Former Tinker senior exec to assist OSU economic development, aerospace programs

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

STILLWATER, Okla., August 22, 2007 -- Robert Conner, former director of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base, has joined Oklahoma State University’s Center for Innovation and Economic Development.
            
Conner, who will be housed at OSU CIED’s Oklahoma City office at 6421 S. Air Depot Blvd., will support the center’s mission to create new opportunities for business and economic development. He also will work to assist and strengthen OSU’s aerospace initiatives and presence statewide and nationally.  
            
Conner joins OSU as the university seeks to enhance its support of one of Oklahoma’s key industry clusters. Interim OSU System CEO and President Marlene Strathe in May convened an OSU Aerospace Industry Task Force to assess and define OSU’s current and future role in aerospace.
            
“Aerospace is one of two industries chosen for a comprehensive labor force analysis by Gov. Henry based on its economic contributions in the state and local communities,” Strathe said. “Our task force has already begun to determine how OSU research, academic and outreach programs, and partnerships can best support aerospace in Oklahoma.”
            
“Bob provides a bridge between the university community, the military community, the business community and the aerospace community,” Strathe said. “He will be a tremendous asset to the university task force and other aerospace initiatives as well as the CIED’s mission to create jobs and economic opportunity in the state.”
            
Conner retired in May as director of the OC-ALC and member of the Senior Executive Service following a 33-year career with the U.S. Air Force. At Tinker, he oversaw the logistic center’s Combat Sustainment, Aircraft Sustainment, Maintenance and Air Base wings. He was responsible for installation, services and information support at Tinker, as well as the depot maintenance, weapon system acquisition and sustainment, purchasing and supply chain management support that Tinker provides worldwide for U.S. military and allied aircraft.

“Bob has been a nationally-recognized leader and articulate spokesman within the aerospace community for many years,” said OSU CIED President Joe Alexander. “He will assist us as we work to complement the land-grant mission of the university by commercializing new technologies, helping start up new business and supporting economic development across Oklahoma.
            
“He also will be available to work with faculty to enhance OSU’s academic, research and outreach profile in Oklahoma and throughout the Department of Defense,” Alexander said.

Conner began his Air Force career in 1974 at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Georgia. He joined the OC-ALC in 1993 where he was the director of commodities management, director of logistics management and comptroller. His assignments included Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command, the Aeronautical Systems Center, the Pentagon, the Sacramento Air Logistics Center at McClellan Air Force Base and Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. His honors include the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award and the Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank Award.

“I am delighted to become an executive in residence with the Center for Innovation and Economic Development because it is a great opportunity to serve the citizens of Oklahoma,” Conner said. “I am excited about the mission of CIED. . . to improve the lives of Oklahomans by sharing OSU know-how to bring jobs and wealth to the state.”

OSU CIED serves OSU’s commitment to economic development through sharing university “know-how” (research), building entrepreneurial strengths (instruction) and participating in regional strategic alliances (outreach) that create jobs and wealth for the citizens of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, OSU is a five-campus, public land-grant educational system that improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach. Established in 1890, the Stillwater campus is the home of the OSU System. The STATE’s university boasts students from all 50 states and nearly 120 nations and has more than 200,000 alumni throughout the world.