NY ♥ Nanotech Confers 2008 Excelsior Award

Albany, N.Y. - NY ♥ Nanotech today conferred the 2008 Excelsior Award to Rick Hill, the chairman of the board and CEO for Novellus, an S&P 500 company that provides advanced process equipment for the global semiconductor industry. The Excelsior Award, presented for the first time this year, will be conferred annually to a prominent industry leader with ties to a New York state institution of higher education.

NY ♥ Nanotech, a collaboration between New York state companies, academic institutions and economic development organizations, presented Hill with the award following the NY panel discussion event at SEMICON West 2008 in San Francisco. More than 80 members of the delegation are representing the state's resources to more than 20,000 attendees from the nanotechnology, semiconductor and photovoltaic industries.

"Creating this new industry award further enhances the state's reputation as a global leader in the field of nanotechnology while simultaneously underscoring the strength of our higher education institutions," said F. Michael Tucker, the Center for Economic Growth's (CEG) president and CEO. The Excelsior Award is co-underwritten by CEG, the Marcy NanoCenter and National Grid.

"Rick has an impressive track record in the semiconductor sector, making him a natural fit for the first Excelsior Award," added Tucker.

"I have fond memories for Upstate New York after my time spent at Syracuse University, so I am happy to see the region make strides in the semiconductor space," said Hill. "I am honored to be named the recipient of the inaugural Excelsior Award."

Hill has been Novellus' CEO and a member of the board of directors since 1993. He was appointed chairman of the board in May 1996. Before joining Novellus, Hill spent 12 years at Tektronix, Inc., where he held a variety of positions, including president of Tektronix Development Company, vice president of the Test and Measurement Group and president of Tektonix Components Corporation. Prior to joining Tektronix, he held engineering management positions at General Electric, Motorola and Hughes Aircraft Company.

Hill holds a master's degree in business administration from Syracuse University, as well as a bachelor's degree in engineering from the University of Illinois. He is a board member of the University of Illinois Foundation and serves on the boards of LSI and Arrow Electronics.

"Prominent figures in the semiconductor industry, such as Rick Hill, have strong ties to our region stemming from time spent at our top-notch institutions of higher education," said Steven DiMeo, Mohawk Valley EDGE's president. "New York state's colleges and universities, including, of course, Syracuse University, also represent a remarkable source of new ideas and technology, as well as a highly qualified workforce for technology-based industries."

"Partnering with CEG, Mohawk Valley EDGE and other companies and organizations from around the state allows us to maximize exposure and enhance the positive perception of New York as a cohesive entity," said Art Hamlin, National Grid's director of economic development for Upstate New York. "The abundance of resources that our state can offer to the global nanotechnology and semiconductor industries is continuing to draw a great deal of attention and interest as we attend major industry events such as SEMICON West."

SEMICON West, organized annually by SEMI, includes more than 1,300 supplier and vendor exhibits with more than 42 countries represented, as well as informational and networking opportunities for more than 20,000 attendees from around the globe. For more information, visit http://www.semiconwest.org/index.htm.

About NY ♥ Nanotech:

The NY ♥ Nanotech initiative is organized by the Center for Economic Growth (CEG), with sponsorship support from National Grid, Empire State Development Corporation and the New York State Foundation for Science Technology and Innovation. Visit http://www.nylovesnano.com/ for more information.

About the Center for Economic Growth:

The Center for Economic Growth (CEG) is a regional economic and business development organization dedicated to attracting high-tech talent and companies and to providing innovative services to bolster local businesses in New York state's Capital Region and Tech Valley. CEG receives significant financial support from the NYS Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation

 (NYSTAR), New York's high technology economic development agency, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). CEG serves as NYSTAR's designated Regional Technology Development Center for Tech Valley, one of nearly 350 MEP locations across the country assisting local manufacturing and technology companies with generating new sales, creating stronger operational infrastructure and overcoming barriers to growth. CEG is based in Albany, N.Y. Visit http://www.ceg.org/ for more information.

About Mohawk Valley EDGE:

Mohawk Valley EDGE is a one-stop shop for economic development in Central New York State.  EDGE is the designated site developer for the Marcy NanoCenter, a greenfield site prepared and zoned for semiconductor manufacturing.  Marcy NanoCenter sits at the epicenter of the Upstate power grid, 90 minutes from the Albany NanoCollege and 115 minutes from Cornell University.  EDGE can also help your company find a suitable location for design centers, package and assembly, solar cell and photovoltaic manufacturing or related endeavors by leveraging an unrivaled workforce with world class R&D and financial incentives.  For more information visit http://www.mvedge.org/.

About National Grid:

National Grid is an international energy delivery company. In the U.S., National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority. National Grid is the largest power producer in New York State, owning 6,650 megawatts of electricity generation that provides power to over one million customers on Long Island and supplies roughly a quarter of New York City's electricity needs. It is also the largest distributor of natural gas in the northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.