Clark University Introduces Entrepreneurs-in-Residence to Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program.

Six Innovators Lead Courses that Span Campus Curriculum

WORCESTER, Mass. -- Clark University's Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) program, a campus-wide undergraduate curriculum that attracts students of all majors, today announced the 2006-2007 entrepreneurs-in-residence (E-I-Rs). Each year, the I&E program welcomes distinguished leaders from varying professional backgrounds to bring real-world experiences into the classroom to help students turn their ideas into realities and serve as mentors for students of all majors enrolled in the program.

The 2006-2007 E-I-Rs at Clark University include Jim Bildner, David Jordan, Lawrence Lapides, Douglas Mellinger, Ronald Ranauro and Jamie Rotman.

"The E-I-Rs were selected because of their proven abilities to transform ideas into industry-changing actions," said George Gendron, former editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine and founder and executive director of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship program at Clark University. "The Clark I&E program employs a very different approach - we have a goal to provide Clark students across all curriculums, not just management, with the resources needed to excel in their desired field. The E-I-Rs bring real experiences and deep networks, serve as sounding boards for young entrepreneurs and inspire all our students to take control of their own financial and professional destinies."

Clark University's E-I-Rs include:

Jim Bildner (E-I-R in the Arts) is chairman of the Literary Ventures Fund and a general partner of New Horizons Partners, LLC, a boutique venture philanthropy firm specializing in early stage companies that advance critical public policy issues in literature, healthcare, education, the environment and the arts. Bildner is a trustee of The Kresge Foundation, Case Western Reserve University, Lesley University and The Trustees of the Reservation. He is the author of two books and his articles and commentaries have appeared in publications including the Boston Globe, Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, Boston Globe Sunday Magazine and NPR's Morning Edition. Bildner, a graduate of Dartmouth College, earned his J.D. from Case Western Reserve School of Law and has an M.F.A. from Lesley University.

With more than 30 years of experience in rehabilitation, education and healthcare management, David Jordan (Social E-I-R) is currently president and CEO of Seven Hills Foundation. Jordan holds an M.A. degree in Special Education from Salve Regina College, a Masters of Public Administration from Clark University and received his Doctorate in Health Administration (DHA) from the Medical University of South Carolina. Jordan was honored by the Worcester Business Journal in 2002 as its first-ever Business Leader of the Year - Nonprofit category and again in 2005 when the publication ranked Seven Hills Foundation as the fastest growing nonprofit organization in Central Massachusetts. Dr. Jordan's current academic research involves the emerging phenomenon of social entrepreneurship - the blending of economic value with social value - and applied leadership.

Lawrence Lapides (E-I-R) is currently vice president of worldwide sales at Averant, Inc., a leading supplier of functional verification software products for integrated circuit designers. Previously, Lapides served as vice president of worldwide sales at Verisity Design, Inc., the top performing IPO of 2001. In addition to his 15 years in software startups, Lapides spent nine years in the electro-optics industry, publishing over a dozen technical papers on infrared sensors. Lapides earned his M.B.A. from Clark University, received his M.S. in Applied and Engineering Physics from Cornell University and his B.A. in Physics from the University of California Berkeley.

Douglas Mellinger (E-I-R) is vice-chairman and founder of Foundation Source, the nation's leading provider of outsourced services for private foundations. Mellinger has a long-standing interest in philanthropy, starting at age ten, when he participated in his first fundraiser for the Jerry Lewis MD Telethon. Since then he has been an active entrepreneur, philanthropist, fundraiser, non-profit executive, non-profit board member and foundation director. Mellinger has a keen interest in community service directed toward youth, education and economic development. He is a graduate of Syracuse University with a degree in Entrepreneurial Science.

Ronald Ranauro (E-I-R in the Sciences) is currently CEO of Gene-IT, a leading supplier of genomic search software for life science research enterprises. Ranauro leans on his experiences as an entrepreneur, sales executive, engineer and team builder to lead Gene-IT. Prior to this position, Ranauro founded and led Blackstone Technology Group, a provider of grid computing for life sciences research. He has an M.S. in Computer Science and a B.S. in Management from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Jamie Rotman (E-I-R in the Arts) worked in the entertainment industry for ten years, initially as a production assistant and later as an actor, producer and second assistant director. Rotman ultimately attained the position of director of development for Pfilmco where she analyzed scripts and worked closely with directors and writers. Overall, Rotman's work traversed a range of media including television, theatre, film and music. Currently, she is president of Designcenters.com, an online jewelry and accessory store, which sells items from around the world and donates money to non-profit organizations. She holds an M.B.A. with a concentration in Management and Marketing from Clark University.

The Innovation & Entrepreneurship undergraduate program grew out of Clark University's rigorous liberal arts education and long-standing commitment to bringing outside experiences into the classroom. A cross-curriculum program launched in 2005, the I&E curriculum provides the tools and training necessary to prepare undergraduate liberal arts, science and management students to be agents of change. I&E graduates have a broadened awareness of their opportunities and the differences they can make in their own lives and in the community at-large.

For more information about Clark University's Innovation & Entrepreneurship program, please visit www.clarku.edu/clarkinnovation/clark_IE.htm.

About Clark University

Clark University is a private, co-educational liberal-arts research university with 2,000 undergraduate and 800 graduate students. Since its founding in 1887 as the first all-graduate school in the United States, Clark has challenged convention with innovation programs such as the International Studies Stream and the accelerated BA/MA programs with the fifth year tuition free for eligible students. The University is featured in Loren Pope's book, "Colleges That Change Lives."