health business

After watching its Big Ten rival, Purdue University, make big waves with research parks and business incubators, Indiana University wants to make a few splashes of its own.
IU on Monday named a new vice president to help jump-start its economic-development efforts and oversee a wide array of activities on eight campuses across the state.
William B. Stephan will start his new job in September as IU's vice president of engagement, a new position that will be responsible for transferring technology from the laboratory to the marketplace, encouraging a gusher of startup companies and nurturing new jobs. He will make $240,000 a year.
Stephan has been senior vice president of community relations and corporate communications at Clarian Health Partners since 2005.
IU and Clarian are partners in the operation of the state's largest hospital system, which runs Methodist, Indiana University and Riley hospitals.
The news comes less than a month after Purdue, known for its aggressive role in economic development, said it would build a fourth research park, this one on 78 acres near Indianapolis International Airport, with the goal of luring dozens of startup companies and thousands of workers over the next decade.
Purdue is also getting ready to nearly double capacity of its high-tech business incubator in West Lafayette, which is filled to the brim with startup companies.
Stephan said he did not regard Purdue as a rival in economic development, but as a potential partner.
"Purdue has done an excellent job in this area," he said Monday. "There's an opportunity for us to work more closely with our colleagues there. We're hopeful there will be new relationships and collaborations to allow us to ramp up in this area."
His sentiments were echoed by Michael McRobbie, who took over July 1 as president of Indiana University.
"Our competition with Purdue should be restricted to the football field and the basketball court," McRobbie said. "Outside of that, we should be working together at every possible opportunity to advance the interests of the state."
In recent years, the state of Indiana has lost thousands of high-paying manufacturing jobs and now lags the nation in per-capita income. The state is trying to attract more startups and expansions, with an emphasis on the life-science and high-tech sectors.
IU has already made some big strides, by establishing a business incubator in Indianapolis and a research park in Bloomington. But the university has acknowledged it can do more.
"Given the limited resources we've been able to devote to this area, we actually have done reasonably well," Stephan said. "But there's an opportunity to do even more, and that's where we will bring renewed emphasis."
In his new role, he will also oversee the IU Research and Technology Corp., as well as the business incubator, located on the Downtown Canal. He said he wants to expand the incubator, which is at capacity. He also wants to mine all the university's research portfolios, particularly in life sciences and information technology, with an eye for helping create new business opportunities.
Stephan also will serve as IU's corporate liaison to Clarian Health Partners to make sure both institutions maximize their potential for attracting investment in new health-care and life-sciences enterprises, both organizations said Monday in a joint statement.
Stephan brings a long career in the public and private sectors to his new position, including a stint as chief of staff to former Mayor Steve Goldsmith. Before joining Clarian three years ago, he worked at IU as a vice president, responsible for developing a strategic plan for economic development. He said he left IU to join Clarian to become more involved in health-care issues.
"Bill knows a lot of people in town, and he understands the IU system," said Mike Brooks, president of the Indiana Health Industry Forum, a nonprofit organization that works to build the industry here. "I would call him a behind-the-scenes operator who gets the job done."
"He's an honest broker," said David Johnson, president and chief executive of BioCrossroads, a nonprofit group that has helped raise more than $120 million to invest in life-science companies in Central Indiana. "When you deal with him, you know you're getting a straight answer."

source:www.indystar.com