New Director Excited to Take Helm as Institute Reports Record Growth

John Leland doesn’t like to second-guess. It’s a philosophy that helped earn him a spot at the helm of the University of Dayton Research Institute, which today reported a record-breaking $70.2 million in research revenue.

Leland will take on the role of director of UDRI Sept. 1, replacing Michael V. “Mickey” McCabe, who was promoted to vice president of research for the University of Dayton and executive director for the Research Institute.

Leland has been on a fast track at UDRI – he was hired in the fall of 2000 as director of technology partnerships, then named head of the materials engineering division in April 2003. In the spring of 2004, he was promoted to associate director for research operations. 

The trick to quickly acclimating to a new position and its challenges is to never look back or second-guess, Leland said. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t carefully think things through before making a decision, but once you make it, give it your all. Don’t waste energy asking yourself, “What if?”

Leland is stepping into his new role managing UDRI’s six operating divisions and sustainment technologies integration office in Ogden, Utah, during a period of significant growth for the Research Institute – which is the largest nonprofit R&D organization in the region. UDRI just posted research revenue of more than $70 million – close to double that of its revenue just five years ago. In July, the National Science Foundation reported that UD was again ranked second among colleges and universities in the nation for industry- and federally funded materials research.

Then there is the matter of maintaining an exceptional work environment. Earlier this year, UDRI was named one of the top 10 “Best Places to Work” in the Miami Valley in a contest sponsored by the Dayton Business Journal. UDRI scored higher than all large companies in the contest, which ranked businesses based on anonymous employee surveys.

“This is an exciting time to be part of the Research Institute,” Leland said. “We have experienced strong growth with new and existing customers and built a solid reputation with the state of Ohio for achieving results – making us tremendously successful in competing for state funds to dramatically improve our facilities and become a leader in new areas of research.”

“We are also beginning to work more closely as a team with the academic side of the University, and I believe this will allow us to achieve even more in the future. None of this would be possible without the great people that make up our organization. Working with these people to build on our rich capabilities and recent successes is what I most look forward to in my new position.”

Leland, whose bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees are in mechanical engineering, said his goals for UDRI include “continuing to strengthen our partnership with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the local community and industry to build on Ohio’s technical and economic strengths in aerospace and advanced materials. To remain successful in the long term, we must continue to develop new technical capabilities – especially those that are an extension of our current strengths, such as our work in applied nanomaterials. One of our biggest challenges now and for the next five years will be acquiring and developing space to house new activities.”

Among his many accomplishments at the Research Institute thus far, Leland was a key player in helping to establish the Wright Brothers Institute in Dayton, bringing the attention of the state to UDRI, and making a significant impact in securing critical research funding through congressional initiatives, McCabe said. “In addition, John has the background, experience and talent to lead the Research Institute into the future. His solid performance at UDRI during the last five years is indicative of his ability to meet future challenges in the research arena and to sustain the success of the organization. John’s leadership style reflects a wonderful blend of competence in research and development, great self-confidence, and a caring attitude toward the people around him.”

August 25, 2005

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