ANN ARBOR – The Samuel Zell & Robert H.
Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies Center for Venture Capital &
Private Equity Finance announced Tuesday the appointment of Erik Gordon as
Associate Director. He will report to Executive Director Tom Kinnear.
In this new role, Gordon will work
directly with students in the classroom to hone their entrepreneurial
knowledge and instincts, and prepare them to work “in the trenches” with
companies, at which they will play key roles in functional areas such as
sales, marketing and business development. Gordon also plans to focus his
efforts on further developing the Institute’s reputation as a pioneer in
entrepreneurial education.
Beginning this semester, Gordon joins the Ross School of Business
faculty to teach two courses. New Venture Creation is a foundation course
in which Gordon will teach students how to prepare business plans for new
ventures in life sciences, biotechnology and other industries. The course
is centered on rigorous, in-depth research, the crystallizing of business
ideas, and the delivery of a complete, actionable business plan. Gordon
will also teach Entrepreneurial Marketing, for which he will draw on his
broad experiences in marketing and business development to teach students
how to effectively market start-up businesses to potential funders,
customers and other key influencers.
Gordon brings years of experience in research to the Institute and will
use this opportunity to further develop and share the ideas he is
passionate about including entrepreneurship and technology
commercialization. A recognized expert on the biomedical and pharmaceutical
industry, Gordon has been quoted in such high-profile publications as The
New York Times discussing how companies can best commercialize their
research and development efforts.
Gordon was the first holder of the Shulman Family Chair in Technology
and Business Innovation, has served on the faculty as director of the
Graduate Division of Business & Management at Johns Hopkins University’s
Carey Business School and joins the Institute from Stevens Institute of
Technology, where he served as an associate dean. Gordon holds degrees in
economics and law and is a member of the American Marketing Association and
American Finance Association.
As part of the core curriculum at the Institute, first year students
are encouraged to participate in the Multidisciplinary Action Project (MAP)
program, which offers MBAs the opportunity to execute high level management
assignments at start-up companies. Gordon will serve as a liaison between
student teams and the various international incubators and domestic
companies with whom they will work to solve challenging business problems.
Companies participating in this year’s MAP program include MyWire.com,
where students will research and analyze media industry trends, and Lion
Cells, Inc, where students will conduct market assessment for electric
displacement of small gas engines for the U.S., Europe and Asia regions.
“The Zell Lurie Institute is happy to welcome Erik Gordon to our team
of respected faculty,” said Tom Kinnear, executive director of the Samuel
Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. “His deep
breadth of knowledge and experience, passion for research, and expertise in
technology and entrepreneurship will make him a valuable asset to our
students and his colleagues alike. We look forward to having him join us in
our efforts to grow, develop and advance tomorrow’s business leaders.”
The Institute and its Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity
Finance bring together a potent mix of knowledge, experience and
opportunities from the front lines of entrepreneurship and alternative
investments. The student learning experience is further enhanced through
internships, entrepreneurial clubs and organization and events that serve
to provide viable networks and engage the business community. The School’s
two student-led investment funds, with over $3M in management, immerse
students in the business assessment and investment process. Members of the
Advisory Board include Samuel Zell, Chairman of Equity Group Investments;
Michael Hallman, former COO of Microsoft Corporation; and Eugene Applebaum,
Founder of Arbor Drugs, Inc.
For more information, click on ZLI.Bus.Umich,edu
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