Pike Powers
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| This article, Pike Powers, has recently been created via the Articles for creation process. Please check to see if the reviewer has accidentally left this template after accepting the draft and take appropriate action as necessary.
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| This article, Pike Powers, has recently been created via the Articles for creation process. Please check to see if the reviewer has accidentally left this template after accepting the draft and take appropriate action as necessary.
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Comment: There are other more minor issues, mostly associated with my inability to affirmatively confirm the existence of the references. The addition of links using the url= function in the web citation template would be very helpful! Pbritti (talk) 20:55, 6 March 2023 (UTC)
John Pike Powers IV (May 1, 1941 – October 31, 2021) was a Texas attorney, state legislator and civic leader who championed government investment in regional, innovation-based economic development. His legal and political experience put him at the center of a remarkable period of economic growth that transformed Austin, Texas, into a city which has become a model for public and private investment[1].
Early life and career
Powers was born in Beaumont, Texas, attended Lamar University and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law in 1965. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1972 and represented Jefferson County in the state Legislature until 1979. In 1978, he opened the Austin office of the Houston-based law firm Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton, Fulbright & Jaworski) where he served as managing partner. He retired in 2006.
Government investment and economic development
In 1983, Texas Governor Mark White asked Powers to serve as his executive assistant. Powers' ability to build coalitions between government, academia and private investment was instrumental in Austin's winning two national competitions for major technology consortia. In 1983, the Microelectronics Computer Consortium (MCC) surprised the nation by choosing sleepy Austin. Powers is widely credited with drafting the incentives[2] that in 1987 won (and later attempted to retain) the Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (SEMATECH), a public-private partnership jointly funded by the U.S. Dept. of Defense and the semiconductor industry to recapture U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing [3]. Central to both selections was the support of the University of Texas which subsequently benefited from an infusion of faculty talent and facilities. Its Cockrell School of Engineering evolved into a world-class research institution, creating a virtuous cycle of jobs, talent and investment that continues to attract public and private investment and encourage entrepreneurship [4].
In 1996, Powers led Austin's successful effort to recruit Samsung Semiconductor's first U.S. manufacturing, or fabrication (fab) site[5]. Samsung's initial $4 billion investment continues to grow, creating jobs and attracting investment across the Central Texas region. He worked with Texas Governor Rick Perry to draft legislation t0 encourage greater cooperation between government, academia and private industry in attracting regional investment, initially including the $295 million Texas Enterprise Fund, a financial incentive tool to help Texas cities compete against other sites for projects that offer significant job creation and capital investment [6]. Power served as an expert witness on the impact of government-sponsored innovation on U.S. competitiveness, in 2006 testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Science [7]
Collaboration and Achievements
Powers' contributions to Austin's innovation ecosystem continued until the end of his life. The Pecan Street TStreet research project measures the impact of alternative power sources on residential communities is based at the Pike Powers Commercialization Lab. Other collaborations included MassChallenge, the Army Futures Command, and the University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School. Achievements include:
- Member, Texas House of Representatives, 1972-1979
- Executive Assistant, Governor Mark White, 1983-1984
- Austin Chamber of Commerce, chair (1989) and vice chair (1990)
- Texas Super Lawyer (2003)
- 100 Most Influential Lawyers in the United States (1988,1991, 1994)
- Member, State Bar of Texas Board of Directors
- Member, Maritime Law Assoc. of the United States
- Member, Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel
- Member, National Assoc. of Railroad Trial Counsel
- Governor’s Science and Biotechnology Council (2002-3)
- Austinite of the Year (2005)
- Texan of the Year (2017)
References
- ^ Wright, Lawrence (February 13–20, 2023). "The Astonishing Transformation of Austin". The New Yorker (February 13-20, 2023): 37.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date format (link) - ^ Lammers, David (May 21, 2003). "Texas raises the ante in effort to retain Sematech". EE|TImes. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ "Austin Rides a Winner:Technology,"Verhovek, Sam Howe, The New York TimesJanuary 31, 1998
- ^ Gibson, David; Rogers, Everett M. (1994). R&D Collaboration on Trial. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School Press. pp. 163–166, 484, 496. ISBN 0875843646.
- ^ Pope, Colin (November 1, 2021). "A powerhouse for Austin's economy passes away". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Lammers, David (May 21, 2003). "Texas raises ante in effort to retain Sematech". EE|Times. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ "Innovation and Information Technology: The Government, University and Industry Roles in Information Technology Research and Commercialization" (PDF). Field Briefing before the Committee on Science (Serial No. 109-48): 22–32. May 5, 2006 – via U.S. Government Printing Office.