CRANE, Ind. (Dec. 03, 2008) – STIMULUS Engineering Services Inc., an Indiana-based small-business focused on creating technology transition opportunities between NSA Crane, universities and private industry, today announced that it will join the growing list of technology and engineering firms residing in the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park.

"The WestGate represents a strategic opportunity for the creation of high-impact jobs and regional growth for southern Indiana," said Lt. Governor Becky Skillman. "The park's potential to spur broad economic development across the region is again underscored by the presence of STIMULUS."

STIMULUS focuses on developing synergies that lead to commercialization in the life sciences, energy, and defense industry sectors, as well as applying new technology toward improvements in defense systems. The company will initially occupy approximately roughly 5,500 sq. ft. in one of the two business incubator buildings currently housed in the Technology Park and employ approximately 12 people at the location.

“Locating at the WestGate facility will maximize on our partnering component with NSA Crane and allow us to apply our efforts toward technology transition and commercialization,” said STIMULUS Vice President of Operations Cary Bledsoe. “Our strategy is not to focus solely on the growth of STIMULUS, but to branch that growth into opportunities for NSA Crane and the surrounding communities in providing meaningful career choices in technology fields.”

Additional construction in the park began earlier this year for three new mixed-use buildings in the WestGate, which provides expansion opportunities for commercial defense contractors serving the U.S. Department of Defense-related contractors in and associated with the Naval Surface Activity (NSA) Crane, located immediately west of the park.

NSA Crane is Indiana’s largest military base in terms of geographic size and employment, and the U.S. Navy’s third-largest physical base. The approximately 3,000 federal civilian employees working at Crane and another 3,000 government contractors working in the Crane region in south central Indiana constitute one of the most educated and well-paid workforce regions in the state.

“STIMULUS Engineering Service’s decision to continue its growth in the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park demonstrates the possibilities for real growth and progress in this region,” said Dale Ankrom, managing partner of the WestGate @ Crane Development Co., LLC. “The vicinity around the 100-square-mile Navy base offers numerous advantages for commercial defense growth. With state-Certified Technology Park status from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the WestGate Technology Park can and is providing a critical leadership role for commercial economic expansion in the Crane area.”

By early 2009, the WestGate is expected to offer about 90,000 sq. ft. of new mixed-use facilities. To date about $9 million in private equity has been invested in the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park.

As the WestGate continues to come online with new buildings, research and development facilities, and high-tech secure warehouses, the technology park is ideally situated to attract major defense and related national operations into Indiana.

Current tenants in the WestGate include defense contractors Technology Service Corporation, ML Enterprises, NAVMAR, EG&G and SAIC, as well as the headquarters operations of the Crane Federal Credit Union (which directly serves base employees and residents of the region). The WestGate expects to make several more announcements within the coming months as leases are finalized with additional companies.

Since the park’s inception, defense and other companies have made commitments for about 275 jobs at the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park.

About WestGate@Crane Technology Park
Qualified as a state Certified Technology Park (CTP) by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park represents a natural marketplace for defense contractors currently providing technical support and research and development services to the base. EG&G, a subsidiary of the $2 billion URS corporation, and SAIC, the nation’s 7th largest defense contractor, in addition to ML Enterprises and NAVMAR, already maintain operations in the park. For more information, please visit WestGate@Crane