College of Business News: Center for Entrepreneurship Announces Director

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Henry Nowak The College of Business at Colorado State University has named Henry Nowak director of the Center for Entrepreneurship.

Most recently, he served as director of the Technology Commercialization Office for Utah State University where he also served as Executive-in-Residence for the College of Business.

"Henry is an innovator," said Ajay Menon, dean of the College of Business. "He will be a great mentor for our students and grow the entrepreneurship outreach program while continuing to build our relationships with entrepreneurs along the Front Range."

Nowak has extensive experience in all aspects of high technology companies. He began his career as a patent attorney for the Schering-Plough Corp. and later worked for Ciba-Geigy Corp., Amgen Inc., Somatogen Inc. and Novartis Corp. In 1998, he joined Paradigm Genetics Inc. as general counsel and vice president of Intellectual Property and Secretary. In 2002, he was named chief financial officer and executive vice president of Legal Affairs of Caprion Pharmaceuticals in Montreal, Canada. He also has worked as a business consultant.

He has a law degree and an MBA from Florida State University and a master's degree in biochemistry from Utah State University. He is a member of both the Colorado and Federal Patent Bars.

The Center for Entrepreneurship focuses on creating learning experiences for entrepreneurship students across campus. The curriculum allows students to pursue an entrepreneurship certificate and gain hands-on experience in entrepreneurial enterprises. This improves the likelihood these students will be successful as they take leadership roles in new start-ups and contribute to the economic development of Colorado. The center routinely brings successful business people onto campus to share insights through the Great Entrepreneur Speakers Series including Jake Jabs, owner of American Furniture Warehouse; Wynne Odell, owner of Odell Brewing Co.; and Libby Cook, co-founder of Wild Oats Markets.

The center also hosts an Entrepreneur-in-Residence, most recently Mark Hoog, founder and executive director of the Children's Leadership Institute, and features a business plan competition. This competition, known as Venture Adventure, allows undergraduate students from around the nation to present their ideas for realistic new ventures to entrepreneurs and investors in the hopes of receiving funds and assistance in starting businesses.