I helped build the corporate‑engagement model universities now benchmark. Let’s build yours.
Georgia Tech calls the model “a blueprint for the 21st-century university.”
Both sides of the table
Organizations tend to continue with their existing structures, practices, and behaviors until faced with forces they can no longer ignore.
For universities, that force is now here. Long-standing models for research funding, philanthropy, workforce partnerships, innovation districts, student engagement, and corporate relations overall are being disrupted simultaneously.
The result is that institutions that once treated corporate engagement as a decentralized, relationship-by-relationship activity are now looking for more integrated, strategic, and revenue-aware models. This requires moving to a major-account-management mindset — atypical in most university environments.
With 25 years of experience focused on innovative, holistic approaches in university-industry partnerships providing mutual value at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Georgia Institute of Technology, I can help.
The forces
Working the seam between industry and the academy at Illinois, Carnegie Mellon, and Georgia Tech — building the model for what comes next.
Industry first. Then the academy. Then a startup. Results at every stop.
Account manager for large law firms and corporations — grew online-research market share through the industry’s shift to the web.
Ran Project MUSE — a 25-institution online publishing collaboration serving universities worldwide.
Redesigned and relaunched the NCSA industry program for Fortune 500 companies; participated in the Office of Corporate Relations launch (2006); actively promoted the University of Illinois Research Park and the balance of Illinois.
AVP for Business Engagement — implemented the channel engagement model and the Center for Business Engagement strategy; Facebook, Honeywell Robotics, and Philips opened facilities near campus.
Founding AVP of Corporate Engagement — built the office peers now benchmark.
J. Mark Nolan ConsultingBringing the model to institutions nationwide.Build the engine that grows industry funding.
Corporate-engagement readiness audit
Structure, CRM, channels, metrics, partner screening — scored against the benchmark, with a roadmap.
Strategy & blueprint
Office design, the nine-channel framework, governance and metrics, research–advancement alignment.
Fractional & interim leadership
Stand up or restructure the office. Hire and coach the team. Implement the systems.
Training & workshops
Holistic engagement for staff and faculty — including hiring engagement talent from industry.
Point of view
From flowers to trees
Why one-off relationships wither, and how enterprise partnerships take root.
Coming soonSilos kill
The siloed answer-set is the quiet killer of corporate partnerships.
Coming soonThe great funding pivot
Federal dollars are becoming more challenging. The universities that thrive will build corporate engines — fast.
Coming soonThe next decade of university funding will be built on partnerships. Let’s talk about yours.
Thirty minutes. No deck, no pitch — an honest read on where you stand.