Becker College Appoints John MacDonald as Vice President

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Wednesday, April 09, 2014

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Becker College has appointed John A. MacDonald, Ph.D., as vice president of strategy, business development, and innovation.

MacDonald has been a consultant to Becker since October 2013, working as the Entrepreneur in Residence. In this position, he was charged with evaluating and evolving the business degree program. In addition to his continued responsibilities with the business program, his new role entails leadership in the areas of corporate partnerships, business development, and strategy and innovation. As the College builds the overarching strategy framework that unites its many signature enterprises, Dr. MacDonald will be responsible for aligning and operationalizing entrepreneurial and innovation initiatives to ensure their sustainability and growth.

“John is a management thought leader with significant corporate healthcare and university-industry partnering experience,” said Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D., Becker College president. “He has more than 30 years of success in the global business environment and in higher education, and will fulfill a vital role in advancing the mission and vision of the institution.”

“I consider Becker’s plan to cultivate adaptive learners who have an entrepreneurial spirit, and who can leverage social and emotional intelligence and divergent thinking skills very exciting,” said Dr. MacDonald. “I am pleased to continue to work with the students and faculty, and I am looking forward to working with President Johnson to help achieve his vision for Becker’s future.”

Building sustainable university-industry partnerships

MacDonald joined Becker from a consultancy that focused on building sustainable university-industry partnerships, working most recently with The Ohio State University. His previous posts included co-founder and CEO of Catalyst Oncology, Inc., a breast cancer biomarker company, and president and CEO of Milkhaus Laboratory. He held prior vice president positions at Pharmacia Corporation, Pharmacia and Upjohn, and Pharmitalia Carlo Erba, stationed in Milan, Stockholm, and New York. His prior higher education posts included teaching as an adjunct professor at Boston College and Ashland University Dauch College of Business and Economics graduate school, and in new partnership development at Oregon State University.

Dr. MacDonald holds a Ph.D. from Capella University in organization and management, corporate mergers; an MBA from Ashland University, Dauch College of Business and Economics; and a bachelor’s degree in biosciences from the University of Western Ontario. He lives with his family in Amherst, New Hampshire.

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