The Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University announces the appointment of Robert (Bob) Herz as director of the South Side Innovation Center (SSIC). Herz brings to the SSIC a robust background in New York State’s public and private sectors, including acting as the director for the New York State Senate Aging Committee and as legislative director for Senator Martin Golden. In these capacities, Herz coordinated and negotiated a $1 billion public/private life sciences/biotech project at the Brooklyn Army Terminal with private companies, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the State University of New York, and Bank of America, and authored and negotiated a multitude of state laws and state and local programs. His public sector experience also includes working as a special assistant to Senator Roy Goodman and as chief of staff for Senator Tarky Lombardi Jr.

As both an individual and as owner of a consulting and development company, Herz has developed and consulted on projects in New York State and internationally.

As director of the SSIC, Herz is responsible for overseeing the operations, facility management, and programs; developing and implementing entrepreneurial training programs for clients; providing business counseling to entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs; and creating a network of partners and resources for South Side initiatives. The 14,000-square-foot SSIC, sponsored by the Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship in the Whitman School, seeks to foster the creation of new ventures, help existing businesses grow, and contribute to the prosperity of the City of Syracuse’s South Side neighborhood.