INBIA Board of Directors Names 2016 Executive Committee

ORLANDO, Fla. - Sept. 17, 2015 - PRLog -- The International Business Innovation Association (INBIA), a non-profit organization and global advocate for stakeholders within entrepreneur-driven economic ecosystems, completed its board of director’s meeting Sept. 12-13, 2015 in Orlando, Fla.  The board meeting served as the Association’s annual meeting, and included strategic planning sessions to kick-off the upcoming fiscal year which begins Oct. 1. During the meeting, the board of directors voted in the 2016 officers.

John Hanak, the Purdue Foundry Director of Venture Capital and Funding Resources, will serve as INBIA’s board chair during the upcoming fiscal year. The new first vice chair is Charles Ross, who is also the Vice President of Economic Development and Community Engagement at Kennesaw State University, while the second vice chair is Devon Laney, the President and CEO at Innovation Depot in Birmingham, Alabama. Chuck Wolfe, President of Claggett Wolfe Associates, will continue as the board’s treasurer, and Jamie Coughlin, the Director of New Venture Incubator Programs at Dartmouth College, is the new board secretary. Tom O’Neal, Associate Vice President of Research & Commercialization at the University of Central Florida and Executive Director for University’s Business Incubation Program, is an ex officio member of INBIA’s board as the outgoing board chair.

The meeting this past weekend was the first for the newly elected board members that were announced earlier this summer. They were joined by Lou Cooperhouse, the Director of Rutgers University Food Innovation Center, who was appointed to the board by INBIA President and CEO Kirstie Chadwick.  She adds, “I am delighted that Lou will join the board this next year as my appointee. Lou has been a long-time INBIA member and brings a wealth of knowledge and perspective that will be extremely beneficial as we strive to achieve some very aggressive goals over the next year.”

INBIA’s Board of Directors serves as a governing body, and is comprised of 15 members who are elected by the membership. INBIA's president & CEO also may appoint one additional member. The board oversees INBIA’s governance policies, drives long-term strategic direction, and sets financial objectives for the INBIA. The board also advises INBIA staff on issues pertaining to the global entrepreneurial ecosystem as they are an active representation of INBIA’s diverse membership.

To learn more about the INBIA, its board of directors, staff or membership, please visit www.inbia.org.