Research Profiles
John Parks
Innovista executive director warms to task
Like a successful scavenger hunter nearing his prize, John Parks was getting hotter the closer he moved to his ultimate destination.
After leading research campuses at, in order, Iowa State, the University of Illinois, and the University of Kentucky, Parks assumed leadership of Innovista as executive director in January 2007. He also holds the position of University of South Carolina associate vice president for economic development.
"The temperature gets 10 degrees warmer with each move," he jokes. Then, seriously, "It's a place I can make a permanent residence and retire."
As executive director, Parks doesn't just coordinate University land and building projects. He also works with private-sector companies. "Much of this project will be driven by the private sector," he says.
Most of the land slated for Innovista development is privately owned. "There is a lot of interest in redeveloping downtown Columbia, particularly the Innovista district and innovation area," he says.
Making it work
Parks is working to make this transformation a reality. "I work with many different groups of people, so a large part of my job is forming partnerships. I have to learn how to make things work well, both for private developers, and the University.
"The people are the fundamental thing that attracted me here."
Those people include current residents as well as those who are involved in redeveloping the community. Parks says he feeds off their enthusiasm. "There is an energy that people can feel in Columbia. People want to see it re-developed."
Successful track record
He has served as director of the University of Kentucky's Coldstream Research Campus and president and CEO of Kentucky Technology Inc., the university's technology incubator program in January 2004.
He has had similar successes as director of the Research Park, Enterprise Works, and the Technology Commercialization Lab at the University of Illinois, and as president and CEO of Iowa State University's Research Park Corp.
Despite his success, Parks says there is not magic formula. "Nobody really trains you how to do this," he says. "There aren't 10 steps that equal success in a university research campus environment."
For Parks, it seems to work, well, 10 degrees at a time.
--By Sharnequa Steed
John Parks, Innovista executive director and associate vice president for economic development at the University of South Carolina.
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