Keith Marmer, associate dean for research innovation and director in Office of Technology Development at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, has been elected to the University Economic Development Association (UEDA) Board of Directors, beginning in 2014. Marmer was elected during the Annual Summit held in Pittsburgh in October.
Established in 1976, the UEDA is the cornerstone membership organization representing higher education, private sector and community economic development stakeholders. The organization works to expand economic opportunities in communities by leveraging research, community resources, campus planning, talent development, and technology commercialization. UEDA’s mission is to serve its members by enhancing member’s abilities to deliver economic development benefits through engagement with higher education.
In his role on the board, Marmer will help set the strategic and operational direction of the organization. He will focus on issues such as enhancing member services, membership development, strategic communications, program development and striving for organizational growth and operational balance.
In addition to Marmer’s appointment as a board member at the annual summit, the Innovation Café was selected as a finalist in the annual UEDA Awards of Excellence program in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Category. Each year UEDA recognizes members who are transforming their campuses into engines of economic prosperity through leading edge initiatives. The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Category recognizes initiatives designed to support startups, high-growth companies and clusters within a specific region.