Brief Summary...
Ex-ITE has chosen for its logo the Little Owl (Athene noctua) or the “owl of Athena” (Greek) or “owl of Minerva” (Roman) that has been used through the ages as the quintessential symbol of knowledge, perspicacity, sagacity and erudition. The link of owls and knowledge goes far back to ancient Greece where Athens, noted for scholarship and arts, and named after Athena the patron goddess of wisdom, used the owl as its symbol. Additionally, this symbolism was reinforced in our childhood in books such as Winnie the Pooh and The Owl and The Pussycat. Owls have repeatedly been used in folk tales to represent knowledge, and it has also been noted that seeing an owl in your dream is a symbol of wisdom, insight and virtue.
Making the right decisions in today’s runaway information age is a huge challenge for leaders of organizations and much of what accounts for an organization’s long-term success is based on identifying winning innovations and technologies and planning for change. Choosing institutional investments in potentially risky innovations or technologies can be especially difficult to justify when resources are tight and when adherence and performance against inflexible strategies are more likely rewarded by boards of directors, investors and stakeholders. Ex-ITE was formed to assist your organization to benefit from its own wisdom, insights, technologies and innovations. By working within an organization’s creativity network, Ex-ITE can show organizations how to “farm” innovations and develop a culture of entrepreneurism (risk) within its leadership with returns based on optimizing an organization’s own intellectual and technical capabilities.
Making the right decisions in today’s runaway information age is a huge challenge for leaders of organizations and much of what accounts for an organization’s long-term success is based on identifying winning innovations and technologies and planning for change. Choosing institutional investments in potentially risky innovations or technologies can be especially difficult to justify when resources are tight and when adherence and performance against inflexible strategies are more likely rewarded by boards of directors, investors and stakeholders. Ex-ITE was formed to assist your organization to benefit from its own wisdom, insights, technologies and innovations. By working within an organization’s creativity network, Ex-ITE can show organizations how to “farm” innovations and develop a culture of entrepreneurism (risk) within its leadership with returns based on optimizing an organization’s own intellectual and technical capabilities.
What people are saying about Russ Lea
Early Career Faculty
I met Russ Lea in 2011 shortly after I was hired as an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of South Alabama. Without Russ’s guidance and mentorship, I would not be where I am today. He has been a tremendous mentor and friend. Russ is an exceptional individual.
When I first met Russ he was the Vice President of Research at the University of South Alabama. He exuded excitement, passion, and a can-do attitude towards his work, staff, and the faculty he mentored. He cared deeply about his coworkers and colleagues. At South Alabama, a primarily teaching institution except for the medical school, Russ promoted conditions that increased extramural funding substantially. Moreover, he recognized that an institution wanting to increase its research productivity needed to collaborate with other highly successful institutions. Russ provided opportunities and eliminated barriers for new faculty and those who wanted to further engage in scholarly productivity to engage. He supported meetings, listening sessions, training, and travel. His bold decision to support faculty travel to flagship institutions in nearby states enabled South Alabama faculty to expand their professional networks, including my own. Because of the relationships developed due to Russ’s support as VPR I was part of several major multi-institution research proposals. On a more individual note, Russ recognized a critical point in my career and intervened when a private corporation who requested my research proposal provided it to and paid a private testing firm to conduct the work without my knowledge. Russ, without hesitation, authorized me internal funding to conduct the proposed work. The study he and the administration supported enabled my research team to discover information a federal regulatory agency was being provided from a large industry was incomplete, and possibly dangerously misleading. Russ is an exceptional individual and has had a tremendously positive impact on the lives of his colleagues, faculty he has mentored, and the organizations and people his activities have helped.
-Andrew Whelton, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, Purdue University
When I first met Russ he was the Vice President of Research at the University of South Alabama. He exuded excitement, passion, and a can-do attitude towards his work, staff, and the faculty he mentored. He cared deeply about his coworkers and colleagues. At South Alabama, a primarily teaching institution except for the medical school, Russ promoted conditions that increased extramural funding substantially. Moreover, he recognized that an institution wanting to increase its research productivity needed to collaborate with other highly successful institutions. Russ provided opportunities and eliminated barriers for new faculty and those who wanted to further engage in scholarly productivity to engage. He supported meetings, listening sessions, training, and travel. His bold decision to support faculty travel to flagship institutions in nearby states enabled South Alabama faculty to expand their professional networks, including my own. Because of the relationships developed due to Russ’s support as VPR I was part of several major multi-institution research proposals. On a more individual note, Russ recognized a critical point in my career and intervened when a private corporation who requested my research proposal provided it to and paid a private testing firm to conduct the work without my knowledge. Russ, without hesitation, authorized me internal funding to conduct the proposed work. The study he and the administration supported enabled my research team to discover information a federal regulatory agency was being provided from a large industry was incomplete, and possibly dangerously misleading. Russ is an exceptional individual and has had a tremendously positive impact on the lives of his colleagues, faculty he has mentored, and the organizations and people his activities have helped.
