On Tuesday, April 15, our lunch program will be a presentation on innovation in business and energy and economic development from Rebecca Robinson, Zachary Taie, and Eric Zeece from the Innovation Hub at OSU-Cascades.
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Rebecca Robinson serves as the associate vice president for the economic development and industry relations office at Oregon State University (OSU) and as senior advisor for strategic initiatives at OSU-Cascades. She brings extensive experience from Kansas State University, where she most recently served as president and CEO of K-State Innovation Partners, overseeing economic development, corporate engagement, technology commercialization, and strategic initiatives. During her 16-year tenure at Kansas State, she recruited 29 technology-based companies to the region and created over 1,700 high-wage jobs, resulting in a projected economic impact of over $1 billion. Robinson holds an MBA and is a doctoral candidate in leadership communication. At OSU, she joined the Division of Research and Innovation, contributing to the development of the innovation district at OSU-Cascades and fostering industry-university partnerships to drive economic growth and workforce development in Oregon.
Zac Taie is a mechanical engineer with a strong focus on renewable energy and thermal-fluid sciences. With a PhD from Oregon State University, he has extensive experience in research, development, and project management, particularly in advancing innovative energy technologies. His work spans hydrogen systems, energy storage solutions, and sustainable energy systems, combining technical expertise with leadership in both industry and government-funded projects. Based in Bend, Oregon, Zachary has a proven track record of contributing to cutting-edge advancements in energy science and technology.
Eric Zeece is a business leader with more than 25 years of experience. He was appointed executive director of the new Central Oregon Innovation Hub based at Oregon State University – Cascades in November of 2024. Most recently, Eric was chief executive officer of Thyreos Inc, a startup biotech vaccine company that is commercializing technology developed at University of Nebraska, Northwestern University and Tufts University. Prior to leading Thyreos, Zeece led a consulting agency where he authored Nebraska’s State Small Credit Initiative program application and designed more than $64 million in grant, loan and equity investment programs to support innovation and innovators in Nebraska. Eric has also worked as the innovation manager with Invest Nebraska Corporation, as interim director, deputy director, and chief performance officer of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, and as senior commercialization specialist with the Innovation Accelerator Foundation, a national accelerator that partnered with the National Science Foundation. He received an MBA from the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs.
We’ll be in our usual room at the Riverhouse – Deschutes South.
Signup for lunch here.
This meeting will both in-person and virtual. We will record the presentation for others who aren’t able to attend at noon.
Join the Zoom Meeting here: RCGB Zoom Link
You can also call in to the meeting at (669) 900-9128 and enter meeting ID: 692 491 9146. If you’re asked, the passcode is 5110.