NBIA names new president and CEO
August 10, 2009
Contact:
Linda Knopp
Director of News & Information
National Business Incubation Association
(740) 593-4331
lknopp@nbia.org
ATHENS, Ohio—David Monkman – a business development professional with more than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur, specialist in emerging businesses and financial analyst – has been named president & CEO of the National Business Incubation Association, effective Aug. 17. Monkman will succeed Dinah Adkins, who is retiring as NBIA’s chief executive after 21 years.
Following a nine-month search, NBIA’s CEO search committee and executive committee selected Monkman as NBIA’s new leader based on his experience in finance, new venture development and international business development. “David is a strategic thinker who is very entrepreneurial and innovative,” said David Lohr, chairman of NBIA’s Board of Directors. “As an expert in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), he has a practical understanding of how to effectively start and grow entrepreneurial ventures. David also has exceptional international experience and brings a global network of contacts.”
Monkman, who holds a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics, has worked for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Asian Development Bank, the European Commission and different trade associations in other markets. An accomplished business executive and strategist, he was founder and director of Pakistan's SME Business Support Fund (BSF) to improve entrepreneurs' competitiveness using external business development services. He was appointed to the role by the Asian Development Bank in 2006; under his leadership, the BSF grew to encompass four offices. As the key public figure for BSF, he was interviewed regularly by TV, radio and newspaper reporters and featured in several magazine articles. (For more information about Monkman, see www.nbia.org/about_nbia/bios/.)
Of all his accomplishments, Monkman is most proud of his role in helping to create thousands of new jobs in Pakistan with the BSF. “Entrepreneurs are central to leading economic expansion,” he said. Further, he cites the diverse perspectives gained from his work in or travels to many countries over the last decade – 25 countries on five continents – as a notable part of his experience.
Monkman’s ability to work collaboratively with people around the world to promote business development was one factor that caught the attention of NBIA’s CEO search committee. “The committee was very impressed with David’s broad experience working with people of many different backgrounds,” said Joel Wiggins, chairman of NBIA’s CEO search committee. “With his creative and innovative ideas regarding NBIA’s future, he will be a good leader of the staff and board.”
Although he has enjoyed his past experiences, Monkman says he’s looking forward to his new role at NBIA. "Business incubators represent one of the foremost components of our knowledge and innovation infrastructure, and they are particularly vital creators of jobs and wealth during these challenging economic times," he said.
“My focus over the last 10 years has been on developing and promoting solutions that encourage rather than hinder entrepreneurship. With so many diverse stakeholders – government, financial institutions, corporations, venture capital and private equity firms, among others – we have a tremendous opportunity to build bridges and strategic alliances that can bring greater value to the business incubation industry and the entrepreneurs we serve. I relish the challenge of championing such alliances on NBIA's behalf.”
Headquartered in Athens, Ohio, the National Business Incubation Association is the world’s leading organization advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship. Since 1985, NBIA has provided industry professionals with the information, education, advocacy and networking resources to bring excellence to the process of assisting early-stage companies.
Business incubation programs catalyze the process of starting and growing companies by providing entrepreneurs with the expertise, networks and tools they need to make their ventures successful. NBIA estimates that in 2005 alone, North American incubators assisted more than 27,000 start-up companies that provided full-time employment for more than 100,000 workers and generated annual revenues of more than $17 billion.
Adkins’ name has been synonymous with business incubation since 1988, when she assumed management of the association. Even before that time, she was an industry pioneer, working in the field since 1982 and becoming a founding member of NBIA in 1985.
“Over the past 25 years, Dinah Adkins has been THE catalyst for the emergence of business incubation as a recognized tool for successfully growing small and emerging businesses,” Lohr said. “While her day-to-day leadership of NBIA will be missed, we are confident and excited about David’s ability to lead the association in the coming years.”
Adkins announced her retirement plans last fall. A search committee made up of industry leaders was named to identify a new CEO at that time.
NBIA’s CEO search committee members were Wiggins, CEO & president of the Enterprise Center of Johnson County in Lenexa, Kan.; Bonnie Herron, executive director of Gwinnett Innovation Park in Norcross, Ga.; Evan Jones, director of the @Wales Digital Media Initiative in Cardiff, Wales; and Devron Veasley, director of the Bessemer Business Incubation System in Bessemer, Ala. NBIA executive committee members are Lohr, executive director of the Virginia Biosciences Development Center in Richmond, Va.; Jones; Carol Lauffer, partner with Business Cluster Development in Palo Alto, Calif.; Keelin O’Leary, manager of the Genesis Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada; and Marie Longserre, president & CEO of the Santa Fe Business Incubator in Santa Fe, N.M.
EFL Associates, an executive search firm based in Overland Park, Kan., coordinated NBIA’s CEO search.
Contact NBIA
Phone: (740) 593-4331
Fax: (740) 593-1996
340 West State Street, Unit 25
Athens, OH 45701-1565
info@nbia.org