Bill Dean - Senior Associate, Innovative Communities – Research Parks – Global Networks

Bill is a Senior Associate with Garner Economics with a focus on next generation technology economies.  Bill is an internationally recognized and accomplished senior executive with over 20 years’ experience in developing innovative ideas with strategic outcomes for technology-led economic development and research park advancements. He is known as a dynamic speaker and champion for beneficial relationships within academia, business and government.

Over the past decade, Bill has been the Director of the Piedmont Triad Research Park where he was brought in to lead and initiate technology development (biotech) in Winston-Salem. In this role, he created an entrepreneurial infrastructure and initiated a community technology roadmap within the Chamber Technology Council to drive growth. Dean has served as thought leader for new ideas such as the first regional office of the NC Biotechnology Center, the NC Research Parks Network, and the Wet Lab LaunchPad™. He was on the cover of Site Selection, July 2002, State-of-the-Art Research Parks; and wrote an article in the Scientist magazine supplement, April 2007, Growing Technology in Winston-Salem. Bill has been interviewed in other publications such as UrbanLand, July 2008, and participated on an EDA telecast in Washington, D.C. discussing University-Based Partnerships for Economic Development.

Bill was formerly Research Park Director of Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama. Cummings Research Park is recognized as one of the nation’s largest research parks and received the award for “Outstanding Research Park Achievement” from AURP (Association of University Research Parks) in 1997. In 2009, he was named first Chairman of the North Carolina Research Parks Network, which represents a coalition of seven leading research parks across North Carolina. In addition Bill was elected President of the North American Division of the International Association of Science Parks (IASP); during his tenure he serves on IASP’s esteemed International Board of Directors, comprised of science park leaders from around the globe.

Bill received a BBA Degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Mississippi in 1972, and is also a 1981 graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University. He held the position of President and Chief Executive Officer for Colonial Bank in Huntsville, Alabama from 1988 - 1993.

Bill was two-term Past President of the Association of University Research Parks in Washington, D.C. Wake Forest University Calloway School of Business recognized Mr. Dean as an Honoree of Beta Gamma Sigma in 2002. He is the first recipient to be recognized by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Triad Region, for the Biotechnology Service and Support Excellence Award in 2005. Mr. Dean received the Career Achievement Award of Excellence in 2005 by the Association of University Research Parks in recognition for advancing the field of Research and Science Parks.