Conference to target tech development

Representatives of the public and private sectors from around the state next month will discuss how to make Nevada more friendly to technology.

The two-day conference is scheduled June 3-4 at Harrah's Reno.

It's expected to draw economic development experts, state and local officials, scholars and entrepreneurs.

The conference sponsored by the Nevada Commission on Economic Development and Sierra Pacific Power will cover subjects such as the importance of intellectual property law to technology companies and the skills necessary to market the state to high-tech industries.

A panel including representatives of the high-tech industry, meanwhile, will address whether Nevada's image hampers the efforts to attract more technologybased companies.

That discussion is likely to cover subjects such as education, the quality of the state's workforce and Nevada's quality of life, said executives of the Commission on Economic Development.

Keynote speaker will Dr.

Joseph ( Jay) A.

Kayne of Ohio's Miami University.

An expert in entrepreneurship, he's worked with Nevada officials to determine ways to build entrepreneurial and technology sectors of the state's economy.

(For registration to the conference it costs $150 for two days go to the Commission on Economic Development Web site, www.expand2nevada.com.)