Michael Burcham leaving Entrepreneur Center. Board announces plans for national search.
Nashville, TN (PRWEB) December 17, 2014 -- John R. Ingram, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC), said today Dr. Michael Burcham, the founding President & CEO, has indicated he plans to leave the nonprofit for a new opportunity in the private sector.
Ingram said the Board will launch a nationwide search for the next CEO, and that Burcham will remain in his post until his successor is chosen. Ingram will chair the search committee, and board member Mark Montgomery, founder of FLO | CO, will be the vice-chair. Interested candidates should apply to [email protected]
“Our entrepreneur center has become a model for the nation, and Michael’s vision and leadership have made that happen,” Ingram said. “We wish him well in his bright future, and we hope to build on his successes here.”
Burcham has been the President and CEO of the nonprofit organization since 2010. The EC, with offices at 41 Peabody Street in the Rutledge Hill area, was founded as an outgrowth of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce initiative for economic development. It is a nonprofit organization supported by local and state governments and the Nashville business community. Its mission is to raise the quality of resources available to the Nashville entrepreneurial and small business communities.
Clayton McWhorter, chairman of Clayton Associates, was the founding board chairman of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center. He said today Dr. Burcham has brought the organization to a position of stature and readiness for future growth and service.
“Over the past five years the Entrepreneur Center, under the leadership of Michael Burcham and the Board of Directors, has grown to become one of Nashville’s most important resources in terms of economic development, talent recruitment, education and global recognition,” McWhorter said. “The Nashville Entrepreneur Center has done a phenomenal job putting Nashville on the map. Beyond just being a music or healthcare town, they have given us global recognition among entrepreneurs, investors and universities. The biggest factor in this success is attributed to the leadership and staff at the EC.
“One of the most critical elements of the Entrepreneur Center’s success has been the emphasis on education, especially in terms of mentorship. Michael Burcham was the perfect leader to develop a training program that both facilitates the pairing of entrepreneurs with successful mentors and teaches those individuals how to mentor. What has resulted is a strong, diverse network of highly skilled mentors and entrepreneurs who have the advantage of those resources right here in Nashville.
“The future of Nashville is bright because of the leadership this town has had with Mayor Dean and the Council,” McWhorter added. “And the exact same is true for the Entrepreneur Center. Because of the tremendous leadership of Michael Burcham, Sam Lingo and the Board of Directors I have no doubt that the EC’s future is as bright as it has ever been.”
Burcham has extensive experience in healthcare innovation, entrepreneurship, and startup venture coaching. Earlier in his career, he served as President of ParadigmHealth, a provider and integrator of care and disease management services for health plans and employers, from 2001-2007. He also founded and served as President of Theraphysics, a venture-backed specialty healthcare firm managing rehabilitation services, from 1992-2000.
Over the past five years, he has led Nashville’s rise as a nationally recognized destination for startup and entrepreneurial endeavors. In 2011, he launched “Startup Tennessee” in partnership with Tennessee’s Governor Bill Haslam and Startup America. The following year he was honored at the White House as a “Champion of Change” for his leadership in mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Earlier this year, Burcham was named Chair of the Global Advisory Board for Entrepreneurship at King Fahd University in Saudi Arabia. Through his faculty appointment at Vanderbilt University and the EC’s partnership initiatives, Burcham has assisted dozens of cities in developing their entrepreneurial ecosystem and championed innovation initiatives for numerous corporations and early stage ventures.
In October, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker appointed him Co-Chairman of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The council will advise the Secretary on issues related to accelerating innovation, expanding entrepreneurship, and developing a globally competitive workforce.
He is on the faculty of Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management, where he teaches healthcare innovation and strategy. He received his PhD in Healthcare Administration from the Medical University of South Carolina in 2003.
About the Nashville Entrepreneur Center
The EC fosters innovation and entrepreneurship by Turning Ideas Into Reality, helping to start businesses and create jobs. As a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, the Center is funded through sponsorships, partnerships, donations and grants. The EC relies on support from leading corporations, successful entrepreneurs and those who have a vested interest in the Center’s success. For more information, visit our website at http://www.ec.co
Contact: Zach Hunt 615.321.3110 / zach(at)tsgnashville(dot)com
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Elizabeth Fielding, The Strategy Group, +1 (615) 321-3110, [email protected]
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