FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: THURSDAY, July 10, 2008
CONTACT: Tracie Rebsamen, trebsamen@spacephotonics.com (479) 856-6353

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.— Space Photonics, Inc. (SPI) has announced that the company Board of Directors recently named Matt Leftwich, a long time employee and Senior Engineer, to Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Leftwich has worked for the company since its founding in 1999, leading many efforts in the area of advanced fiber optic communications networks for avionics and space applications. He has also been Principal Investigator on Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Programs, and is the Director of the Arkansas Space and Photonics (ASaP) Center for space and avionics testing and qualification of SPI’s products.

Space Photonics has sponsored the center in cooperation with the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. “Matt has managed our fiber optics development and manufacturing, this includes several of the SBIRs we’ve received. He has been involved in the fiber network components being developed for our largest non-SBIR Air Force Program. He’s also the Project Director for delivering our fiber optic transceivers for use on the International Space Station. This program will utilize fiber optic links for delivering external experiment data to the internal astronaut stations. Matt has done an outstanding job and has demonstrated both technical and managerial skills. This is very good timing for us since we’re in a transitional phase of growth,” said company President and CEO Chuck Chalfant.

Space Photonics develops markets and sells optical networking systems and components specifically designed to address the high reliability requirements of military and commercial aircraft and spacecraft. The company’s products enable aerospace designers to embed high-capacity, optical networking capabilities into their systems. The company is a recipient of the Small Business Administration’s Tibbetts Award, given to small companies that provide outstanding SBIR leadership. In 2004 Space Photonics was the first Arkansas Company to receive the Arkansas’ Federal Research & Development tax incentive that matches up to 33 percent of federally funded R&D programs. The company continues its collaborations with the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and at Little Rock, the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority (ASTA), and the Arkansas Department of Economic Development Commission (AEDC). For additional information about Space Photonics, visit the company web site at www.spacephotonics.com.

ARTP Welcomes Winrock & Karen McSpadden

The University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation is very pleased to welcome Innovate Arkansas as the newest affiliate in the Arkansas Research and Technology Park (ARTP). Funded by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Innovate Arkansas is being implemented by Winrock International’s U.S. Programs Unit.  Located in the GENESIS Technology Incubator, the Innovate Arkansas office is staffed by Karen McSpadden. Karen recently graduated from the Walton College of Business with an MBA and holds a bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering. Innovate Arkansas’ presence in the ARTP offers our corporate partners direct access to the services that Innovate Arkansas provides including:

Product assessments
Market feasibility analyses
Commercialization strategies
Business plan development
Product/concept valuation

With the shared goal of fostering and retaining a technologically skilled workforce, the UATDF is looking forward to working with Innovate Arkansas to lower the barriers faced by emerging technology companies especially in the areas of recruitment of managerial talent and equity capital. Aside from working with existing ARTP corporate affiliates, Karen and her team will work with new technology-based entrepreneurs across Northwest Arkansas to move new innovations and high-tech service concepts toward viable commercial enterprises. By doing so, Arkansas will benefit from an increase in higher-paying jobs and better opportunities for its college-educated youth, as well as entice young professionals from outside the state to relocate to Arkansas.

Winrock International is a nonprofit corporation created in 1985 when three Rockefeller-founded organizations merged: the Winrock International Livestock Research and Training Center, the Agricultural Development Council and the International Agricultural Development Service. Winrock operates programs is over 60 countries worldwide with the mission to improve lives worldwide by empowering the disadvantaged, increasing economic opportunity and sustaining natural resources. Winrock International is headquartered in Little Rock, and its U.S. Programs unit brings global expertise home to benefit Arkansas, the Midsouth and the United States. Rural and enterprise development programs, technology assistance and environmental services provide crosscutting strategies to address challenges facing the region and nation.

Innovate Arkansas is a perfect complement to Winrock’s portfolio of projects. By providing training and technical assistance to help develop industry based on new technology, Innovate Arkansas is reinforcing and expanding the Winrock mission. Winrock is proud to be a partner in this exciting initiative that will increase economic opportunity in Arkansas.

If you are interested in learning more about the services that Innovate Arkansas offers, visit http://innovation.arkansasbusiness.com.  Karen McSpadden is located in the Genesis Technology Incubator, Room 1003B at 700 W. Research Center Blvd, Fayetteville, AR 72701. She can be reached at 479.575.5488 or kmcspadden@winrock.org. Information on Winrock International and its programs may be found at http://www.winrock.org.