Pennsylvania Governor Corbett Congratulates Ben Franklin Technology Partners for 30 Years of Growing Business and Jobs

HARRISBURG, Pa., June 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today congratulated the Ben Franklin Technology Partners for celebrating 30 strong years of technology-based economic development support for entrepreneurs and job creation throughout Pennsylvania.

"The results are impressive. Since 1989, The Ben Franklin Program has helped to create 89,000 jobs, with 20,000 of those jobs in the past four years," Corbett said. "I want to congratulate the Ben Franklin Program on celebrating 30 years of success and enabling Pennsylvania to remain the State of Innovation."  

In 1982, four regional Advanced Technology Centers were formed to begin the work of transforming Pennsylvania's economy by then Governor Dick Thornburgh. The four centers have evolved into today's Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP).

An initiative of the Department of Community and Economic Development, BFTP is one of the nation's longest-running, technology-based, economic development programs.

The program provides investment capital, operational assistance, and entrepreneurial support to emerging technology-based companies and small, existing manufacturers for the purpose of creating and retaining jobs in Pennsylvania. 

 "In every corner of this commonwealth there are men and women working at good paying jobs and creating additional jobs because of the Ben Franklin Program," Corbett said. "This program was a clear plan for the future, born at one of our most confusing times of struggle. It has been proof that Pennsylvania knows how to work."

In 2011, the four Ben Franklin centers helped to create 1,344 jobs, retain 562 jobs and leverage more than $418 million of additional economic investment and activity. During that same time period, 41 new products were formed, 254 new products commercialized, 82 new internal processes implemented and 251 patents and software copyrights awarded.

Media contact: Kelli Roberts, 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor