Oct. 13, 2021

Former University of South Dakota president Jim Abbott has been named interim president and CEO of the USD Discovery District.

Abbott, who retired in 2018 after 21 years of leading USD, was instrumental in the creation of the Discovery District, which turns university research into commercialized products, resulting in jobs and economic activity.

The 80-acre corporate and academic research park is a public-private partnership effort among USD, the city of Sioux Falls, the South Dakota Board of Regents, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and the business community through Forward Sioux Falls. When fully developed, it will include an estimated 26 privately developed buildings with nearly 2,800 people working for companies housed within the district.

USD President Sheila Gestring said in a statement that it’s fitting Abbott returns to lead the innovation community because it was his determination, vision and leadership that led to its initial development. His continued passion for the Discovery District led him to accept the position while refusing a salary, Gestring said.

“I am delighted to appoint James Abbott as interim president and CEO of the USD Discovery District,” Gestring said. “Jim understands USD’s vision to foster and support university research and promote economic development in our state. He is passionate about driving the Discovery District forward because he deeply believes in its ability to impact our state and its economy. He is a true advocate for USD and South Dakota, and we are excited to welcome him home.”

Mark Brown most recently served as president of the Discovery District.

Gestring and Abbott pointed to the success of the Graduate Education and Applied Research Center and the USD biomedical engineering Ph.D. program, both of which are located on USD’s Sioux Falls campus, right next door to the Discovery District. USD’s GEAR Center is already full, and biotech companies are often referred elsewhere or unable to establish operations in South Dakota, Gestring said.

USD’s biomedical engineering students and graduates already are driving innovation in the state through startups, and Gestring and Abbott said they envision a future where these researchers have a dedicated space to expand their innovation-driven businesses and commercialize their technology to help grow companies in South Dakota.

“The research happening on USD’s Sioux Falls campus has significant commercial potential, and through the Discovery District, we will be able to provide development and incubation space where researchers, scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs can commercialize their products,” Abbott said. “Biotech, biomedical and other companies with great ideas and products need a place to refine, incubate and produce their products. The challenge and opportunity for the Discovery District is to create that space.”

The concept for the Discovery District began more than two decades ago with leaders in business and education coming together to set a strategy on growing technology-based business in South Dakota. In 2012, the Legislature passed and Gov. Dennis Daugaard signed legislation to authorize research parks on lands controlled by the South Dakota Board of Regents. The USD research park corporation was formed later that year. The USD Discovery District name was formalized in 2015.

During Abbott’s tenure at USD, enrollment increased from 6,500 to 10,000 students, including six new buildings and a transition to Division I athletics. He was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2017.

“To put it simply – Jim Abbott is the kind of leader who can take a vision and turn it into reality,” Gestring said. “I am confident in his ability to turn the USD Discovery District into a bustling economic engine that attracts new industries like biotech to South Dakota and creates new jobs for our graduates.”