(Editor's Note: This letter is in response to last week's Observer article, Study: Farmingdale State Has $1 Billion Economic Impact on Region.)

Even though I moved from Long Island three years ago, I still receive Google news alerts about the region. I am encouraged that after all of these years that the vision of the role the Farmingdale State College could play in the economy had finally evolved and come to pass. I was associated with the College of Engineering Technology in the early 90s and had the great opportunity to share the vision of then Provost Mike Vinciguerra. Dr. Ezra was my mentor back then and he often spoke of the valuable role of community interaction of the university's faculty and students with local businesses. Those who run the program(s) today owe a lot to Dr. Ezra and people like him, who long ago understood the important economic development impact that a school of Applied Science and Technology could have.

My memories and the lessons learned from my years at Farmingdale State College (as a Research Professor for Technology Transfer) are still with me today. The lessons of history should not be forgotten. Your article would not have been written were it not for the hard work of the leadership, faculty and staff people back in the early 1990s to create the programs that live today.

Jay Fraser, President

Tracer Detection Technology Corp.