PTRP Names New Head

Eric Tomlinson has been named both President and Chief Innovation Officer of the Piedmont Triad Research Park.  According to information from other sources reporting on Mr. Tomlinson appointment, such as the Winston-Salem Journal, the News Release from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, and the Triad Biz Journal, Mr. Tomlinson is an experienced scientist and CEO with a special emphasis on bringing new products to market and will accordingly oversee all research and commercialization efforts.

$136.6 Million in Arts Related Spending in 2010

That number comes from a report from the Americans for the Arts, an advocacy organization.  The report, which looked at 182 regions nationwide, also found that the arts in Forsyth County supported 4,769 full-time jobs.  This article about the study on the Arts Council website quotes Mayor Allen Joines as saying the study affirms that the arts are major economic driver in the area; the article also notes that Forsyth County "substantially exceeded the median of similar study regions and the national median."  

Pepsi Bottling Ventures to Expand in W-S?

 
The company which is based in Raleigh and is the largest privately-held Pepsi bottler in North America, has requested incentives from the city to expand its distribution operations on Myer Lee Drive near Smokin' Harley Davidson off Business 40.  According to this Winston-Salem Journal article, Pepsi Bottling Ventures LLC, is seeking up to $1 million dollars and the office of Mayor Allen Joines has stated that there is a potential for 200 new jobs. 

Greenway Plan Adopted

This is the logo for W-S Greenways, a citizen group that advocates for more greenways.

Winston-Salem City Council approved the plan, which is an update of the 2002 Greenway Plan on Monday, June 5th.  The plan will guide the construction of new greenways and bike trails  for the next 10-15 years and urges connectivity between existing greenways.  It does not propose any previously unproposed greenways and does not allocate any further monies toward greenway construction.   This is a link to Winston-Salem Greenways.