THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 22, 1994 TAG: 9407220550
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PHILIP WALZER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 38 lines
The president of Thomas Nelson Community College was appointed Thursday to lead the Center for Innovative Technology, which seeks to boost Virginia's economic development by encouraging high-tech projects.
The center, based in Herndon in Northern Virginia, is a private, nonprofit corporation created by the General Assembly. The center's goal is to better link university researchers with private companies to fuel the state's economy.
Robert G. Templin Jr., the new president of the center, said: ``The sort of things we've been successful in achieving on the Peninsula are possible to achieve statewide. Virginia has some significant technological resources available.''
Templin was featured in an article last month in Fortune magazine, which cited technological innovations at the community college.
Templin said the school has changed its curriculum to match ``industry standards.'' Certain departments also have forged close links with companies. The automotive repair department, for instance, works with Ford Motor Co.
``Bob Templin has an impressive track record of working with industry,'' said Gordon K. Davies, director of the State Council of Higher Education. ``He has a strong intellect and capacity to translate advanced research into applications that can benefit the state economically.''
Templin, 46, has been president of Thomas Nelson in Hampton since 1986. At the center, he will succeed former Gov. A. Linwood Holton Jr., who is retiring after leading the center for 5 1/2 years.
Templin said he will start his new job Sept. 1. He said the college's board would select an interim president until a replacement is found. by CNB