Toby Teeter
Toby Teeter was hired on July 6 as the inaugural director of the Collaborative, a new University of Arkansas education and research entity in Bentonville that is part of the newly developed Institute for Integrative & Innovative Research.
“Toby is a leader, a connector, a communicator and an experienced entrepreneur,” said David Snow, interim vice chancellor for economic development. “I am delighted to have him join the leadership team in the Division of Economic Development in a role that celebrates his skill sets and experience, and in a fast-paced ‘startup’ environment where innovation and flexibility are expected.”
The objectives of the Collaborative are to:
- Facilitate and encourage industry-academic engagement and co-created innovation with a focus on technology, the digital economy and data science and analytics.
- Serve the post-baccalaureate education needs of individuals and organizations throughout northwest Arkansas.
- Connect integrative research efforts to enterprises throughout the region to increase the commercialization of research and technology.
The Collaborative, funded by a portion of a $194.7 million grant from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, is located in the Greenway Office Park adjacent to the Razorback Greenway, the Momentary contemporary art space, and the 8th Street Market. It will also be home to the UA Global Campus operations in Bentonville.
In addition to managing the Bentonville location, Teeter will support regional entrepreneurship and facilitate industry partnerships and commercialization of discovery.
“I look forward to connecting Bentonville business leaders and economic development stakeholders with the university to establish strategic partnerships and champion innovation culture,” he said in a news release. “The Collaborative will be a catalyst for Bentonville innovations, bringing together special people in a special place to solve 21st century challenges.”
Teeter previously served as president and CEO of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce. Before that, he founded Omni Brands LLC, a portfolio of e-commerce outdoor apparel brands. He also founded and was president of Litmus Media, an online advertising network acquired by Inuvo Inc. of Little Rock in 2006.
Teeter holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University.
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