City of Peoria Press Release
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City of Peoria and BioACCEL Hire Director For BioINSPIRE
After a nationwide search, BioAccel and the city of Peoria announced today that incubator industry veteran Thomas G. Rainey has been named Director of the new Bioinspire medical device focused incubator program in Peoria
8/15/2012
 After a nationwide search, BioAccel and the city of Peoria announced today
that incubator industry veteran Thomas G. Rainey has been named Director of the
new Bioinspire medical device focused incubator program in Peoria. This city of
Peoria-funded program is managed by BioAccel in a unique collaboration to foster
high-technology medical device entrepreneurship and economic development. The
real estate component of this initiative is managed by Peoria-based Plaza
Companies, a leader in development and management of bioscience facilities. For
the past 23 years, Rainey has provided new venture development services as the
developer and director of business incubators and economic development programs
across the country.
Rainey was first recruited to Arizona in December 2006 to develop and manage
Northern Arizona Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (NACET) in
Flagstaff. At the same time, he developed Northern Arizona University�s
technology commercialization program and an Angel Investor and Mentor Networks
matching client companies with critical seed capital and business expertise. In
2009, Rainey joined Motor Excellence, LLC, an incubator based start-up company
in Flagstaff where he supported the start-up of a new company commercializing
novel motor technology for a range of mobility, robotic and medical device
applications. Motor Excellence was recently acquired by a venture fund.
Prior to his move to Arizona, Rainey served as president of the Vermont Center
for Emerging Technologies based in Burlington, Vermont and was instrumental in
the development of Dartmouth College�s Regional Technology Center in Lebanon,
New Hampshire. Rainey managed the St. Louis Enterprise Center program from
1993-1998 and has developed several bioscience initiatives nationwide as a
consultant.
�Tom brings broad experience working with technology-based businesses,
entrepreneurs and public officials,� said BioAccel CEO MaryAnn Guerra. �His
knowledge of economic development, real estate and technology commercialization
will be a great asset to Bioinspire, BioAccel�s programs and to the region. Tom
has managed both university affiliated business incubators and NASA affiliated
technology incubator programs in Florida. His background and international
experience bodes well for our relationship with future academic partners,
entrepreneurs and the venture capital community.�
Bioinspire is designed to foster and facilitate the development of
high-technology medical device technologies and companies as well as to
accelerate the development of products and spin-off companies based on research
conducted at other public and private institutions around the valley. The goal
of Bioninspire is to create knowledge industry jobs and entrepreneurial wealth
by promoting the launch of viable new businesses. The newly renovated 6,800
square foot facility is located on the Plaza Del Rio Campus in Peoria and
features individual and common laboratories, ten offices, and shared support
services. The program will be announcing it first slate of client companies in
September and will hold a Grand Opening event on September 25.
Scott Whyte, city of Peoria Economic Development Services Director added, �I�m
most delighted to have Tom Rainey, with all of his energy and experience, on
board to lead us in this exciting arena of biomedical business development. The
next several years should be stimulating and productive as the city continues to
execute its Economic Development Implementation Strategy and the state as a
whole implement the Arizona Bioscience Roadmap. Tom�s experience with local
community economic development is in total alignment with our strategic plans
and we look forward to tapping into that knowledge base."
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