Larry Michael Appointed to Ben Franklin Board

Larry L. Michael, associate dean for the Technology Transfer Center and Continuing Education at Pennsylvania College of Technology, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Ben Franklin Technology Center of Central and Northern Pennsylvania.

Michael has been with Penn College's Technology Transfer Center since 1990. The Technology Transfer Center provides noncredit training to over 7,600 students annually and coordinates over $2 million in federal and state grant-related training and consulting services to business and industry.

Prior to joining Penn College, Michael spent over 20 years in manufacturing, retailing, and government in various technology-related disciplines. He holds a M.S. in workforce education and development from The Pennsylvania State University and a B.S. in computer science from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Michael attended the Ben Franklin Board of Directors' recent meeting, held at Penn College's Professional Development Center. Addressing the Board was Dr. Davie Jane Gilmour, president of Penn College.

The Ben Franklin Technology Center of Central and Northern Pennsylvania is headquartered at The Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Vic Russo recently was named the Center's new president and CEO; he succeeded John E. Werner who retired. Russo is responsible for implementing Pennsylvania's Ben Franklin Partnership Program in a 34-county region of the state. As part of that effort, he is actively working with businesses in Williamsport and Lycoming County.

The Center partners with both companies and universities to commercialize innovative technology. In addition, the Center conducts a variety of Center-of-Excellence, workforce training and incubation, and entrepreneurial support functions. Its current total yearly project portfolio is about $20 million.

Previously, Russo was director of China Programs, United Technologies Corp. (URTC) Research Center. He was responsible for initiating and implementing strategic research and development partnerships with Chinese aviation industries. In addition, he supported URTC's commercial/industrial business units in the Far East by establishing collaborative R&D agreements with universities and research institutes. Russo established the first foreign-owned research facility in China in March 1997.

Before becoming director of China operations, Russo was URTC's director of European operations and was based in Munich, Germany, where he established the corporation's first European R&D facility in Aachen, Germany. He also established a strategic partnership with Daimler Benz and several collaborative research agreements with European initiatives.

In February 1997, Russo received the corporation's Vice President's Science and Technology Award for his contributions to international programs. He joined the organization in 1978.

Russo earned his doctorate in physics at Penn State in 1971. He earned his bachelor's degree, also in physics, at the University of New Hampshire, and graduated from Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute's advanced management program in 1984.