The Georgia Institute of Technology has named Robert B. Lann director of community policy and research services in the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute. 

Robert B. Lann

In that role, Lann will lead and provide overall strategic direction to a broad range of programs designed to help communities, local and state governments, policy-makers, regions and economic developers adopt innovative solutions for quality technology-based economic development, balanced growth and fiscal sustainability.

Lann has more than 30 years of experience conducting research in economic, simulation, public policy, energy and technology transfer areas, including projects for technology-based industries.  His research interests include fiscal and economic impact analysis, technology-based economic development and industry cluster analysis.

Lann joined Georgia Tech in 1980, and holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of California at Davis and an undergraduate degree in economics from California State University at Chico.  He has served as acting director of Community Policy and Research Services since the departure of Todd Greene, who left Georgia Tech in February to take a position with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

“Robert Lann has a deep understanding of the needs of Georgia communities, local and state governments, and economic developers – as well as a clear view of how university-based programs can assist them,” said Wayne Hodges, vice provost in Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute.  “In these times of increasing economic pressure on governments at all levels, the assistance provided by Community Policy and Research Services is more important to Georgia than ever before.”

Lann’s organization has developed a number of innovative programs and tools to further its mission, including:

• The Accelerator Program™, which serves as an incubator to help communities that are beginning a strategic planning process; 
• The Calibration Program™, which helps economic development organizations adopt quality management processes to operate more efficiently and effectively; 
• WebLOCI™, a Web-based version of the local-government fiscal impact tool that helps chambers of commerce, local governments and others assess the costs and benefits of new and expanding businesses; 
• TechSmart™, which helps communities develop and adopt information technology strategies; 
• WebFIT™, a tool that provides communities with information useful in making long-term decisions about managing growth.

Georgia Tech’s Community Policy and Research Services is also active in the manufacturing modernization effort, conducting Georgia’s Manufacturing Survey every two years and carrying out policy research into issues that affect Georgia manufacturers.  With Georgia Tech’s School of Public Policy, it operates the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) Center, a think-tank on science and technology issues.

The organization also conducts customized research to help communities, local and state governments, regions, economic developers and others obtain information about important issues.  To share information with the local community on trends in innovation, it conducts the “Innovation Forum,” a lecture series open to the public.

About Enterprise Innovation Institute:

The Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute helps companies, entrepreneurs, economic developers and communities improve their competitiveness through the application of science, technology and innovation. It is one of the most comprehensive university-based programs of business and industry assistance, technology commercialization and economic development in the nation.

Research News & Publications Office

Enterprise Innovation Institute

Georgia Institute of Technology

75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 100

Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA

Media Relations Contacts: John Toon (404-894-6986); E-mail: (john.toon@innovate.gatech.edu) or Nancy Fullbright (404-894-2214); E-mail: (nancy.fullbright@innovate.gatech.edu)

Writer: John Toon