Gov. Chris Gregoire speaks to Bellingham community members Monday afternoon at the new Technology Development Center located in the Waterfront Innovation Zone, also known as the former Georgia-Pacific site. Photo by Max Wilbert
Gov. Chris Gregoire spoke Monday at the grand opening and dedication of the new 1,000-square-foot Waterfront Innovation Zone: Technology Development Center located on the Port of Bellingham’s 220-acre Waterfront District.
The Technology Development Center, created through a partnership between Western Washington University, Bellingham Technical College and the Port of Bellingham, is now home to technological training, engineering development and research for both Western and the technical college.
Gregoire said through this partnership and partnerships with Washington businesses, Washington students will become more experienced and ready to enter the work force, while Washington businesses will become more competitive nationwide.
“Not only do we advance our knowledge of engineering, [but] our students gain marketable experience and our companies are gaining a competitive edge,” Gregoire said.
The Innovation Partnership Zone program was developed two years ago by Gregoire and the Washington State Legislature.
Bellingham’s Waterfront Innovation Zone is one of 11 other similar zones statewide, Gregoire said.
Also speaking at the event were U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, Western President Bruce Shepard, Bellingham Technical College President Tom Eckert and Port of Bellingham Commission President Scott Walker.
“Our paramount goal is to build brighter futures, certainly for our students, but also for the state of Washington,” Shepard said.
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