Hopkins credits university for Regional Leadership award

Wright State President David R. Hopkins

The Dayton Business Journal has chosen Wright State University President David R. Hopkins to receive the Regional Leadership Award for 2012, applauding him for taking the lead in trying to help improve the local community.

The award is part of the DBJ’s Business of the Year awards program.

“I’m very honored, but I just represent a lot of great people at Wright State doing a lot of great things for the community,” Hopkins said. “We are part of the fabric of growing jobs in this region.”

During Hopkins’ time at Wright State, a central theme to his administration has been the creation of a culture for innovation that is reflected through the development of seven Centers of Excellence.

“David is such a great leader in the Dayton community,” said Carol Clark, publisher of the Dayton Business Journal.

Clark said that as education, training and innovation become more important for the future, “David and Wright State have taken a central role in leading those areas.”

Hopkins pointed out that every college and school at Wright State has nationally recognized academic programs and faculty and that the university has been nationally recognized for its community service and community engagement.

“In the past five years, we have brought to this community more than $410 million in research and sponsored partnership program money,” Hopkins added. “We set a record last year for the first time in one single year getting over $100 million in research and sponsored programs.”

He also applauded the Wright State Research Institute, a research arm of the university.

“WSRI recently crossed the $20 million mark in applied research, working with local companies and the Air Force to commercialize intellectual property and grow jobs,” Hopkins said.

Among his other activities, Hopkins is president of the Ohio College Association, chair of the Wright Brothers Institute, vice chair of the Advanced Technical Intelligence Center, and co-chair of the Ohio Board of Regents Articulation and Transfer Oversight/Steering Committee.

He also has been active in the community and served on the boards and in leadership positions for many community organizations.

He is a member of the Dayton Development Coalition Executive Committee, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, Miami Valley Higher Education Consortium, Miami Valley Research Foundation, Southwest Ohio Council for Higher Education, daytaOhio and others.

The Regional Leadership Award will be presented at the Business of the Year awards banquet Nov. 15 at the Schuster Performing Arts Center in downtown Dayton.