HOUGHTON - Michigan Tech Enterprise Corporation SmartZone CEO Carlton Crothers has resigned his position after five years, the SmartZone Board of Directors announced Tuesday.
"I will always have a warm place in my heart for this area," Crothers said this morning. "Especially the people."
Since Crothers became SmartZone director in 2005, MTEC SmartZone has added more than 300 jobs, while 32 entrepreneurs, including two Fortune 100 companies, have started or grown businesses inside SmartZone.
"In over five years as CEO, Carlton led the expansion of MTEC SmartZone's business incubator facilities in Houghton and Hancock," SmartZone Board Chair Phil Musser said in the release. "He has been instrumental in helping capture several grants and public and private investments that resulted in infrastructure upgrades, entrepreneur training programs and resources for start-up companies. We are thankful for Carlton's service and wish him the best."
Board Secretary Glenn Anderson said this morning he was disappointed to hear of Crothers' resignation.
"I've gotten to know Carlton," he said. "He's become a friend both personally and professionally, so I'm sorry to hear that he's returning to the Dallas area. He's done a lot of good things for the SmartZone and the community. He's been involved with the community, and he's been a positive influence on the high-tech sector that we're all trying to grow."
Anderson said Crothers likely wants to be closer to his son, who lives in the Dallas area.
"I think his goal is to get closer to the year-round dad, versus the long-distance dad," he said.
For now, MTEC consultant Marilyn Clark has contracted to work part-time on the transition through the end of the year. Clark is a faculty member of Finlandia University's School of Business and serves on the Michigan Technological University President's Advisory Council. Clark will work with SmartZone Program Director Jonathan Leinonen and Cheryl LeClaire, administrator.
"After the first of the year, we will sit down and evaluate what the next step is for the SmartZone," Anderson said. "I'm confident with Marilyn's experience, Jonathan's longevity and Cheryl's input, we won't miss a beat."