Rich joined MSU Technologies as executive director in April 2012. He is responsible for all strategic and operational issues related to managing the university’s diverse intellectual property portfolio, including identifying and protecting intellectual property, marketing and negotiating technology transfer opportunities with industry, and helping to identify innovations with the potential to form start-up companies.

Rich brings a history of success in licensing and commercialization to MSUT. Previously, he was director of technology transfer for the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. There he grew new invention disclosures and engineering licensing agreements, and initiated the formation of two start-up companies to commercialize university technologies. Prior to that, he spent more than 20 years in the specialty chemical industry, holding domestic and international positions in product and business development and technology management and licensing at Johnson Polymer and BASF Corporation.