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RON HENRIKSEN NAMED NEW PRESIDENT OF ADVANCED RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University President Myles Brand today (Nov. 19) announced the appointment of Ron Henriksen as the new president of the Advanced Research and Technology Institute (ARTI).
ARTI is a private, not-for profit agent for IU, charged with increasing the university's collaboration with the private sector. Major units of the institute include the Office of Technology Transfer, the Office of Corporate Relations and the Office of Licensing and Trademarks.
Henriksen currently serves as a consultant to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies on business development, financing and general management. He is also the chief executive officer of Itasca Ventures LLC. of Minneapolis, Minn., which works as an incubator company for its venture capital and corporate partners to create and build new medical technology and service companies.
From 1993-1995, Henriksen was president and chief executive officer of Khepri Pharmaceuticals in South San Francisco, Calif. From 1970 until 1993, he held a series of managerial executive positions with Eli Lilly and Company.
Brand, who is chairman of the ARTI board of directors, noted that during Henriksen's 25 years of experience in the health care industry he has had leading roles in line management, business development, mergers and acquisitions, marketing and finance.
"Ron prides himself on creating empowered organizations that take a collaborative approach to problem-solving," Brand said. "His team-oriented perspective, combined with his extensive experience working with Eli Lilly and with running a biotech organization on the West Coast, qualify him as uniquely well suited to help ARTI take full advantage of future opportunities."
"With the ARTI team," Henriksen said, "I look forward to working with IU's faculty, administration and research staff as we move our technology and expertise into the private sector."
The new ARTI leader received a bachelor's degree in industrial administration from Iowa State University and a master's of business administration (MBA) from the Harvard Business School.
Henriksen will succeed Douglas M. Wilson as president of ARTI. Wilson announced his resignation earlier this year and will join the IU Foundation as director of corporations and foundations - Indianapolis.
George Walker, IU vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School, headed the search committee for Wilson's replacement. Walker is vice chairman of the ARTI board of directors.
"Ron Henriksen has the expertise, the enthusiasm and the judgment to guarantee ARTI's future success," Walker said. "We have been very fortunate to have Doug Wilson's leadership in establishing ARTI. Now, with Ron's leadership, we will ensure the continuing success of ARTI as it moves to its next stage of development."
IU Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Judith Palmer, who is treasurer of the ARTI board, said, "Doug Wilson is well deserving of tremendous thanks and appreciation for all that he has done to launch ARTI. Through his efforts, ARTI is now positioned for Ron to take the institute to the next level."
Brand added, "Doug has done a wonderful job as president of ARTI and we are grateful for the excellent leadership he has provided to the institute during its important start-up period."
Henriksen will assume his responsibilities as president of ARTI this Monday (Nov. 23).
(DeAnna J. Hines, executive director of communications, 812-855-4343, djhines@indiana.edu)