build on the community’s successes.”

Food and refreshments will also be served beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Following this, guests are invited to learn more about SSMIC by viewing GIS and business services presentations by staff.

For more information on SSMIC’s 10-year anniversary celebration, contact Marla Guzzo, marketing specialist, by e-mail or at 942-7927, ext. 3130.

About the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre

The Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre was founded in 1999 and serves as a catalyst for growth in the IT, science and knowledge-based sectors in the Algoma District.

In 2009, they merged with science enterprise Algoma to combine resources and accomplish their mutual goals of enhanced innovation capacity for both the IT and bioscience sectors.

The Innovation Centre works closely with community partners to enhance and improve science and IT sector opportunities.

The Innovation Centre is focused on four core areas: operating a business incubator to encourage the establishment and growth of business start-ups; providing support services to the SME (small to medium enterprise) IT and science community; supporting the establishment and enhancement of advanced research projects in the region and undertaking strategic market development projects such as the highly successful GIS project.

The Innovation Centre operates an award-winning GIS department that has been recognized internationally for its unique community information utility model and advanced work in the health and human services sector.

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