Wharton Named Program Director for Georgia Centers of Innovation

ATLANTA, July 2, 2008 – Sterling G. Wharton has been named Program Director for Georgia's Centers of Innovation (COI) program, which pairs high growth, technology-oriented businesses and entrepreneurs with applied research, technology connections and technology commercialization expertise to foster economic growth. The six Centers of Innovation offer industry-relevant research and a network of university and technical talent to industries within Georgia's strategic industries. These strategic industries include advanced manufacturing, aerospace, agriculture, energy, life sciences and logistics. Mr. Wharton will manage a team of 20 staff members, coordinating all the activities of the centers and enabling them to work effectively as a team with the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), which houses the COI program. He will focus on program management and business development, forming strategic relationships and developing the various industries' assets and resources. Mr. Wharton will work with the individual centers' directors to coordinate strategic planning and strengthen their connections with Georgia's university system, government organizations and communities. He will also work to coordinate the response to industry-wide technology challenges, develop thought leadership within Georgia's strategic industries and increase the visibility of the centers. 'Sterling's expertise in growing businesses will be a great asset to the Centers of Innovation,' said Greg Torre, director of the Small Business & Innovation division at the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). 'The program has unlimited potential to help our small businesses by connecting them with research and technology that will help them grow, and Sterling's deep experience in business development will help them build on their previous successes.' Mr. Wharton comes to the Centers of Innovation with an extensive background as an organizational leader. With educational degrees from Georgia State and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he has consistently been successful at improving operations, increasing revenue, expanding market shares and promoting dynamic market growth. He has most recently served as the CEO for Unitrends in Columbia, S. C. At Unitrends, Wharton improved monthly revenue by more than 500 percent, virtually doubling year-over-year revenue growth for two consecutive years, while more than doubling gross margins. At Alteon WebSystems, where he was Director of Worldwide Channels & Business Partners, he spearheaded a highly successful Channel and Partner strategy launching industry-leading channel program securing over 200 premier partners in all regions of the world. He also led expansion into international markets that generated over $100 million in revenue. Most recently, Wharton has served as Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the Atlanta Technology Development Center (ATDC). The Centers of Innovation program, created in 2003 by Governor Sonny Perdue, is comprised of six centers for strategic industry growth and development: agriculture, aerospace, energy, life sciences, logistics and manufacturing, located respectively in Tifton, Eastman, Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah and Gainesville. Among the services they provide to Georgia businesses are access to university-level research and development, product commercialization, industry-specific business counsel, and client connections to research grants and potential investor networks. For more information, visit http://www.georgia.org/business-resources/georgia-centers-of-innovation/ The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.