New LIA exec's first focus: medical jobs

Resi Cooper, who was named Wednesday to fill a temporary role aimed at creating local jobs, didn't waste any time getting started.

Cooper, the Long Island aide to former U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, will head Accelerate Long Island -- a new Long Island Association program aimed at creating businesses out of research conducted at the region's labs and universities -- until a permanent executive director is found.

One of her first moves: organizing an April 2 meeting that will allow seven small medical technology companies to meet the top executives at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System.

The companies will have an opportunity to sell their services to the giant health-care company and learn more about the industry.

Tom Hartnett Jr., chief executive of Ronkonkoma-based Medical Technology Products Inc., manufacturers of intravenous pumps, is invited. Hartnett said his company's pumps were used by North Shore years ago but a larger company came in and took the business. He said he looks forward to getting another chance at it.

"It would interest me to see if they are looking for a pump that would last 25 years," Hartnett said.

Cooper plans to organize meetings for companies in other industries, as well.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y), who has played a major role in organizing Accelerate Long Island, saluted the upcoming meeting. "We must empower young entrepreneurs here to take innovation from the lab to the marketplace," he said.