acutler (Andy Cutler)
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About Me
Cutler & Company was founded in 2003 with a particular focus in helping innovative companies and institutions tell their stories to the audiences that matter most to them. We offer a wide range of services including editing/writing services (including web content, marketing collateral, bylined articles and opinion/editorials), web design, media relations, media training, audio/video production, message development and relationship building with key audiences. Our clients have included, Afferent Corporation, Andera, Bioprocess Technologies, Business Innovation Factory, Concordia Fibers, Design Awareness, ecolect, EpiVax, Global Alliance to Immunize against AIDS, NABsys, Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC), Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Rhode Island Science & Technology Advisory Council (STAC), Slater Technology Fund and Tizra.
Recent Content
Andy Cutler is a founding partner of Cutler & Company, a Providence-based public relations firm.
Exciting news that could significantly and positively impact the state's info-tech and digital media sector came out of the RI Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) yesterday. First, with an eye towards increasing growth capital available to companies poised for expansion, the agency announced two major developments:
- A new strategic alliance with the Business Development Company of Rhode Island (BDCRI) and the Business Development Company of New England (BDCNE). RIEDC joins with the BDCs in a partnership to bring the financing tools of two of the most recognized business development organizations in the United States to an expanded number of Rhode Island businesses with more that $200 million in growth capital products available to invest.
- The RIEDC announced that they are working with legislative leaders to propose legislation that will establish a $20 million Growth Capital Guarantee Program to create new high-wage job opportunities for Rhode Islanders.
Additionally, the RIEDC announced the launch of an attraction campaign, Opportunity: Rhode Island, aimed at identifying expansion and relocation opportunities initially focused in the Financial Services, Information Technology and Digital Media, and Health and Life Sciences sectors. They are teaming up with the RI Commodores, a group of leading RI business people/organizations.
"Our Economic Growth Plan centers on job growth in target industry sectors that pay higher wages and provide workers with good opportunities to move from lower paying entry-level positions to higher-wage positions," says RIEDC Executive Director Saul Kaplan. "Rhode Island has significant strength and momentum in six target high-wage industry sectors: Financial Services, Information Technology and Digital Media, Health and Life Sciences, Marine and Defense Technology, Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Products, and Consumer Products and Design. Building on this foundation through a regional attraction effort will enable us to strategically invest limited resources in areas where opportunities for success are highest."
For those interested in learning more about the strategies/tactics being deployed to grow our economy and increase the number of high-wage jobs here, check out the following links:
I attended this event last year and it quite incredible to see these high school students work so collaboratively and revel in their love for science/robotics. Below please find some information on this year's upcoming event on March 2 at New England Tech's Automotive Center (located off of I-95). Thanks in advance for anyone who can help out on that day. You will NOT be disappointed. See http://www.riedc.com/files/Apr...
Thanks.
Andy
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The FIRST Technical Challenge (FTC) in Rhode Island is looking for technical professionals, educators, parents and all others interested in supporting robotics and students to help with the FTC Challenge on March 2, 2008. The event will be held from 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and will be held at the Automotive Technology Center at England Institute of Technology in Warwick. We are in need of volunteers to serve in a variety of roles to make the day run smoothly.
The day of the FIRST FTC Challenge, 40 RI high school teams totaling 400 students, will put their robots to the test. The teams compete in a timed technical challenge against each other. The day is full of team energy, cheering for the robots and the excitement of coming down to the wire to determine the winner.
We need you! We need you to work with these RI students for the day. If you are interested in helping out please complete the attached form to Erin Flynn.
RI FIRST needs volunteers in the areas of:
Judges Referees Scoring Pit Managers
Crowd Control Registration Announcers Time Keepers
Judges Assistants Field Manager Runners Team Queuers
Practice Field Coord. Queuing Assistants Floaters Information
Greeters Robot Inspectors
For more information on FIRST and the FTC Challenge go to www.usfirst.org. If you have any general questions please contact Erin Flynn, RI FIRST Affiliate Partner at New England Institute of Technology, 800-736-7744 ext. 3462 or by e-mail at eflynn@neit.edu.
Has anyone noted that this year's theme to the Davos Conference is collaborative innovation? See http://www.theglobeandmail.com...
What I find most amazing about it is that it has been the theme of the past three Business Innovation Factory Summit's (see http://businessinnovationfacto...)....right here in Providence.
Little Rhode Island's collaborative innovation posse (and you know who you are) should hang there heads high knowing that the world's leading figures will be discussing an approach that many Rhode Islanders now actively engage in--creating a more collaborative environment in our state. New social networks, like this, are growing each day creating further dialogue, discussion and collaboration between different parties. Ideas are coming off-screen and being put into action. As Rhode Islanders representing government, academia, public and private sectors form new collaborations, we are closing that one degree of separation (or connectedness) that is the only thing that stands between us and new (and cool) opportunities.
Collaborating is tough. It takes time, effort, stamina and energy. On average it can take up a fair amount of one's week. It can involve sharing ideas and sharing resources. There are tons of examples of people collaborating here and I think that is what makes Rhode Island an increasingly special place.
