Last modified: Monday, July 16, 2007
Bill Stephan named IU vice president for engagement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2007
Indiana University and Clarian Health Partners today jointly announced that William B. Stephan, Clarian's senior vice president of community relations and corporate communications, will return to IU as vice president for engagement where he will assume statewide responsibility for economic development programs and initiatives.
Stephan's new role was developed in discussions between IU President Michael A. McRobbie and Clarian Chief Executive Officer and President Daniel F. Evans Jr. IU and Clarian are partners in the operation of Methodist, Indiana University and Riley Hospitals, and the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute in Bloomington, Ind.
Both McRobbie and Evans see Stephan's new role as furthering the economic development and job-creation goals of both institutions, especially in the health and life sciences sector.
Stephan, a former IU vice president who was responsible for IU's economic development strategic plan three years ago, will return to the university in late September where he will report to McRobbie. Stephan will be based in Indianapolis but will have oversight of a wide array of economic development activities on IU's eight campuses.
He will also serve as IU's corporate liaison to Clarian Health Partners to ensure that both institutions maximize their potential for attracting investment in new health care and life sciences enterprises.
"IU has to play a greater role in the economic development of the state and Bill Stephan knows better than just about anyone what Indiana needs to be doing to attract more investment and jobs," McRobbie said. "He is the perfect individual for this assignment. He will have broad responsibility for all economic development activities, and he will be directly in charge of some of our most important units in this area, including the IU Research and Technology Corporation."
McRobbie, who took over as president of IU on July 1, has made economic development one of the top priorities of his presidency.
"IU is a tremendous asset to economic development in the state of Indiana," McRobbie said. "We have a robust capacity for scientific research, we know how to transfer technology from the laboratory to the marketplace, and we have a deep pool of talented experts in every aspect of starting and growing business ventures. With Bill Stephan in this new role, I know we will make major progress in the years ahead."
Before joining Clarian in January 2005, Stephan had been IU's vice president of university relations and corporate partnerships. At the request of former IU President Adam W. Herbert, Stephan spent almost a year researching and drafting IU's strategic plan for supporting economic development efforts in every region of the state.
The plan was launched under the direction of Bill Hunt, retired vice chairman and president of ArvinMeritor Inc., who served in a volunteer capacity as IU's chief economic development representative.
"We are very grateful to Bill Hunt for all his hard work in getting this program started," McRobbie said. "He has established a solid foundation for Bill Stephan to build upon."
"I am delighted to be returning to IU and pleased that I will continue to work closely with colleagues at Clarian Health," Stephan said. "Both organizations are committed to excellence and integral to the economic vitality of our state, as well as the quality of life we all enjoy as Hoosiers. Prospects abound in terms of attracting jobs and businesses when you consider our collective capacity and the shared desire to more fully and strategically leverage these assets to advantage the state. I am grateful to Dan Evans and all my Clarian colleagues with whom I have worked these past several years and am looking forward to once again serving IU."
"Bill has been a tremendous asset to Clarian and in his new role, we believe that he will contribute to strengthening the alignment of our respective institutions and our efforts to hasten growth in the health and life sciences for the benefit of those whom we serve and the citizens of our state," said Daniel F. Evans Jr., president and chief executive officer at Clarian Health. "While we are sad to see him go, we know that he will contribute to the progress of IU and Clarian in his new role and we wish him the absolute best."
Stephan, a 1984 graduate of the IU School of Law-Indianapolis, has a long history of involvement in economic development activities. He served as president and chief executive officer of the Indianapolis Private Industry Council from 1995 to 1998, where he was responsible for workforce policy and brokering job-training resources for thousands of workers. Prior to that, he was director of the Workforce Development Division of the City of Indianapolis and subsequently served as chief of staff and policy adviser on workforce and economic development issues to former Mayor Steve Goldsmith.
Stephan first joined IU in 2000 as an assistant vice president responsible for economic development and engagement efforts in the area of information technology. He was subsequently promoted to vice president and at various times held portfolios in university relations, corporate partnerships, public affairs and government relations. Since 2005, Stephan has served Clarian overseeing marketing, communications, public relations, community relations and government affairs.