-Andrew Whelton, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, Purdue University
University of North Carolina
Russ Lea came to the University of North Carolina system office with an agenda to expand research opportunities throughout the sixteen-campus system, and he did just that. He was creative in developing opportunities for small campuses as well as enhancing the research agenda for the large research campuses. Under his leadership of research initiatives, new interinstitutional centers were developed and federal and private funds were garnered to develop the NC Research Campus in Kannapolis.
-Gretchen M. Bataille, Senior Vice President, UNC, 2000-2006.
-Gretchen M. Bataille, Senior Vice President, UNC, 2000-2006.
University of South Alabama
Russ Lea and I were colleagues during his tenure as Vice President for Research at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, AL, from 2007-2012. In my 35 years as an academic medical scientist with almost 25 as a basic science department chairperson, I can think of no other individual who left more of an indelible and positive mark on the scholarly productivity of an institution than Dr. Lea.
Initially, Russ set about taking the pulse of the faculty, identifying interests, needs, knowledge gaps, and strengths and other matters. In retrospect, he was following one of the first mandates of leadership; know your constituents. Multiple forums were employed ranging from formal group or individual meetings to informal gatherings. During this process, Russ established himself as a vice president-level administrator for which rank-and-file faculty had unprecedented access. He proved repeatedly to be a “good listener” and an engaging conversationalist. And consequently, he established unimpeachable “street credibility” with those who would drive his programs.
He developed priorities in line with University strengths, and importantly, kept a clear view of the available resources. In those days, when opportunity capital was scarce, some administrators would have shrunk from the task in utter frustration. In marked contrast, good administrators like Russ identify the most cost-effective priorities for implementation, and in many instances, select initiatives that require merely a change in mindset or corporate culture with little or no financial investment.
He systematically interacted with multiple faculty constituencies highlighting the value of intellectual property development efforts as a means of furthering individual research and careers, frequently using his own substantial positive experiences as tractable examples. Second, he developed an institution-wide consortium to provide funding that enabled him to recruit a talented and appropriately experienced cadre of professional academic intellectual property development officers. Along these latter lines, one of the new recruits was a former patent attorney, and another had a highly successful career in tech business start-ups. And all of these individuals were imbued by Russ with a team-oriented, can-do mentality that carried over to the faculty with whom they worked.
Summarizing the above in terms of the personal qualities Russ brings to leadership positions, he combines a rare blend of having a “high altitude overview” of institutional priorities, needs, and resources with a rank-and-file faculty member’s notions of scholarly opportunities. He operationalizes this unusual perception with an engaging personality that mixes equally well with senior institutional administrators, government and private sector officials, and faculty members dedicated to maintaining sustained resources. Russ fits the definition of a “multiplier personality.” He may be in charge, but one feels like they’re working “with him”, not “for him.” He makes the team better.
-Dr. Mark Gillespie, Department Chair Pharmacology, University of South Alabama
Initially, Russ set about taking the pulse of the faculty, identifying interests, needs, knowledge gaps, and strengths and other matters. In retrospect, he was following one of the first mandates of leadership; know your constituents. Multiple forums were employed ranging from formal group or individual meetings to informal gatherings. During this process, Russ established himself as a vice president-level administrator for which rank-and-file faculty had unprecedented access. He proved repeatedly to be a “good listener” and an engaging conversationalist. And consequently, he established unimpeachable “street credibility” with those who would drive his programs.
He developed priorities in line with University strengths, and importantly, kept a clear view of the available resources. In those days, when opportunity capital was scarce, some administrators would have shrunk from the task in utter frustration. In marked contrast, good administrators like Russ identify the most cost-effective priorities for implementation, and in many instances, select initiatives that require merely a change in mindset or corporate culture with little or no financial investment.