This year's theme at Davos is not really unlike the philosophy of "random acts of kindness." If each of us engaged in random acts of kindness, the world would be a better place. So too with respect to collaborating across institutions (and party lines).
According to the piece in the Globe and Mail, "Davos organizers also invited citizens around the world to respond via YouTube to The Davos Question. "What one thing do you think countries, companies or individuals should do to make the world a better place in 2008?" The most popular responses will be played at Davos, and leaders around the world will record their reactions to the suggestions." Once available, I look forward to checking out those videos!!!!
Tattoos and Suits....
I went to today's forum on Next Generation spaces hosted by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) and RI Nexus. It was really refreshing being in a room of people as diverse as this; once again showcasing Rhode Island's talent and interest in this subject matter.
I especially enjoyed observing folks with tattoos sitting next people with suits and ties sitting next to IT and digital media entrepreneurs sitting next to developers sitting next to architects sitting next to artists. Quite refreshing and again highlighting the hip factor we sometimes take for granted here. Over 100 people registered for this event!!!!
As an owner of a PR/communications business working with academic/government/technology and design ventures and co-located with an industrial design firm, a green design company and a graphic design shop, it was helpful to learn about the next generation of spaces/projects coming online in this marketplace and what is happening in other places like Phillie, Boston, and Portland (ME).
Thanks to Adam from BatchBlue for starting this very important discussion on RI Nexus, which led to today's forum! Great example of taking discussions off of this site and creating a live and in-person discussion (creating further networking opportunities).
Great job moderating this discussion Jack!
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Jack:
Thanks for your posting. Your "connecting the circles" metaphor, I believe, is our single greatest challenge and opportunity moving forward. Finding ways to cross-fertilize people of different backghrounds, and skill sets is an essential component in building an even stronger foundation for cool things to be happening here in the future. As the communications chair of the IDSA-RI Chapter, our chapter will be on the forefront of such interconneted activities. Again, thanks for raising this important issue!
AC
Has anyone seen or heard about this?
http://www.brainwavenyc.org/
According to the group putting this on--
BRAINWAVE asks how art, music, and meditation affect the brain and offers countless answers in more than a hundred public events, ranging from an exhibition of contemporary art and a cinema series to cutting-edge concerts, performances, talks, and panels.
This "only in New York" cultural festival is organized by six New York institutions: Rubin Museum of Art, Exit Art, Science & the Arts at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, The Philoctetes Center at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute, and the School of Visual Arts, in association with the Public Programs/American Museum of Natural History.
After also seeing Lisa Carnevale's last post on "Freeze Grand Central", it also got me thinking that we could probably do something similar to BRAINWAVE, but maybe focusing our efforts on the arts and design world (with so many various perspectives, our academic assets and cool entrpreneurial community), we may be able to do something equally as cool (without being a copycat).
If anyone would like to explore this further over a cup of coffee, let me know.
This is very cool Lisa. Thanks for sharing this link.
It makes think that with such a creative community as we have here, things like this could take hold here too. It is through these kinds of actions (as depicted in the video you shared) that we learn a lot about ourselves, and our society.
Tattoos and Suits....
I went to today's forum on Next Generation spaces hosted by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC) and RI Nexus. It was really refreshing being in a room of people as diverse as this; once again showcasing Rhode Island's talent and interest in this subject matter.
I especially enjoyed observing folks with tattoos sitting next people with suits and ties sitting next to IT and digital media entrepreneurs sitting next to developers sitting next to architects sitting next to artists. Quite refreshing and again highlighting the hip factor we sometimes take for granted here. Over 100 people registered for this event!!!!
As an owner of a PR/communications business working with academic/government/technology and design ventures and co-located with an industrial design firm, a green design company and a graphic design shop, it was helpful to learn about the next generation of spaces/projects coming online in this marketplace and what is happening in other places like Phillie, Boston, and Portland (ME).
Thanks to Adam from BatchBlue for starting this very important discussion on RI Nexus, which led to today's forum! Great example of taking discussions off of this site and creating a live and in-person discussion (creating further networking opportunities).
AC
Having attended the previous two BIF Summits on Collaborative Innovation, I can say this is a one-of-a-kind event and we are fortunate to have Providence serve as the host city. The list of storytellers and hosts reads like a who's who in the world of innovation. What's even cooler is that these storytellers are coming here to participate in a truly unique discussion about collaborative innovation (and lessons learned).
What better than Rhode Island to have this discussion? We are uniquely positioned (and therefore gathering more national attention) because of our ability to recognize our size and use it to our collective advantage; between our academic, entrepreneurial and public sector networks, access to potential collaborators exist at an increased rate here. It's easy to connect with people here. I have found it to be a "one degree" of separation type of environment where no one is ever more than one call or email away. If you need/desire to find partners, collaborators, soundingboards, and support for new, innovative ideas you may have than this is the place to be.
For those that are considering going to the Summit, you will find it time well spent; listening to engaging tales of innovation from the "best of the best" while at the same time being able to network with a group of leaders from virtually every sector, with whom you may be able to forge new collaborations. It's a great program that has an equally great group of attendees and speakers. Business, community and government leaders from around the country will be on hand as participants. Take advantage of this Rhode Island jewel of an event!
Hope you can make it!