In his new role, Williams will continue to work with campus economic development colleagues to develop the university’s 10 research parks and incubators across the state. His responsibilities will include identification of appropriate tenants, creation and implementation of a marketing plan, negotiation and preparation of leases, and management of tenant relationships and site development projects.
Williams will directly manage the Missouri Research Park in St. Charles County, Discovery Ridge Research Park in Columbia and the University of Missouri Technology Park at Fort Leonard Wood. In addition, he will consult on the Business, Technology and Research Park at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Innovation Park at Missouri University of Science and Technology.
“The university’s network of statewide research parks is a strategic asset for the state and a boon to Missouri’s economy,” said Nichols. “Greg’s leadership and experience in this area will help us expand these parks, which are key to enhancing the university’s public/private partnerships and spurring the state’s economy. These parks help start-up and established businesses bring innovations to the marketplace that result in more jobs and new tax revenues to the state.”
Williams has more than 24 years of experience in economic development. Since 1995 he has served as senior vice president of economic development for the Springfield, Mo., area Chamber of Commerce. In this role he was responsible for formulating economic development strategies and developing program initiatives for national business development, existing industry retention and expansion, marketing, regional development and capital campaign management. Williams also served on a partnership team for a large-scale, master-planned industrial park development, led the formation and administration of a regional Angel Investor Network, and was instrumental in achieving more than $450 million of new capital investment in the Springfield region.
Prior to joining the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Williams worked as executive director of the Randolph County/Moberly Economic Development Corporation and the Brookfield-Marceline Economic Development Council , as well as the Missouri Department of Economic Development. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Missouri. Williams is a certified economic developer and past president of the Missouri Economic Development Council. He is currently a member of the Missouri Partnership Board of Directors and Advisory Board, the International Economic Development Council, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Missouri International Business Development Council and the Missouri BIO Advisory Board.
About University of Missouri Research Parks and Incubators:
The University of Missouri System has a statewide network of research parks and incubators to spin out technology developed at the university’s four campuses into the marketplace. The university’s first park, Missouri Research Park in St. Charles County, supports more than 4,450 jobs and has more than 17 tenants with a cumulative economic impact of approximately $786 million. Discovery Ridge is central Missouri’s newest research park with two tenants who employ nearly 300 employees. This park is estimated to have a cumulative economic impact of $3.5 billion over the next 25 years. Technology Park at Fort Leonard Wood is estimated to have a cumulative impact of $44 million.
For more information on the university’s research parks or its economic development mission, visit https://umsystem.edu/ums/departments/ed/.
For a high-resolution photo of Williams, visit http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1283/4685383270_c2d9a91f72_b.jpg.
Reviewed 2011-08-24