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Leonard E. Heller, Ed.D.
University of Kentucky
Vice President for Commercialization & Economic Development
President & CEO, Kentucky Technology Inc.
Leonard E. “Len” Heller became Vice President for the University of Kentucky’s new Office for Commercialization & Economic Development on December 12, 2006. Heller oversees UK’s commercialization and business development resources and builds strategic partnerships to advance economic development initiatives throughout the state. He is responsible for the commercial development of university-based technologies and intellectual properties and streamlining the processes to get UK’s discoveries to market; new and existing business development at UK, in the Lexington Bluegrass Region and throughout Kentucky; the Advanced Science and Technology Commercialization Center (ASTeCC) campus incubator; and the development of UK’s 735-acre Coldstream Research Campus. As President and CEO of Kentucky Technology Inc. (KTI), Heller directs investment in technology-based businesses through KTI, the Bluegrass Angels and Bluegrass Angels Venture Fund, and angel & venture capital networking.
Heller is part of The National Academies University-Industry Demonstration Partnership, which brings top research universities together with Fortune 500 companies to develop research and commercialization relationships. He is also on the APLU Commission on Innovation, Competitiveness and Economic Prosperity.
Heller holds an Ed.D. in administration and organizational development from Kansas University and is a former business owner, angel investor, entrepreneur, and Kentucky state government cabinet secretary.
Heller founded WTT Inc., a Lexington startup that developed substance abuse tests for thoroughbred race horses. The company was acquired by Neogen Corp., and Heller continues to serve on the board of directors. Heller was Secretary of the Cabinet for Human Resources under Kentucky Governor Brereton Jones and chaired the State Commission on Health Care Reform.
He was instrumental in the formation of the Bluegrass Angels, a central Kentucky venture capital fund and served as chairman of the board of managers for the Bluegrass Angels Venture Fund.
Since 1996, Heller has been a part-time professor in UK's Martin School of Public Policy and Public Administration. He was on the faculties of the University of Illinois, University of Michigan, Baylor College of Medicine, and UK College of Medicine.