Description

Join members and guests for the Charlotte Area Chamber Lunch Meeting. Come see some familiar faces and meet new connections while enjoying a fabulous lunch at the brand new UNC Charlotte Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. 

Agenda:

11:30AM - 12:00PM - Networking and Visiting Sponsor Tables
12:00PM - 1:00PM - Curated Program for Business Professionals

Topic:

The Office of Industry and Government Partnerships (OIGP) is the gateway for business-government-university partnerships at UNC Charlotte - North Carolina’s urban research university. Their goal is to enhance the research and technology infrastructure and stimulate economic development within the region and state. They are purposefully organized to fuel innovation through collaboration between UNC Charlotte’s exceptional academic talent, industry, entrepreneurs, and government agencies.

OIGP is a unit within the University’s Research and Economic Development (RED) division. They work directly with other RED departments such as Office of Research Commercialization and Development, Center for Research Excellence, and Grants and Contracts Administration. OIGP supports the Charlotte region entrepreneurial ecosystem and small business community through its interface with Ventureprise and the Charlotte Small Business and Technology Development Center. They also provide access to approximately 120,000 sq.ft. of leasable on-campus Class A office and lab space for business and R&D partners.

Speaker:

Mark Spindler, Brigadier General (Ret), U.S. Army 
Interim Director of the Office of Industry and Government Partnerships (OIGP)

Mark joined the Research and Economic Development team at UNC Charlotte in May of 2019. He is responsible to provide direct liaison with the Department of Defense and associated government agencies on behalf of the University to promote and facilitate federal research partnerships and projects aimed at strengthening scholarship and economic development.

As a retired General Officer from the active United States Army, Mark brings over 30 years of national defense experience and expertise, serving in multiple senior leadership roles within the Department of the Army, the Joint Staff, and Office of the Secretary of Defense.

A Missouri native, Mark has earned a BA from the University of Missouri – Columbia, MS from Central Michigan University, and an MA from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University - Washington, DC.