By Jeff Pelline,
jeffp@theunion.com
January 16, 2007
OTHER
NEWS.....
Tech Center Expands
(The Union - December 3, 2007)
Technology & Trees
(PDF)
(Nevada County Business News - December 2007)
2Wire eyes bigger slice of tech area
(The Union - May 2, 2007)
Building a Future for Our Children
(The Union - May 1, 2007)
Tech firms promise shining future
for Nevada County
(The Union - January 16, 2007)
Tech Center to open offices in
Spring
(The Union - September 9, 2006)
A good fit for Larkspur
Landing
(Marin Independent Journal - August 25, 2005) |
TECH FIRMS
PROMISE SHINING FUTURE FOR NEVADA COUNTY
It's heartening to see 2Wire become a tenant
at the Nevada City Tech Center.
If I had a vision for our community, it would be to attract more businesses
like this one. I'm a big fan of tech, but these businesses also provide
well-paying jobs (money that is spent in our community), typically are
"clean" industries and also are innovative. Plus, you can eat lunch by a
real stream, not the artificial one that George Lucas built for his workers
at the Presidio in San Francisco.
It's a "win-win" for workers and businesses, largely made possible by
high-speed Internet access, video conferencing and other technologies that
make our world smaller.
This, in fact, is 2Wire's business - broadband services. We have a 2Wire
computer modem in our house, the heart of a wireless network that we use
daily, to check e-mail, surf the Web - and read newspapers. San Jose-based
2Wire was founded in 1998 by Brian Hinman, a co-founder of PictureTel and
Polycom. (Polycom is another favorite tech company, providing video
conference systems).
We hear a lot about big-box stores and chains, but you'd be surprised how
many tech businesses like this are tucked away in the Sierra foothills -
with the potential to lure many more. And it's not just the Grass Valley,
Thomson Group. I met a guy at the county fair last year who works for
National Semiconductor out of a satellite office in Grass Valley. I have
another friend who telecommutes for Autodesk.
I hope the trend continues, because businesses and jobs like these will make
our area more stable and independent. |
