After five years spent building an entrepreneurship program that was recently ranked 16th in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, CU-Boulder Entrepreneurship Director Denis Nock is retiring effective this month.
"It has been my privilege to work with the faculty, advisory board and the entrepreneur community to serve and benefit students," said Nock.
"This has been, without question, the most enjoyable and satisfying assignment I have had in my entire career. I am truly grateful to have had this opportunity."
Prior to his directorship, Nock served as president of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce for eight years. From 1980 to 1986, he worked as president and chief operating officer at Boulder聮s Valleylab, Inc.
The Robert H. and Beverly A. Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, a joint program of the CU-Boulder colleges of business and engineering, was endowed by the Demings in 1998.
Under Nock聮s leadership, the center established the nation聮s largest entrepreneurship intern program, the country聮s second-largest prize total for a business plan competition and a student venture capital competition team that advanced to the national finals. In addition to the recent U.S. News and World Report ranking, CU-Boulder was included in Success magazine聮s top 25 entrepreneurship programs for five consecutive years.
"CU-Boulder聮s entrepreneurship program is a model business/education partnership with faculty, students and the entrepreneur community providing great opportunities for entrepreneurially inclined students," said Nock.
Professor Dale Meyer, executive director of the Deming Center, said, "Denis leaves a proud and impressive legacy at our university. His incessant energy, optimism and good humor were critical in building this program.
"He has a top reputation among the Front Range business community and with his center director peers around the country and throughout the world. His dedication to this program was crucial in developing external relationships and creating the center venture fund, which will endow the center to carry on in perpetuity."
"Denis聮s departure is a tremendous loss for the University of Colorado, the College of Business and the Deming Center," said College of Business Dean Steven Manaster. "He has made great strides for our program. The center聮s many accomplishments serve as testimony to his vision, determination and hard work. The university will miss his boundless energy, passion for entrepreneurship and dedication to students."
A search for Nock聮s replacement will be conducted this summer. "As we look toward identifying Denis聮s successor, the entrepreneurship program will continue to be one of our leadership programs, and we are committed to its continual progress," said Manaster.