MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGIES NAMES NATIONAL LEADER AS DIRECTOR

Michigan State University issued the following press release:

A national leader in both identifying winning technology and assessing business environments will be the first chief executive officer of MSU Technologies, the university's new organization that will harness commercial talent and leadership to transfer MSU's discoveries and innovations to industry.

Lisa Kuuttila, who most recently helped build the University of New Mexico's Science and Technology Corp. into a thriving intellectual property hub, will be director of MSU Technologies, Ian Gray, vice president for research and graduate studies, announced today.

She starts May 7.

"I'm excited to be joining MSU in this capacity leading a new organization," Kuuttila said. "MSU Technology has great potential to stimulate economic growth within the state by helping to translate research results into new start-up companies as well as established businesses.

"MSU Technologies can provide a portal to the university for companies seeking access to expertise, facilities or other kinds of support that universities can provide."

MSU researchers routinely make important discoveries and develop new technologies that have commercial potential. MSU Technologies will assess the commercial value of those innovations and market the most promising to potential commercial partners throughout the world, including venture capital investors. MSU Technologies also will help MSU inventors start new businesses to develop the commercial potential of their discoveries.

"In the spirit of our land-grant heritage and our world-grant vision, Michigan State University embraces its responsibility to promote innovation and economic competitiveness for Michigan," MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said. "Ms. Kuuttila has an impressive track record and vast experience. Drawing on her Michigan roots, we are fortunate to have her lead this exciting new enterprise at MSU."

Trained as an electrical engineer, and a native of Traverse City, Kuuttila comes to Michigan State with nearly 25 years of leadership experience in technology commercialization and licensing. She has been assistant vice president for technology commercialization at Purdue Research Foundation; director of technology commercialization at University of Georgia; and director of the Office of Technology Commercialization, Center for Advanced Technology Development, Iowa State University.

Her prior experience includes a consulting practice that provided strategic marketing and technology transfer consulting services for a wide variety of well-known technology corporations, universities and foundations, including Stanford University.

"Ms. Kuuttila brings a proven record of technology transfer expertise to Michigan State University," Gray said. "Her ability to work with faculty, businesses, and venture capitalists augurs well for a smooth initiation of MSU Technologies. Her leadership will give us a jump start to achieving our goal to be best of class."

MSU Technologies will be a cornerstone of economic development, working closely with such regional efforts as Prima Civitas, Lansing Economic Area Partnership Inc., Right Place and MSU Extension. Her salary is supported in part by the MSU Foundation, which Gray said will strengthen ties to MBI International and other commercialization efforts.

MSU Technologies will serve as a model business organization for career training of MSU students in the commercialization of science and technology. Its staff will work with the Institute for Entrepreneurship in the Eli Broad College of Business to define elements of a new curriculum to attract students to an entrepreneurial career path. Internships and other training opportunities also will be available through MSU Technologies.

Kuuttila brings skills in the marketing and start-up company aspects of technology commercialization, having significantly increased the number of spin-off companies at each university she has served. She has substantial expertise in university-based equity transactions and managed the seed capital venture fund on behalf of Purdue Research Foundation, making investments in Purdue start-ups.

"I have worked for several universities in my career with research strengths in different areas, and I'm very comfortable working across a wide range of technologies - agriculture, life sciences, computer sciences, and other physical science disciplines," she said. "I'm excited to be joining MSU because it has expertise and strengths in all these areas."

Kuuttila received her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan and her master's degree in public administration from Iowa State University.

She is married and has two daughters.

Local reaction:

"The addition of Ms. Kuuttila to MSU Technologies positions this university and this region to achieve President Simon's goal of leading the world in the post-petroleum economy. With the new programs, policies, and personnel in place we now have the alignment necessary to achieve this important goal". - David Hollister, Prima Civitas Foundation, president and CEO

"This is a huge leap for economic development in our region. MSU has tremendous assets that will aid us in transforming our region into one that is diversified and investing in new technologies, life sciences and alternative energy. We look forward to working collaboratively with Lisa and the MSU Technologies team." - Elizabeth Haar, Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), co-chair; Accident Fund, president and CEO; Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan, senior vice president

Contact: Sue Nichols, 517/353-8942, nichols@msu.edu.