The UB Business Alliance, now in its second year of operation, has a keen understanding-as SUNY Chancellor Robert L. King pointed out during remarks at the organization's second annual reception, "Igniting Ideas," on Feb. 8-that collaboration between the public and private sectors is key to economic vitality.

	SUNY Chancellor Robert L. King (left), with UB President William R. Greiner, holds an “Igniting Ideas” stressbuster.
	photo: Stephanie Hamberger

Which, perhaps, is why the chancellor-whose mission when he was hired was to discover new ways to integrate that which the university offers into the private economy-was "heartbroken" when he discovered UB already was doing just that.

R. Wayne Diesel, hired as vice chancellor for business and industry relations, was charged by King to devise a system whereby businesses could link easily into the university's resources.

"So Wayne got right to work," King said with mock pride. "Here was the brilliant new idea from this wonderful new chancellor, and he comes back to me about a month later, he says, 'Guess what?-They're already doing a lot of this in Buffalo.'"

"I was heartbroken," he said half-jokingly. "I was so sure this was such an original idea.

"So, I am here to tell you that while I'm heartbroken that I've discovered you've discovered this before me, I am thrilled at what's going on here," he said.

King, who along with Diesel toured UB's research centers that morning, lauded UB as "a great enabler to do all of the other things that are now part and parcel of the economic life of Western New York."

Driving home the ongoing mission of UB, and paraphrasing the words of Harvard economist Michael Porter, King reminded those in attendance that "without collaboration in today's global economy, economic vitality will be unattainable."

"What you all represent in being here is an understanding of what Professor Porter is talking about," he said, describing what he envisions as a SUNY-wide system linking resources across the board. "Obviously, what we want to do is take what the alliance has achieved and grow that statewide.

"The synergy of doing that is what is going to reignite the economy of Western New York."

Arvin Mueller, group vice president for General Motors Powertrain and the keynote speaker at the reception, offered generous praise to the alliance for its continued efforts in helping to keep the GM Powertrain Tonawanda Engine Plant competitive.

Mueller emphasized that as the largest engine plant in the world, the Tonawanda facility "is something we are very interested in making successful."

"We see an alliance as one of collaboration and cooperation that creates synergies of mutual benefit," he said.

Calling the Western New York area a "community of change," Mueller said members of the local economy must be willing to evolve through transition.

"Why do we want these alliances?" he asked. "You've got to have a means for a market penetration and sales strategy.

"The State of New York, Erie County, General Motors have to continue to be as globally competitive with regard to new products as we are right now, or the Tonawanda plant will not survive in the future," he said. "We've got to be willing to change."

And one of the key components to effecting the necessary change to remain competitive is in industry-university partnering.

"Without the global strategy, such as the approach suggested by the UB Alliance, we could not maximize our market potential," Mueller said.

"We're focused on how to get the best industry results for all the partners," he said.