Keller Williams Realty of Northern Colorado

NASA – Colorado Association for Manufacturing & Technology (CAMT) project a game-changer
by Kelli Wallace, Director of Technology

I’m a compulsive note taker. Knowing that, imagine my anxiety as I sat at my luncheon table watching leading economists click through slide after slide of facts and data. Not that I didn’t come prepared – on the contrary I was well-equipped with my brand new tablet, trusty smartphone, and even good old-fashioned pen and paper. But my technology arsenal wouldn’t save me; I couldn’t type fast enough.

It was the 2011 Northern Colorado Economic Development (NCEDC) Annual Luncheon last week, and we were all there for the same reason – to learn about the latest developments surrounding the Aerospace Clean Energy Innovation & Manufacturing Park, commonly abbreviated to just “ACE.” It was my job to blog about the event, and I was just as excited as everyone else when I arrived. 15 minutes later, as job growth rates, unemployment numbers and 2012 projections flew across the screen, I felt like the kid in elementary school that couldn’t keep up with dictation. Then Elaine Thorndike and Diana Hoyt took the stage and I suddenly realized I had almost missed the ENTIRE POINT!

Elaine and Diana make you raise your head before they even take the stage. Their introductions included heavyweight credentials like “Advanced Studies of Computer Science and Management at Harvard” (Elaine) and “Innovation/Partnership Development in the Office of Chief Technologist at NASA Headquarters” (Diana). Everyone at the event wanted to know what they ate for breakfast! Elaine and Diana were invited to speak about how ACE is taking shape in Northern Colorado, an already-hot topic for our region. The park is estimated to create 10,000 jobs and $8 billion (yes billion) in net economic output over five years…enough to get anyone’s attention.

In an engaging move, Diana kicked off her keynote by calling on three audience members, asking what they wanted to get out of her presentation. Our very own David Fredlake was called upon from hundreds in the audience and he put it succinctly: “I want to know what to tell people when they ask about ACE.”

Here is the answer.

ACE is a Great American Story of Innovation
In its physical form, ACE is a place where private sector companies will have direct access to several decades’ worth of NASA-developed technology that they can leverage for private sector commercial purposes. More importantly, the park will house on-site resources to assist private sector companies in overcoming the hurdle of manufacturing new aerospace and clean energy technologies. Diana refers to this manufacturing hurdle as the “valley of death” for these kinds of endeavors. In other words, these companies have incredible products, but are stymied by the manufacturing process and ultimately fail to launch (pun intended). The ACE Technology & Manufacturing Park turns the “valley of death” into a “mountain of hope,” making it possible for new technologies to flourish in the private sector.

In short order, this park will be a beehive of collaboration and ideas set into motion. The park is a first of its kind and will be used as a model for similar facilities across the United States.

ACE is a story about the Power of Engagement
The story behind the story at this annual economic event is about the power of engagement. Elaine and Diana started their presentations off with “18 months ago we had a conversation…” When you look at what has become of their conversation, ACE, it is simply amazing. Working in the technology and real estate industry, I follow tech-savvy experts like @thegeekygirls, @Liz_Landry and @katielance. While I pickup different tips and tricks from each of them, there is a common note amongst all of their messages – they all come back to the importance of engaging with your network of people. Hearing the story of Elaine and Diana reaffirmed just how powerful ideas are when we engage and collaborate with one another. Make no mistake; ACE will affect every person reading this blog post.

So what was the big point I almost missed? I came to the NCEDC luncheon to capture statistics and 2012 projections, and there was a lot of good stuff in that arena. Luckily there were professional reporters at the event to do just that (see article links below). But what really struck me was the significance of what is happening here. I am lucky and proud to be a part of a community embracing ACE, proud to watch people like these two women leading our technology & science industry, and proud of a country where a project like ACE can thrive amid the most challenging economic climate since the Great Depression. ACE is a marriage between the same ingenious NASA research that put a man on the moon and the fiery spirit of entrepreneurship and capitalism that has carried this nation since its beginning. We have a lot to be proud of and to look forward to. Someone grab me a flag!

Keller Williams Realty of Northern Colorado Relocation Specialists attending the event: Melany Arrington, David & Margo Fredlake, Kara Gan and Michael Wallace. Also attending: JoAnn Johnston, Operating Principal; Heidi DeForge, Team Leader/Managing Broker; Joy Ferguson, Relocation Director; and Kelli Wallace, IT Director.

Great articles about the NCEDC Luncheon…with statistics, projections and more:

• Regional report indicates economy improving, slowly by Rebecca Powell, Coloradoan
• NASA official outlines ACE vision at NCEDC luncheon by Rebecca Powell, Coloradoan
• Speaker: Loveland ACE project will be national showcase by Tom Hacker, Reporter-Herald

Additional Links:

• Click here to learn more about the ACE project as a whole
• Curious how NASA-based technology has already made its way into your home? Check out to learn more!

Kelli Wallace
Director of Technology
Keller Williams Realty of Northern Colorado
http://about.me/kellinwallace
@knwtech