The Coastal Bend Business Innovation Center at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi presented the third “Innovation Center Awards” at its May 16 quarterly advisory board meeting.
The University’s College of Business established the Coastal Bend Business Innovation Center in 2009 to stimulate job growth by encouraging entrepreneurial economic development of companies that, once established, are committed to remaining in the Coastal Bend. The annual awards recognize extraordinary effort and contribution in the goals of the Innovation Center by faculty, students and clients.
This year’s “Faculty of the Year” award went to Dr. Kent Byus, associate professor of Marketing at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Throughout the year, the client companies, and students of the Coastal Bend Business Innovation Center benefited from Dr. Byus’s expertise, time and talent. Dr. Byus brought focus to the needs of clients for a business plan course that was instructive and efficient. He has dedicated his time with participating in several client meetings and assisted one of the clients to conversion of his business status to better position his business for possible grant funding.
The “Student of the Year” award was presented to Chelsea Childress, a Masters of Business Administration student with a Health Care Administration concentration who has been working at the Center for more than a year assisting client companies. As a Graduate Assistant she has demonstrated outstanding work ethic and positive attitude at the Center. She is a member of American College of Health Care Executives and the Elite Graduate Program. She was recognized as an Outstanding Islander in October 2009. She is scheduled to graduate from the Masters of Business Administration program at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in December 2012.
The “Client of the Year” award was presented to Bert Quintanilla (CFO) and Plasma Technology Inc (PTI). PTI introduces and institutes new plasma-related technologies in critical areas of life to provide safe and effective solution for health, security and wellbeing of people. PTI develops, designs, patents and then markets medical devices to be used in wound healing, tissue regeneration and sterilization. PTI went to 2nd round for the Emerging Technology Fund for $2 million in grants which is a Texas Government grant helping start-up companies grow faster.
Awards were presented by Mr. Bill Cone, Interim director of the Costal Bend Business Innovation Center. For more information on the Coastal Bend Business Innovation Center, go to www.coastalbendinnovation.com; or call 361.653.2575.