Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) on Tuesday announced the appointments of Brian Noland, president of East Tennessee State University and Greg Nelson, senior vice president and Chief Technology Officer of Eastman Chemical Company, to the Board of Directors of the
Tennessee Technology Development Corporation (TTDC). The TTDC is currently being rebranded as
Launch Tennessee.
“Our knowledge-based economy changes at lightning fast speed,” said Lt. Governor Ramsey. “It is important to have talented, capable individuals to keep Tennessee abreast of the new economy and expand the state’s footprint in high-growth sectors.”
“Greg Nelson is an extremely experienced technology executive and I believe the State of Tennessee will benefit greatly from his expertise," Mr. Ramsey said. “Brian Noland’s experience and current position in education puts him in an excellent position to recognize emerging trends as they appear. I am very pleased they agreed to serve."
A native of Birmingham, Dr. Nelson received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama in 1984 and a PhD in analytical chemistry from Emory University in 1988. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2007.
Dr. Nelson joined Eastman Chemical Company immediately following graduation from Emory and helmed a number of posts in the Research and Development organization prior to his appointment as vice president of Voridian Technology, a division of Eastman Chemical Company.
Dr. Nelson is on the board of directors of SCORE (State Collaborative on Reforming Education) and vice-chairman of the Greater Kingsport United Way Board.
Dr. Nelson currently serves as senior vice president and Chief Technology Officer at Eastman Chemical Company.
Currently the ninth president of East Tennessee State University, Dr. Brian Noland capped a seven-year tenure at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, rising to the rank of Associate Executive Director.
Prior to coming to ETSU, Dr. Noland spent five years as Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, a 10-person board that oversees the state's post-secondary education system.
Dr. Noland received his B.A. in Political Science and M.A. in Public Policy Studies from West Virginia University and holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
Dr. Noland is married to the former Donna Fox of Greeneville, Tn., and the Nolands have one son, Jackson.
The Tennessee Technology Development Corporation (TTDC) is a legislatively created, non-profit organization whose mission is to increase the formation and expansion of science and technology businesses in Tennessee.
Working in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and funded under an agreement with the state of Tennessee, TTDC is dedicated to aligning public and private research institutions with business development organizations and the investment community to increase the number of high-skill, high-wage jobs in Tennessee.