Economic development initiative leads to building a $5 million EMC testing and training lab

The idea of developing a world-class EMC lab as part of an economic development initiative in Nebraska took root in 1997 when a group of local companies put their heads together with a large state university, a community college, economic development lobbyists and state legislators. The state of Nebraska funded the $5 million plan to put a lab in place and have it managed by an independent nonprofit entity known as the Nebraska Center for Excellence in Electronics (NCEE). This paper highlights just some of the steps and side steps taken to create and sell the concept to the state, specify the equipment and physical facility, and staff and manage it via a group of local businesses in a nonequity role, while meeting the requirements mandated by the state and the marketplace.