Letter from UT President, Dr. Joe DiPietro:
Across the University of Tennessee System, our faculty and students are conducting important research and making discoveries that impact the lives of everyday citizens. Some of this research has potential for commercialization, and I am proud to say our UT Research Foundation (UTRF) has been making big strides in the areas of identifying technology suitable for commercialization and helping our scientists navigate the long processes of patenting, licensing and creating startup companies.
Today, I am announcing a leadership change at UTRF, but our expectations of the foundation and its ability to lift the research and economic development profile of the University remain as high as ever.
David Washburn, who served as president and CEO of UTRF, has left the University for a new opportunity. The UTRF board of directors recently held a special meeting and elected David Millhorn, executive vice president and vice president of research and economic development, to serve as president of UTRF. Stacey Patterson, assistant vice president and director for research partnerships, was elected to serve as vice president of UTRF.
Drs. Millhorn and Patterson will work with the current staff of UTRF based in Knoxville and Memphis to continue the operations, increase efforts to help more faculty members and accelerate technology commercialization across the UT System. I appreciate their commitment to UTRF and our research enterprise.
Thank you for all you do for the University of Tennessee.
All the best,
Joe