McClure Named Director of UK Office of Technology Commercialization

" src="/sites/all/modules/wysiwyg/plugins/break/images/spacer.gif" title="<--break-->">

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 17, 2016) — Ian McClure, a former attorney and vice president of intellectual property strategy, was recently named director of the University of Kentucky Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC). The OTC was formerly known as the UK Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office.

McClure became director of OTC on Oct. 1. Originally from Kentucky, he began his career as a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and intellectual property (IP) transactions attorney in Louisville. Following private practice, he helped raise over $20 million and built a start-up company in Chicago focused on technology and IP licensing. Most recently, he was vice president of IP strategy for an investment bank headquartered in San Francisco focused on IP-rich M&A and technology-driven transactions.

In parallel, McClure has taught Global IP Management and Maximizing IP Value as an adjunct professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law, and has published extensively in law and business journals related to the intersection of IP, business process and corporate governance. For his work as an academic, entrepreneur and IP transactions specialist, McClure has been named by Intellectual Asset Management Magazine to the "IP Strategy 300 — The World’s Leading IP Strategists" (2012-2015).

“I am excited to return to my home state and work with the University of Kentucky research community,” McClure said.

The addition of McClure, along with the name change, signals a transformation of commercialization activities at UK that will be based on a partnership culture focused on stronger relationships with stakeholders, greater transparency and increased customer service.

The new mission of the OTC is to facilitate the commercialization of UK innovations and discoveries for the benefit of the university community, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and global society.

Over the next few months, through information sessions, presentations and Q&A roundtables, the OTC will have ongoing dialogue with faculty and administration of UK colleges, students and the entrepreneurial community, to discuss its vision for the office and listen to questions and ideas from the community. In order to be the best commercialization partner it can be, the OTC is also conducting a UK Inventor Satisfaction Survey so it may continuously improve services.

An OTC Fellows program has also been launched to employ students who can assist in commercializing UK technologies. An application can be accessed at https://ukjobs.uky.edu/postings/126206

For more information about the OTC, visit www.research.uky.edu/otc/.

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, visit uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue

MEDIA CONTACT: Jenny Wells, 859-257-5343; jenny.wells@gmail.com