Patents and licensing director named

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the not-for-profit organization that manages intellectual property in the interest of the university, has named Bryan Z. Renk as its new director of patents and licensing.

He replaces Carl Gulbrandsen, who was recently named WARF’s managing director.

A Wisconsin native and graduate of UW–Madison, Renk previously served as a licensing associate for WARF, managing more than 275 technologies and from those producing more than 90 income-generating licenses and options. Before joining WARF in 1995, he worked for and was director of William F. Renk and Sons, a privately held seed business that produces and markets corn, alfalfa and soybean seed in the United States, South America and Europe.

As a WARF licensing associate for the past four years, Renk has performed superbly, said Gulbrandsen. “As director of patents and licensing, Bryan’s experience and leadership qualities will help WARF maintain and enhance its position as one of the world’s leading university licensing organizations.”

Renk said he hopes to be able to help WARF continue its long tradition of support and service to UW–Madison faculty and staff through the transfer of technology and ideas from the laboratory to the private sector, where those ideas can be put to work for the benefit of society.

Founded in 1925, WARF is the oldest of all university intellectual property organizations. Its primary responsibility is to patent and promote the ideas, technologies and other products of the UW–Madison intellectual enterprise. The money WARF earns from patents is redirected to support UW–Madison research. On average, WARF grants between $17 and $20 million annually to the UW–Madison campus.

In the past five years, WARF has seen a dramatic increase in the number of patents and licenses based on UW–Madison research. An important goal, said Renk, is to continue that trend and to expand the organization’s horizons to the international patent market.