He systematically interacted with multiple faculty constituencies highlighting the value of intellectual property development efforts as a means of furthering individual research and careers, frequently using his own substantial positive experiences as tractable examples. Second, he developed an institution-wide consortium to provide funding that enabled him to recruit a talented and appropriately experienced cadre of professional academic intellectual property development officers. Along these latter lines, one of the new recruits was a former patent attorney, and another had a highly successful career in tech business start-ups. And all of these individuals were imbued by Russ with a team-oriented, can-do mentality that carried over to the faculty with whom they worked.
Summarizing the above in terms of the personal qualities Russ brings to leadership positions, he combines a rare blend of having a “high altitude overview” of institutional priorities, needs, and resources with a rank-and-file faculty member’s notions of scholarly opportunities. He operationalizes this unusual perception with an engaging personality that mixes equally well with senior institutional administrators, government and private sector officials, and faculty members dedicated to maintaining sustained resources. Russ fits the definition of a “multiplier personality.” He may be in charge, but one feels like they’re working “with him”, not “for him.” He makes the team better.
-Dr. Mark Gillespie, Department Chair Pharmacology, University of South Alabama
Salzburg Seminar
I have known Dr. Russ Lea since his participation at the international conference on technology transfer conducted by the Salzburg Seminar in 2006. Since that time, I have been fortunate to work with Dr. Lea on international projects and consulting activities focused on higher education, technology based economic development and information technology strategies. Dr. Lea possesses a remarkable wealth of knowledge and experience. His collaborative approach, attention to details, openness to ideas as well as superb analytical and problem-solving skills are outstanding.
Dr. Lea is an internationally recognized thought leader, university administrator, educator, researcher and consultant. During his distinguished professional career D. Lea served in many capacities, including university professor and associate dean, vice president for research at the University of South Alabama, vice president for research for the 16-university system of North Carolina as well as CEO of the National Ecological Observatory Network, Inc. Dr. Lea is an expert in speeding the process of innovation to commercialization and has extensive experience in creating spinoff companies as well as in leading and managing large-scale university-industry-government collaborations to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. Dr. Lea has an international reputation as an inspirational speaker at universities and industry conferences. Dr. Lea has also made a significant impact on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship through his academic publications including research papers, reviews and book chapters.
Dr. Lea is the founder of Ex-ITE (Examine- Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship) LLC. Dr. Lea consulted widely around the world and is involved in strategic collaborations with consulting organizations. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Lea as a strategic partner on a consulting activity focused on the development of an information technology strategy for the New University of Astana (the Nazarbayev University) in Kazakhstan. As a member of the international group of experts Dr. Lea provided valuable insights into the pertinent issues of IT strategy development and implementation. I was very impressed by his ability and skills to diagnose strategic and organizational issues related to the development of a relevant IT strategy for an emerging university and to give practical recommendations on how to start efficient actions.
Dr. Lea is an invaluable expert resource in innovation, venture funding, and entrepreneurial leadership. I strongly commend him to organizations that want to advance their innovation and entrepreneurship capacity as well as technology transfer.
-Dr. Helene Kamensky, Higher Education Consultant, Salzburg, Austria
Dr. Lea is an internationally recognized thought leader, university administrator, educator, researcher and consultant. During his distinguished professional career D. Lea served in many capacities, including university professor and associate dean, vice president for research at the University of South Alabama, vice president for research for the 16-university system of North Carolina as well as CEO of the National Ecological Observatory Network, Inc. Dr. Lea is an expert in speeding the process of innovation to commercialization and has extensive experience in creating spinoff companies as well as in leading and managing large-scale university-industry-government collaborations to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. Dr. Lea has an international reputation as an inspirational speaker at universities and industry conferences. Dr. Lea has also made a significant impact on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship through his academic publications including research papers, reviews and book chapters.
Dr. Lea is the founder of Ex-ITE (Examine- Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship) LLC. Dr. Lea consulted widely around the world and is involved in strategic collaborations with consulting organizations. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Lea as a strategic partner on a consulting activity focused on the development of an information technology strategy for the New University of Astana (the Nazarbayev University) in Kazakhstan. As a member of the international group of experts Dr. Lea provided valuable insights into the pertinent issues of IT strategy development and implementation. I was very impressed by his ability and skills to diagnose strategic and organizational issues related to the development of a relevant IT strategy for an emerging university and to give practical recommendations on how to start efficient actions.
Dr. Lea is an invaluable expert resource in innovation, venture funding, and entrepreneurial leadership. I strongly commend him to organizations that want to advance their innovation and entrepreneurship capacity as well as technology transfer.
-Dr. Helene Kamensky, Higher Education Consultant, Salzburg, Austria