Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid was recently named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® in the Central Great Lakes region. Reid was honored in the “Supporter of Entrepreneurship” category for his vision of using the university’s resources to create and incubate spin-off industry from research and for nurturing businesses in the community.

Under Reid’s leadership, the university has experienced significant growth and success, notably $650 million in completed and planned improvements to the campus infrastructure. He established a 75-acre Research and Technology Park, which is a catalyst for regional economic development and a major addition to the university’s research capital; the first on-campus undergraduate housing in 35 years; as well as new and renovated classroom and research facilities. 

A recently published report by the Anderson Economic Group revealed that Wayne State provided a net economic benefit of more than $1 billion to a seven-county area composed of Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. 

Reid is “revolutionizing the way a public university does business,” according to Award organizers. “He created TechTown (a community of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, service providers and corporate partners) as a foundation to generate more community involvement and to work with area businesses to encourage their success.” 

Reid, who came to Wayne State University in 1997 from Montclair State University in New Jersey, where he was president for more than eight years, earned master\'s and doctoral degrees in business and applied economics with a specialty in marketing from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in general/experimental psychology from Howard University and has a certificate in educational administration from Harvard University. 

The Wayne State president was named by The Detroit News as one of 12 Outstanding Michiganians of the Year 2000. He is a recipient of the Jewish National Fund\'s Tree of Life Award. In 1995, he became the first recipient of the Austrian-American Medal, an honor accorded by the Austrian-American Council of North America for "exceptional service in promoting international understanding, global education, the support and advancement of individual human potential and work promoting world peace." In 1999, Howard University honored him with a Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement Award in the fields of education and administration. 

This year’s nine Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2006 award recipients were selected by an independent panel of judges composed of area leaders from business, academic and civic organizations. Central Great Lakes award winners are eligible for consideration for the national Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® award, which will be announced in November 2006. 

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 11 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students.