April 25, 2008

Purdue Research Foundation officials announce statewide technology centers director

John M. Hanak
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The Indiana centers in operation or under construction are the Purdue Technology Center of West Lafayette, located in the Purdue Research Park; the Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana in Merrillville; the Purdue Technology Center of Southeast Indiana in New Albany; and the Purdue Technology Center of Indianapolis. The centers offer space for new and expanding companies and provide business acceleration programs, leasing plans, conference rooms and human resources, and media relations and marketing assistance. Hanak begins his new responsibilities immediately.

"We are growing at fast pace and already have a waiting list of companies who are interested in moving into the New Albany and Indianapolis technology centers," said Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO of the Purdue Research Foundation, which manages the Purdue Research Park. "John's proven success at the Purdue Technology Center in Northwest Indiana ensures us that we will have a smooth transition as we open these new sites."

Hanak is director of the Merrillville center, which was the research park's first satellite business incubator when it opened with seven charter companies in 2005. The center was established after U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.) secured federal funding for the facility's construction and initial operating costs and Purdue officials committed to opening and operating the facility. The center now serves 15 technology-based tenants, five additional tenants and six technology-based affiliate companies and employs about 100 people.

The Purdue Technology Center of West Lafayette comprises four complementary facilities totaling 259,000 square feet. The center anchors the 725-acre Purdue Research Park. The park is home to more than 140 companies, about 100 of which are technology-related and another 39 are incubator businesses.

The Purdue Technology Center of Southeast Indiana is expected to open this fall, and the Purdue Technology Center of Indianapolis, located in the Purdue Research Park at Amerplex-Indianapolis near the airport, will open in 2009.

"I have already met with business leaders in southeast Indiana and northeast Kentucky to discuss economic development and ways in which we might partner and what we can do to provide them with the resources they need to grow their economic base," Hanak said. "I look forward to meeting with entrepreneurs interested in creating new or expanding businesses in Indianapolis and around the state to see what we can accomplish together."

Hanak said his goals for the three centers include:

* Optimizing and expanding Purdue Research Park's business incubation programs for technology companies and technology startups.

* Identifying new technologies with commercialization potential and finding the right fit for entrepreneurs, technologists and companies in the research park's various incubators.

* Providing new and expanding companies with space, services, amenities and an atmosphere of early-stage company collegiality. 

Hanak was a co-founder of North Riverside Partners LLC, a consumer electronics and technology commercialization firm, and CN Associates, an investment partnership. He previously served as president, CEO and board member of Digital Innovations LLC, a Chicago-based technology company, and was vice president and general counsel for Ispat Inland Inc., now a subsidiary of ArcelorMittal. He received a juris doctorate degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago and a bachelor's degree from Valparaiso University.

About Purdue Research Park

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Purdue Research Foundation contact: Cynthia Sequin, (765) 494-4192, (765) 413-6031 (mobile), casequin@prf.org

Sources:

Joseph B. Hornett, (765) 496-1658, jbhornett@prf.org

John M. Hanak, (219) 644-3688, jmhanak@prf.org