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• Olympus and Kodak Agree on Cross Licensing Digital Camera Technologies
Kodak Company and Olympus Optical Company, Ltd. announced at the recent PMA a cross-licensing agreement designed to expand the market for digital photography. The agreement includes the mutual cross licensing of patented digital camera technologies. In addition, both parties have agreed to work together to promote improved digital printing of images so that consumers will be able to find better ways of storing and printing pictures. This service is expected to utilize Kodak Internet capabilities, including the Print@Kodak Internet photofinishing service and Kodak PhotoNet Online. Financial terms of the cross-licensing agreement were not disclosed.

• Epson & RIT Partner
Epson America Inc. and the Rochester Institute of Technology will be launching a partnership to change the way the school teaches photography to give students critical expertise in digital imaging. Under the Epson/RIT partnership, Epson will provide digital imaging equipment that will enable RIT’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences to shift the emphasis in photographic education to encompass both analog and digital technologies. The school will begin teaching photography digitally next fall because the immediacy of computer-generated and edited images printed on inkjet printers offers greater efficiency than a silver-based darkroom. Information: Epson America Inc., 3840 Kilroy Airport Way, Long Beach, CA 90806-2469, (562) 290-5683; e-mail: pam_barnett@ea.epson.com.

• Phojournalists Online Image Delivery
picSmart is a new website (www.picsmart.com) allowing photojournalists worldwide to deliver their pictures of breaking news directly to media organizations. The site works to connect photojournalists to photo buyers, enabling them to syndicate their work to a worldwide network of publications, while retaining copyright and control over their images. Information: picSmart, 2117 L St. NW, #285, Washington, D.C., (202) 265-1140; e-mail:mimi@picsmart.com

• EPIC R.C. Hakanson Award
The Evidence Photographers International Council (EPIC) awarded its prestigious R.C. Hakanson Award to forensic photographic expert and lecturer Frederick Bird. Bird, a retired Connecticut State Police sergeant and expert in commercial, evidence and precision aerial photography. Information: Evidence Photographers International Council, 600 Main St., Honesdale, PA 18341, (570) 253-5450.

• Mitarai Inducted into PMA Hall of Fame
Fujio Mitarai, president and CEO of Canon Inc., was inducted into the PMA Hall of Fame at the PMA 2001 Annual Convention and Trade Show in Orlando, Florida. The PMA Board of Trustees selects individuals who have achieved both personal success and have played a major role in the advancement of the photo imaging industry. Mitarai has been with Canon since 1961 and was appointed chief executive officer in 1997. Information: Photo Marketing Association, 3000 Picture Place, Jackson, MI 49201, (517) 788-8100; e-mail: tcrawford@pmai.org.

• Hasselblad’s Forssbaeck Dies
Hasselblad has announced the passing of Bengt Forssbaeck, who joined the company in 1981, and as sales and marketing director was instrumental in the growth of Hasselblad’s U.S. subsidiary, Hasselblad USA. Information: Hasselblad USA, 10 Madison Rd., Fairfield, NJ 07004, (973) 227-7320.

• Nikon Names new VP
Arnold Kamen has been named Nikon Inc.’s first vice president of Operations and Customer Services. In his new position, Kamen will manage a broad spectrum of corporate activities in the U.S., including operations, repair and service, logistics, customer relations, and shipping and receiving. Kamen joined Nikon in 1978. Information: Nikon Inc., 1300 Walt Whitman Rd., Melville, NY 11747-3064, (631) 547-4200.

• Canon’s New Hyperphoto Digital Express 3000
Canon has introduced a new and faster way to convert and deliver photos. HyperPhoto Digital Express 3000 is a complete system with multi-function performance capabilities that increases workflow efficiency to produce up to 25–30 CDs per hour. It is three times faster, provides three times better performance and is three times more profitable than other photo conversion systems. HyperPhoto Digital Express 3000 is an integrated hardware/software system that enables pros to digitize a variety of analog images to create CDs, index prints and package prints, and even upload images to the Internet from a wide variety of media sources. Information: Canon U.S.A. (800) OK-CANON, www.canonhyperphoto.com.

• Reagan Bradshaw Scholarship
Two years ago, nationally prominent advertising illustrator and color landscape artist, Reagan Bradshaw lost his life in an ultralight accident. Through his wife Elizabeth and the American Society of Media Photographers, (ASMP), an endowed scholarship was created to aid students of professional photography in Austin and Central Texas. The 30-year old Photographic Technology Dept. of Austin Community College was chosen as the ideal institution to memorialize Bradshaw, who always found time to advise students and photographers new to the profession. Former president and ASMP board member Mark Herron, ASMP board member Clem Spalding and Elizabeth Bradshaw presented the scholarship fund to ACC Photo Program Coordinator, Lynn Jones and college president Dick Fonte in a recent ceremony at the northern campus of Austin Community College.