News

NAMII Named One of the Top Ten Most Innovative Economic Development Initiatives by the Brookings Institution & the Rockefeller Foundation

January 18, 2013 | Categories: America Makes News

Blairsville, Pa. — January 18, 2013. NAMII, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, awarded on August 16, 2012, and driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), proudly announces today that it has been named as one of the top ten most innovative economic development initiatives in the United States by The Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and The Rockefeller Foundation.

This year’s list of “Innovations to Watch” represents the most forward-thinking and effective solutions that are now being implemented by America’s states and metropolitan areas in the arenas of low carbon, exports, human capital, innovation, and governance. The innovations are part of the Brookings-Rockefeller Project on State and Metropolitan Innovation, which presents fiscally-responsible state policies and practical metropolitan-led solutions that leaders can use to move toward the next economy.

“It is a tremendous honor to learn that NAMII has been selected by such prestigious organizations as The Brookings Institution and The Rockefeller Foundation for inclusion on their second annual top ten list of the most innovative economic development initiatives in our country,” said Ralph Resnick, Acting Director for NAMII and President and Executive Director of the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). “Given that NAMII was only founded in August of last year, it is rewarding to know that NAMII’s efforts to promote entrepreneurialism within additive manufacturing and to accelerate those technologies to the mainstream U.S. manufacturing sector have warranted recognition by the Brookings/Rockefeller Project. We fully intend to execute our mission and meet the expectations of this acknowledgement.”

NAMII, headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio, is the pilot institute under the newly created National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) infrastructure. It is a public-private partnership with member organizations from industry, academia, government, and workforce development resources. Driven by the NCDMM, NAMII serves as the nationally recognized additive manufacturing center of innovation excellence that will help to transform the U.S. manufacturing sector; yield significant advancements in the defense, energy, space, and commercial industries; and increase domestic manufacturing competitiveness.

NAMII’s singular focus is to accelerate additive manufacturing technologies by fostering a highly collaborative infrastructure; facilitating the development and deployment of efficient and flexible additive manufacturing technologies; and educating students and training workers in these technologies to create an adaptive, leading workforce.

“While partisan politics continues to paralyze Washington, leaders in states and municipalities across the country are moving forward with innovative solutions that address the many economic challenges we will face in the coming years,” stated Bruce Katz, vice president at Brookings and co-director of Metropolitan Policy Program.

All ten initiatives embrace a vision of economic growth that is productive, sustainable, inclusive, and globally oriented. They are imaginative in design; advanced by networks of leaders who cross jurisdictional, ideological and political lines; and can be easily replicated in other jurisdictions. They show the most promise for creating jobs, growing regional economies, and boosting global competitiveness in 2013.

“America is renewing itself from the bottom up. As we’ve seen before, times of great challenge often result in great innovation, and this list highlights the smart, pragmatic, and bi-partisan solutions now being implemented on the ground that will grow a skilled workforce, double exports, and bolster advanced industries,” stated Judith Rodin president of The Rockefeller Foundation. “These ten innovations represent extraordinary examples of how communities are building on their distinctive advantages to better position themselves in a global marketplace that is fiercely competitive and undergoing massive change.”

The complete list of the Top 10 State and Metropolitan “Innovations to Watch” is as follows:

Exports

Metro – Portland, Ore.: Metropolitan Export Plan – An ambitious strategy to help business and distinctive clusters of firms access global markets.

State – Florida: Office of Freight Logistics and Passenger Operations – A new department to coordinate and prioritize freight and port strategies and investments.

Low Carbon

Metro – Chicago, Ill: “Retrofit Chicago” – Leveraging private investment in a new Infrastructure Trust for the energy retrofit of public buildings.

State – California: Cap-and-Trade – The launch of a carbon trading system to lower carbon emissions and further demarcate the state as the center of the American clean economy.

Innovation

Metro – Youngstown, Ohio: National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute – A new regional manufacturing initiative to exploit the full opportunities brought by 3D printing.

State – Massachusetts: Top-USA Massachusetts – A research exchange between Boston-area and Brazilian research institutions.

Human Capital

Metro – San Antonio, TX: Pre-K Expansion – A commitment to expand pre-k education to give every student a strong start on the path to secondary and post-secondary success.

State – Kansas: Career and Technical Education Initiative – State incentives for enrollment in and completion of local technical education and community college classes.

Governance

Metro – Los Angeles, Calif: America Fast Forward – Metro-federal partnership in accelerated build-out of transit expansion.

State – California, Washington, Oregon: West Coast Infrastructure Exchange – Three-state initiative to coordinate cross-state infrastructure investments.

###

About NAMII NAMII is a public-private partnership with member organizations from industry, academia, government, and workforce development resources all collaborating with a singular, shared vision to transition additive manufacturing technology to the mainstream U.S. manufacturing sector. As the pilot institute for the newly established National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI), NAMII is the first of up to 15 NNMI institutes and is based in Youngstown, Ohio. NAMII is managed by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). For additional information, visit www.namii.org.

About NCDMM The NCDMM delivers optimized manufacturing solutions that enhance the quality, affordability, maintainability, and rapid deployment of existing and yet-to-be developed defense systems. This is accomplished through collaboration with government, industry, and academic organizations to promote the implementation of best practices to key stakeholders through the development and delivery of disciplined training, advanced technologies, and methodologies. For additional information, visit the NCDMM at www.ncdmm.org.

About The Brookings-Rockefeller Project on State and Metropolitan Innovation The Brookings-Rockefeller Project on State and Metropolitan Innovation is working to present fiscally-responsible state policies and practical metropolitan-led solutions that leaders can use to move toward the next economy that is driven by exports, powered by low carbon, fueled by innovation, rich with opportunity and led by metropolitan areas. To learn more, please visit www.brookings.edu/about/projects/state-metro-innovation.

About The Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings The Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings provides decision-makers with cutting-edge research and policy ideas for improving the health and prosperity of metropolitan areas, including their component cities, suburbs, and rural areas. To learn more, please visit www.brookings.edu/metro. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/brookingsmetro.

About The Rockefeller Foundation The Rockefeller Foundation fosters innovative solutions to many of the world’s most pressing challenges, affirming its mission, since 1913, to “promote the well-being” of humanity. Today, the Foundation works to ensure that more people can tap into the benefits of globalization while strengthening resilience to its risks. For more information, please visit www.rockefellerfoundation.org.