Knoxville, TN, September 1, 2017… The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation — IACMI-The Composites Institute, a national manufacturing innovation institute with more than 150 members welcomes Dr. Stacey Patterson in her new role as co-chair of IACMI’s board of directors and Dr. John Hopkins as interim chief executive officer effective September 1, 2017.
Dr. Taylor Eighmy’s recent appointment to the presidential post at The University of Texas at San Antonio catalyzed the appointment of current board member and newly-promoted University of Tennessee vice president for research, Dr. Patterson, to lead the IACMI board of directors. Outgoing CEO, Bryan G. Dods has accepted an opportunity with an IACMI member company, United Technologies Research Center, to serve as executive director of the corporation’s newly established Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence. Stepping in to fill the interim CEO role is Dr. John Hopkins, a former IACMI senior leader credited with establishing the technology projects process and advisory board of technical expertise for the institute.
Dr. Hopkins’ previous executive experience includes The University of Tennessee where he served as vice president for research and economic development, leading initiatives such as TN-SCORE, an innovation program with 30 partners focused on solar energy and energy storage research. He earned his M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, while supporting flight experiments on the First International Microgravity Laboratory as a NASA pre-doctoral fellow.
“Dr. Hopkins’ experience, education, and history of leadership within the organization make him the perfect CEO to ensure a seamless organizational transition. John’s relationships across IACMI partners are strong and enable the team to continue to accelerate the technology project results expected from stakeholders,” said Dr. Stacey Patterson, IACMI board of directors co-chair and University of Tennessee, Knoxville vice president for research.
“It’s an honor to serve as the new interim CEO,” said Dr. Hopkins. “Expanding on the already strong momentum of the organization, I plan to prioritize the technology and economic development needs of consortium partners, increase the speed of new and established projects on the roadmap, and progress to a sustainable consortium.”
“It’s rare to find colleagues with equally strong leadership, knowledge, and relationships. Dr. Hopkins’ unique background and rapport with stakeholders ensure this leadership change is cohesive across The Composites Institute and its stakeholders,” stated Dr. Renae Speck, IACMI’s chief operations officer. “The board of directors, senior leadership team, and members enthusiastically welcome John back to the institute he helped build.”
The moves for Dr. Eighmy, Mr. Dods, Dr. Patterson, and Dr. Hopkins represent natural career progression as accomplished leaders are often recruited for larger roles within their respective ecosystems.
IACMI-The Composites Institute has earned its reputation as the industry’s institute with over 150+ members representing national thought-leaders and the entire value chain in advanced composites. The IACMI executive leadership team and board of directors are very optimistic about the future of IACMI-The Composites Institute.
About IACMI-The Composites Institute: The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), managed by the Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation (CCS), is a partnership of industry, universities, national laboratories, and federal, state and local governments working together to benefit the nation’s energy and economic security by sharing existing resources and co-investing to accelerate innovative research and development in the advanced composites field. CCS is a not-for-profit organization established by The University of Tennessee Research Foundation. The national institute is supported by a $70 million commitment from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office, and over $180 million committed from IACMI’s partners. Find out more at IACMI.org.
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