Home » News Room » Press Releases » 1999
News Room - Press Releases
07-27-99
GE LOCATES E-COMMERCE TEAM AT KNOWLEDGE PARK
John G. Rice, president and CEO of GE Transportation Systems (GETS), recently announced that the newly created 20-person e-commerce team at GETS will locate in Knowledge Park at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, later this summer. The GETS e-commerce team will occupy 13,000 square feet in the park's first 72,000 square-foot office building; 40,000 square feet are already occupied by Aalborg Industries.
GETS' e-commerce team will create Web pages that allow railroads to track information about their GE locomotive fleet, including ordering parts and scheduling maintenance. The team is expected to double in size by year-end, including both new and current employees.
"This decision results from a recent series of meetings of GE leadership and faculty and staff at Penn State Erie," said Rice. "The opportunity to locate our development team side-by-side with people who are researching and developing information-based technologies gives us access to the latest thinking in Internet services."
John M. Lilley, provost and dean of Penn State Erie, agreed with the Rice and emphasized the College's strong commitment to improving the region's economic development and quality of life.
"Penn State Erie encourages outreach opportunities and collaboration with business and industry," said Lilley. "Knowledge Park was created to encourage new business growth and innovation, and I believe that GE's decision to locate their e-commerce team here is another example of strong collaboration and partnerships that benefit the region."
Lilley noted that in locating its e-commerce team at Knowledge Park, GETS will have access to internship programs, faculty and student research, and applied research and technology transfer centers such as the College's proposed Center for e-Commerce..
Knowledge Park at Penn State Erie is being developed in partnership with the Greater Erie Industrial Development Corporation.
"In its initial phase the park includes more than 70 acres and targets organizations that are likely to benefit from strong partnerships with university faculty, staff, and students," said Robert Ploehn, president of the GEIDC. "When its initial phases are completed the park will include a technical training center, a shared conference center, a child-care center, and at least six multi-tenant buildings housing knowledge-based companies."
"We welcome the GETS e-commerce team to Knowledge Park," said Ploehn. "They provide a wonderful example of how this park will support the business and industry of the future."
|
