Two alumni – IBM executive John E.
Kelly III '76 and Jane Sadler '73, president of a company that sells portable
planetariums – took the spotlight in this week's 2004 Summit
at Tech Valley
at the Empire State
Plaza Convention Center
in Albany.
Kelly, senior vice president and
group executive, Technology, Systems and Technology Group at IBM, received the
MIKE award in recognition of his “vision and leadership in elevating Tech
Valley's standing in the global high-tech community” at a luncheon on
Thursday.
Sadler, president of Learning
Technologies Inc. of Somerville, Mass.,
was keynote speaker at the Innovative Educator Awards dinner on Wednesday
evening.
The Summit,
sponsored by the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce, is one of the
premiere annual events in the region's technology initiative.
Innovation is prospering in Tech
Valley because of the human capital
made possible by Union and other colleges and
universities, Kelly told the audience. “There is no better human capital than
here in the Capital Region.” He cited Union
College and other regional
institutions that “shape the landscape that form this wellspring of ideas.” The
region's college and universities have already played a key role in research
and development, he said, citing the Union's Converging
Technology program.
“Much of the high-tech growth
in Tech Valley
can be tied directly to the support of Dr. Kelly and IBM,” said Ann
Wendth, senior vice president of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of
Commerce and lead organizer of the Summit.
“We are fortunate to have him working on our behalf,”
Kelly also recently was named to
“Tech Valley's
Hot 10” list by the chamber. The list recognized 10 people who have been
very influential in the region's increased focus as a high-tech center.
Kelly, a member of Union's
Board of Trustees, has been a leader in a collaboration in which IBM is
assisting the College with its Converging Technologies initiative. Kelly
received a bachelor of science degree in physics from Union
in 1976. For more about Kelly's involvement with Union,
read the press release about his joining the Board of Trustees: http://www.union.edu/N/DS/s.php?s=3455
Sadler, president of a company
that sells portable, inflatable planetariums, told an audience of educators and
scientists that “a good idea can turn into a great idea with creativity, innovation
and a sense of adventure.”
The planetarium, called STARLAB,
comes in two sizes, one accommodating up to 35 people and one that will fit up
to 80 people, and is capable of fitting in the hatchback of a small car. It is a
low-cost way to provide access to a planetarium in areas where it would
otherwise be unavailable.
“Our living room served as a test
area for these domes,” she said. “And all these years later, teaching under the
dome still captivates children and adults.”
The Sadlers' son, Benjamin, is a
first-year student at Union. “He had several schools to
choose from and decided on Union,” she said. “All in
all, it's a nice reconnection with Union for me.”
She spoke about starting the company
27 years ago with husband and fellow teacher, Philip. Sadler later became a school
principal. Both left their jobs in schools as the company grew.
“Jane Sadler is an extraordinary
fit for the dinner that honors cutting-edge educators in Tech
Valley,” said Wendth. “As
a former teacher and school principal, she understands the educational
environment, and at the same time, her company is using technology to help
prepare students for the future.”
Sadler and her company were
profiled in a recent “Newsmakers” (“The Universe in a Duffel
Bag”) in the Union College magazine: http://www.union.edu/N/DS/s.php?s=4362.
