Who We Are
The Biomedical Research and Innovation Park is a 501c3 non-profit corporation, with
established Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, a diverse Board of Directors comprised
of individuals with entrepreneurial and technology experience, representatives of
key economic development organizations, university leadership and individuals with
legal and financial expertise. BRIP will provide new and emerging biotechnology and
compatible businesses with an environment that will support their start-up phases
and increase their likelihood of success. It will also, stimulate the recruitment
of larger companies seeking access and resources of the ULM College of Pharmacy, VCOM,
and other assets in Northeast Louisiana.
The BRIP will include adaptable facility space, flexible leases, construction sites,
shared use of common office equipment, direct business assistance, and guidance mentoring,
access to financial partners and other technical resources, including the SBIR/STTR
programs.
A network of existing resources in the community and outside experts in various industries
will be developed to support Biomedical Research and Innovation Park, clients. Agreements
and partnerships will be established with Louisiana Delta Community College, ULM,
ULM SBDC, Louisiana Tech, LSU, and the ULM College of Business. The intent is to use
these relationships to provide interns, business counselors, and student group projects
for the park clients.
The Park will help these companies develop by providing them with space (land or labs/offices
within a park building) and services meant to assist the companies in their early
stages of development. By fulfilling this mission, the Biomedical Research and Innovation
Park will contribute to advances in health care, rural clinical care, public health,
biotechnology, pharmacy, innovation, as well as job creation, and enhancing the economic
health of the region.
The BRIP will be an integral part of the vision of ULM/VCOM and the economic development
vision of the region, as well as facilitating technology transfer and research commercialization
by the faculty and researchers at area universities and colleges. This initiative
adheres to the LED mission of leveraging the investments in universities, research
institutions, and clinical operations into the development of a knowledge-based economy
in the region.
In addition to its optimal setting, BRIP’s location near the ULM College of Pharmacy
enables the transfer of ideas from the University to the private sector. The firms
that develop and grow as a part of BRIP will contribute to job creation and enhance
the economic health of the region for years to come. Facility members working with
BRIP will attract complementary companies that can enhance the development of these
startups and university-based research. These firms can also provide a teaching forum
where ULM/VCOM students and faculty can translate classroom theory into practical
application in a real-world environment. In addition, these firms can fund research
and develop joint ventures with ULM faculty and research staff and assist the college
in attracting more research funding.
Our Mission
The mission of the Biomedical Research and Innovation Park is to stimulate the establishment
and growth of biotechnology start-up companies and other technology-based businesses.
Our Vision
The Biomedical Research and Innovation Park will be a University/Public/Private partnership
devoted to nurturing and supporting emerging biomedical enterprises in the Northeast
Louisiana area. The BRIP will provide an environment to nurture early-stage biotechnology
enterprises and assist them in their development.
Our Objectives
The Park has clear objectives meant to enhance ULM/VCOM and its partner institutions:
- Create new job opportunities for area residents, including disadvantaged residents
- Attract more public and private research funding for ULM
- Provide a business venue for entrepreneurial faculty, researchers and students
- Recruit high quality entrepreneurial faculty, researchers and students
- Provide customized workforce training
- Create higher wage jobs that have upward mobility
- Better leverage intellectual property from ULM and area institutions
- Contribute to the growth and success of emerging biotechnology businesses
- Generate new tax revenues for Monroe and Ouachita Parish.
Our Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Joe Holyfield, Chairman, President, Holyfield Construction | Dr. Ray Armstrong, Vice
Chairman, Retired | Amanda Edge, Treasurer, Entergy | Charlie D’ Agostino, LUS Research
Park President, Retired | Dr. Ron Berry, President, University of Louisiana at Monroe
| Sue Nicholson, Secretary, Monroe Chamber of Commerce President, Retired | Virendra
Chhikara, Executive Director, Biomedical Research and Innovation Park | Arthur Cooper,
Designee- Secretary Louisiana Economic Development
Board of Directors
Friday Ellis, Mayor, City of Monroe | Staci Mitchell, Mayor, City of Monroe | Dr.
Randy Esters, Chancellor, Louisiana Delta Community College | Justyn Dixon, President,
North Louisiana Economic Partnership | Tana Trichel, President, Northeast Louisiana
Economic Alliance | Roy Heatherly, President, Monroe Chamber of Commerce | Kris Kelley,
President, West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce | Alberta Green, Owner &
CEO, ABG Professional Development Solutions | Aaron Miscenich, Executive Director,
UMBC Research Park | James Moore, III, Board Member, ULM Foundation | Dr. Ray Morrison,
Founding Dean and VP for College Advancement for the LA Region | Dr. H. Glenn Anderson,
Jr., Dean, ULM College of Pharmacy | Shane Smiley, President, the Ouachita Parish
Police Jury, Represented by Larry Bratton | Dr. Michelle Mceacharn, Dean, ULM College
of Business | Cody Bauman, Engineer, Drax | Dr. John Sutherlin, Chief Innovation and
Research Officer, ULM, Ex-officio
Resource Partners
The University of Louisiana at Monroe (“ULM”), the ULM School of Pharmacy, the cities
of Monroe and West Monroe, the Ouachita Parish Police Jury, the Edward Via College
of Osteopathic Medicine (“VCOM”), Louisiana Delta Community College, the North Louisiana
Economic Partnership, the Northeast Louisiana Economic Alliance, Louisiana Economic
Development, the Monroe Chamber of Commerce, the West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber
of Commerce and the regional business community have established the Biomedical Research
and Innovation Park (“BRIP”) to work with private businesses to develop and commercialize
biomedical technologies and spinout technologies in pharmacology and other disciplines.
The project is aligned under a singular vision to create jobs and enhance the economic
health of the region. The development of the research park will be critical in building
economic diversity and resiliency for the region.
The Biomedical Research and Innovation Park Benefits
As the park grows and its economic impact is realized, it is certain to achieve goals
that lie outside of its core mission.
Research Park Client Benefits:
Clients that are accepted into Park will enjoy improved success rates as their business
enterprises are nurtured through early development years. Specific benefits include:
- Reduced Barriers to Entry
- Networking and Mentoring
- Increased Visibility and Stature
Community Benefits:
The primary benefit to the community is increased economic health and vitality. Specific
benefits include:
- Job Creation
- Enhanced Image
- Increased Entrepreneurialism
- Business Development
- Increased Tax Revenue
Benefits to ULM
The Biomedical Research and Innovation Park complements the mission of ULM and will
efficiently leverage existing initiatives. Specifically, benefits include:
- Expanded Outreach
- Enhanced
- Improved Structure for Technology Transfer
What We Have Accomplished So Far
The BRIP Board of Directors has been working to identify and finalize all the necessary
funding to construct the project. That work is almost complete. Our plan is to begin
construction on the road and infrastructure within the next 12 months. Planning and
engineering for the building will run concurrently with the infrastructure development.
Completion of the building should be complete by 2025.
In the interim, the BRIP office will be housed on the University of Louisiana at Monroe
campus. The Board of Directors is developing a list of potential space on and off
campus that can be utilized until the time our building is complete.
The BRIP Board and staff are hosting meetings with area industry and developing deep
relationships with researchers on the ULM and VCOM Campus and in the community. We
are also developing a database of resources in the region that may be important to
companies considering locating in Northeast Louisiana.
