NJEDge.Net to Welcome New President and CEO in September

On Aug 15, 2016

Newark-based NJEDge.Net 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 NJEDge.Net from founder, outgoing president and CEO, George G. Laskaris.

NJEDge.Net, governed by the New Jersey President’s Council and 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 NJEDge.Net Board of Trustees.

“Since its inception, NJEDge.Net has been a frontrunner in supporting the technology needs of the New Jersey higher-education community,” remarked Steve Rose, chair of the NJEDge.Net 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 NJEDge.Net 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, cyberlearning, 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 NJEDge.Net 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 NJEDge.Net 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.’”

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