TUFF's Kevin Byrne Selected 2012 President of the Association of University Research Parks

ATLANTA, Dec. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kevin Byrne, vice president and chief operating officer of The University Financing Foundation (TUFF) has been elected 2012 president of the Association of University Research Parks (AURP). 

Byrne will be the 22nd president of AURP over its 25-year history.  He will focus much of his attention next year on creating programs to help develop the next generation of research park directors and university administrators as well as strengthening old and creating new sources of revenue for AURP.  He also will work with his research park director colleagues to advocate expansion of federal and state legislation available for research parks.

During 2011, Byrne was a key member of an AURP task force that met with John Fernandez and his staff at the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) regarding programs to foster more economic development.  In addition to U.S. policy, Byrne will work to expand the global network of AURP member parks to ensure international advocacy and sharing of best practices.

"Kevin has proven time and again that the best way to solve a problem for a research park is to engage with the leadership and understand what the objectives of the Institution are and how the park can be shaped or reshaped to meet those goals," said Eileen Walker, CEO of AURP.  "Kevin understands how global parks operate and will bring both business administration expertise as well as very strong operational expertise to bear for the association and our member parks."

"The success of a research park is a result of the collaboration between the private sector and the university," said Byrne.  "It is the purposeful act of running into your colleagues, which allows for sharing of information and creation of new inventions and products that change the world.  Leadership of AURP can be thought of in parallel with park leadership.  Just as we must bring many disparate agendas together within our parks, we must also bring our global research park directors together to learn from each other.  Further, we must be diligent in raising our young leaders up from the ranks of research park and university administration to ensure the collaborative message of research parks is maintained."

The Association of University Research Parks is the global professional advocacy association of university related research and science parks. AURP's mission is to foster innovation, commercialization and economic growth through university, industry and government partnerships. For more information, visit AURP's Web site at www.aurp.net or contact Chelsea Simpson at [email protected].

The University Financing Foundation (TUFF) is an independent 501(c)(3) private operating foundation devoted to the advancement of education and research for Institutions across the country.  TUFF's mission is to assist Institutions in the planning, development, and financing of facilities and equipment at below-market costs.  Founded in 1982, TUFF has evolved into a leading advisor and public-private partner with project experience in the US and North and South America.  TUFF partners with Institutions to provide upfront strategic planning counsel and is often asked to participate in and execute on developments through the unique integration of tax-exempt finance and private sector project delivery.

TUFF was organized and operates exclusively for the charitable purpose of assisting institutions of education and research obtain equipment and facilities at the lowest possible cost through the use of traditional and alternative financing methods.  Unlike a passive foundation or public charity, TUFF is an operating foundation with an education and research driven mission that provides unique opportunities for development and financial structuring of public-private partnership projects.  TUFF's mission to partner with institutions enables achievement and advancement of academic and programmatic goals while maximizing the economic efficiency of critical real estate projects.

With an ever changing landscape due to new accounting and IRS regulations, bond rating agency stipulations, an extremely volatile interest rate and bond market, and the emergence of sustainable building technologies, TUFF's experience and flexibility allow for successful adaptation to new environments while continually providing high-quality, economically viable solutions.  For more information, visit TUFF's website at www.tuff.org or contact Kevin Byrne at [email protected].

SOURCE The University Financing Foundation (TUFF)