Newark, NJ – Edge has hired Samuel Conn, Ph.D., as its new president and CEO, effective Sept. 12, 2016, after a long and extensive search. Dr. Conn will take the reins of Edge (formerly EDge.Net) from founder, outgoing president and CEO, George G. Laskaris.
Edge, housed at and staffed by New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), is a nonprofit research and education network that fosters and supports the productive use of new and emerging technologies across the academic enterprise. The organization was established in 2000 and today serves more than 60 members that include primarily higher-education institutions, as well as K-12 schools and health-care systems. NJIT President Joel S. Bloom serves as treasurer on the Edge Board of Trustees
“Since its inception, Edge has been a frontrunner in supporting the technology needs of the New Jersey higher-education community,” remarked Steve Rose, chair of the Edge Board of Trustees and president of Passaic County Community College. “Dr. Sam Conn is a visionary leader who we are confident can take our organization to the next level in helping New Jersey’s colleges and universities thrive and excel into the future.”
Dr. Conn joins Edge from State University of New York Empire State College, where he was executive vice president for finance, administration and information technology, as well as chief information officer. He brings more than 35 years of combined military, professional, industry and academic experience in the field of technology and information systems. He began his work in higher education in 2001 with a focus on information-technology management, administrative and educational technologies, e-learning networks and online program construction and management. His service to academe includes leadership positions in information technology at Regis University, Virginia Tech, Georgia Military College and Southern Polytechnic State University.
Dr. Conn is a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association and a distinguished member of Upsilon Pi Epsilon Honor Society in the Computing Sciences. He is widely published in the fields of information systems, educational technology, e- learning networks, cyber learning, system development methodologies and epistemic- belief research. He holds a BSci in business administration, an MSci in computer information systems and a doctorate in information systems.
Among Dr. Conn’s goals for his first year at Edge are further developing the organization’s capabilities to deliver high value to its member institutions, serving as a catalyst for innovative and transformative technologies that support digital learning, and strengthening member relationships and collaborations to inform new products and services that meet current and future needs related to educational and academic computing.
“It is a wonderful honor and I am excited to be chosen to serve the member institutions of Edge as president. The organization’s history, technology focus, solid foundation in higher education and talent provide incredible opportunities for future innovation and advancement,” said Dr. Conn. “I look forward to engaging with all members to achieve the organization’s mission to provide ‘collaborative resources and networked information services in support of teaching and learning, research and development, outreach and public service, as well as economic development throughout the state of New Jersey.’”
About NJIT
One of the nation’s leading public technological universities, New Jersey Institute of
Technology (NJIT) is a top-tier research university that prepares students to become leaders in the technology-dependent economy of the 21st century. NJIT’s multidisciplinary curriculum and computing-intensive approach to education provide technological proficiency, business acumen and leadership skills. With an enrollment of 11,325 graduate and undergraduate students, NJIT offers small-campus intimacy with the resources of a major public research university. NJIT is a global leader in such fields as solar research, nanotechnology, resilient design, tissue engineering, and cyber security, in addition to others. NJIT ranks 5th among U.S. polytechnic universities in research expenditures, topping $110 million, and is among the top 1 percent of public colleges and universities in return on educational investment, according to PayScale.com. NJIT has a $1.74 billion annual economic impact on the state of New Jersey. For more information, visit njit.edu.
About Edge
Edge is a New Jersey-based 501.3(C) research and education network that supports its members in their institutional missions by providing collaborative resources and networked information services in support of teaching and learning, research and development, outreach and public service, as well as economic development throughout the state of New Jersey. In providing a broadband statewide network, Edge establishes standards for interoperability, achieves economies of scale, and supports new and emerging technologies to foster productive use of technology across the academic enterprise. For more information, visit NJEdge.net.