Massachusetts MEP: Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2007

For more information please contact:
Jack Healy
MassMEP
Tel: 508-831-7020

MASSMEP APPOINTS WORCESTER ACADEMIC LEADER TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Organization Adds Dean of Instruction for Business and Technology at Quinsigamond Community College as Newest Board Member

WORCESTER, MA - The Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP), a resource organization for manufacturing companies across the state has elected Kathleen Rentsch, the Dean of Instruction for Business and Technology at Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) in Worcester to its Board of Directors.

“Kathy has over twenty years of academic and professional experience in public higher education and non-profit management and demonstrates that she works well with community and business leaders, faculty, and students. She consistently provides leadership to faculty and staff at QCC, while maintaining connections with corporate, community, statewide and national efforts aimed at improving and expanding technological education,” said John Prosser, chairman of the MassMEP Board of Directors. “Her expertise is invaluable, and I have full confidence that she will be an asset to our board.”

Rentsch has extensive experience as an academic leader at QCC, from facilitating grant development activities to managing workplace basic skills program in area manufacturing companies. She also worked with QCC’s senior administrative team in research and development for 11 new degree and certificate programs, approved by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education in 1999, after the closure of the Worcester Technical Institute. In the mid 1990’s, Rentsch directed a school/business partnership initiative involving 41 public schools and more than 40 Worcester-area businesses at the Alliance for Education. Also while at the Alliance, she served as facilitator for the Greater Worcester School to Career Partnership.

“We’re honored to have such a committed public education advocate on the MassMEP team,” added Prosser.

The MassMEP is an affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the U.S. Department of Commerce. The national MEP system is a network of manufacturing extension centers that provide business and technical assistance to smaller manufacturers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Through MEP, manufacturers have access to more than 2,000 manufacturing and business “coaches” whose job is to help firms make changes that lead to greater productivity, increased profits and enhanced global competitiveness. For more information, please visit www.massmep.org, or phone 1-800-MEP-4MFG.

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