For decades, Oklahoma's elected officials and business leaders have pledged to bring clean, high-tech businesses with above-average salaries to their communities.

The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology has been in the business of making that a reality since 1987.

The center may have been one of the better-kept secrets in Oklahoma, but that may be changing, said Michael Carolina, the center's third executive director in its history.

The center's efforts were noted earlier this year at the National Governors Association in Washington, when Carolina addressed the governors about global economic competitiveness.

During his speech, Carolina told the governors about his agency's efforts to help companies research and develop technologies and then turn those technologies into commercial endeavors.

The center's annual budget is $12.4 million. With that, the agency awards grants to companies and inventors who have potentially successful ideas.

The agency also requires would-be inventors and others to find additional people to match their funds, providing a return of just more than $15 for every dollar the center awards.

"OCAST is a true collaboration between government, private and academic sectors," Carolina said.

Carolina, a former executive with Western Electric Company, AT&T and Lucent Technologies, hopes to increase the staff to 24 soon. He is seeking to double the agency's budget this year to $25.9 million. He expects support for the additional funding request, noting strong support from Gov. Brad Henry as well as other leaders.

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For further inquiries contact Stephanie Callaway.

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