A Corrales-based technology company has been named “2016 Business of the Year” by the Sandoval Economic Alliance.
Ideum, a company that develops museum exhibit designs and multi-touch hardware and software, was recognized for the honor during SEA’s quarterly luncheon on Tuesday. The event, held at Santa Ana Star Center, was attended by more than 130 people. Previous recipients of the award include Cable ONE in 2015 and DHF Technical Products in 2014.
Ideum producer Cyndi Wood accepted the award on the behalf of the company’s founder and CEO, Jim Spadaccini, and thanked the company’s employees that had attended the event.
Last year, according to a short video Wood presented after accepting the award, Ideum provided touch-screen panels and displays for exhibits at Santa Fe’s Institute of American Indian Art, Hamline University, the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum, Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea in Mystic, Ct., and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.
Ideum also made interactive displays for Roy Street Café in Seattle and last year’s Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, providing an educational game that taught kids about hot-air balloons by allowing them to pilot a virtual balloon.
In other matters, Grant Taylor, director of communications and marketing for the New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry, spoke about a few bills introduced during this year’s ongoing legislative session. Taylor said of the 425 pieces of legislation ACI has kept its attention on, they formally support 65 bills and are against 83 bills. Also, ACI considers 22 bills to be a high priority.
Taylor said ACI was against any bill proposed to raise the state’s minimum wage. Also, the organization was actively working to stop more than 20 bills that proposed raising taxes, he said.
House Bill 60, “Broadband Infrastructure Development” sponsored by Rep. Carl Trujillo, D-Santa Fe, and Sen. Jacob Candelaria, D-Albuquerque, was considered to be among the organization’s top priorities for the year.
“The broadband bill is the belle of the ball,” Taylor said.
If approved, the bill would amend the state’s Local Economic Development Act to include broadband infrastructure development as a type of project eligible for LEDA funding.
