News and Events >TTO’s New Business Development Director, Tom Smerdon, Starts May 23rd

TTO’s New Business Development Director, Tom Smerdon, Starts May 23rd

May 10, 2005

Tom Smerdon, currently an Associate Director at the Ohio State University Technology Licensing Office, will be TTO's New Business Development Director. In this role Tom will work with inventors, TTO staff, students and the business community to facilitate the creation of new businesses based on intellectual property created by CU investigators. Key responsibilities include coordinating the process of starting viable technology companies by working to bring the best possible entrepreneurial management, business planning and risk capital sources to assist in company formation and growth.

Prior to joining Ohio State in 2001, Tom followed his passion for outdoors activities by starting two companies; one that commercialized a self-patented bicycle product and a second specializing in outdoor gear for women, which was sold to a leading company in that industry.

Before his entrepreneurial pursuits he was a General Counsel for an Ohio-based, privately-held adhesive and polymer manufacturing company with over $100M sales. He has also served as an Assistant General Counsel for what is now called the American Chemistry Council and was an attorney at the Interstate Commerce Commission. He earned a JD from the University of Texas and a BA from Duke University.

David Allen, CU's Associate VP for Technology Transfer, said "The search for this position, which generated 130 applicants, produced a finalist that has considerable university licensing experience, understands entrepreneurial and legal processes and is a team-oriented leader." Allen continued, ".these qualities will serve him well as he works to achieve our start-up goals". CU's TTO has targeted 12 new companies to be formed from CU intellectual property during the current 2004-2005 fiscal year.