Biography

Jack McGourty Ph.D. is Director of Community and Global Entrepreneurship at the Columbia Business School and a faculty member teaching graduate courses in entrepreneurship, venture creation, and economic development in emerging markets. Prior to joining the Columbia Business School, Jack was Vice Dean at The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. Over the past 17 years, Jack has been an active member of the University's entrepreneurial community, establishing an undergraduate minor in tech entrepreneurship, teaching core and advanced courses in entrepreneurship, and launching the federally funded Columbia University-Harlem Small Business Development Center, offering technical assistance to local entrepreneurs and small business owners. Jack founded and directs Venture for All®, a global program designed to educate aspiring entrepreneurs and build capacity for high potential startup ventures in emerging markets, with the ultimate goal to enhance entrepreneurial ecosystems in support of regional innovation and economic development. Jack received his Ph.D. in Applied Psychology from Stevens Institute of Technology with a focus on the management of technology and innovation. Over the years, his research findings into product development processes and product innovation have been implemented by a number of industrial and government organizations including 3M, Allied Signal, AT&T, Becton Dickinson, Chrysler, Dow Chemical, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Honeywell, Intel, Lipton, Lucent Technologies, Merck, Panasonic, and the U.S. Army. Prior to coming to Columbia in 1998, Jack was a senior executive and board member for a large publicly traded company. During his tenure, Jack held several senior positions including vice president of human resources, executive vice president of operations, division president, and company president & chief operating officer. He was also the managing principal of Assessment Alternatives Inc., a consulting firm providing programs and services to medium and large technology companies on innovation and product realization best practices.