Testimonials

"...national leaders developing and implementing strategies to engage universities in regional economic development."

“I have worked closely with Tim and Nancy for nearly 8 years.  They are seasoned professionals who have been national leaders developing and implementing strategies to engage universities in regional economic development.  They bring a rich set of tools and an international network of partners that I relied upon when Tim and I partnered to build NJII as a new model for business innovation bringing together universities, government agencies and businesses large and small.” 

Donald Sebastian, Founding President and CEO
New Jersey Innovation Institute
Senior VP for Technology and Economic Development, NJIT

“I vividly recall thinking at the time, ‘now that's what a land grant university should be doing.’”

“…big ideas are the vehicles that help transform society and make the lives of people and communities better…In addition to promoting community resilience and well-being, really big ideas typically lead to more big ideas. They are the gifts that keep on giving… Having and implementing big ideas requires collective focus, broad collaboration, unwavering persistence and steadfast commitment from all major stakeholders.”

“…while I was a dean at Virginia Tech's eight colleges I remember an animated conversation on campus one day with Tim and Nancy Franklin, the founding executive and senior directors of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research regarding the potential of this new big idea. I vividly recall thinking at the time, ‘now that's what a land grant university should be doing.’”

(October 24, 2012, Comments made at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the National Tire Research Center)

Jerry Niles, Ph.D.
Dean Emeriti and Professor, College of Health and Human Development (former name)
Interim Vice President for Outreach and International Affairs
Virginia Tech

“A great job getting the IALR functioning and operating…”

“Tim and Nancy Franklin were hired by the Institute in Danville to orchestrate it’s startup. It was complex because it involved coordinating Virginia Tech research, commercial testing, seamless academic degree pathways, a conference center, and a K- 12 outreach program. Tim and Nancy did a great job getting the IALR functional and operating smoothly across programs.” 

Ben Davenport
Former member and Rector, Virginia Tech Board of Visitors
Vice Chairman, Future of the Piedmont Foundation 

“Clients praised his capacity for listening … “

“In his capacity as a Regional Education Director in Southside Virginia in the early 2000s, Tim Franklin was a vocal and very effective leader among area education center directors and within the state higher education community.   He demonstrated a particular skill in seeing connections between education and business that led to important advancements in technology use and applications.  His business clients praised his capacity for listening and the applications of resources to their specific problems and challenges, rather than his use of a pre-determined service template.”

Daniel J. LaVista, Ph.D.
Former Executive Director (2004-2010)
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia

“imagination and creativity, tireless work ethic, integrity,  and dedication to serving employers/clients’ …”

“I have known the Franklins for over 35 yrs. dating back to my time as Exec. V.P. at Old Dominion U, through two university presidencies, and during my numerous years as a CEO/consultant with Penson Associates, INC. I have watched, with interest and pride, both Nancy and Tim, mature and grow professionally and personally.

Nancy is widely respected for her quiet competence, empathy, and skill as a facilitator/consultant to many clients. Her expertise  and creativity is recognized by those who have benefited from Nancy’s  dedicated service.

Tim,  a very cerebral and intelligent  professional, is appreciated  for his abilities to bring practical solutions to complex situations; for his imagination and creativity, tireless work ethic, integrity,  and dedication to serving his employers/clients’ interests and needs. I also have been impressed with Tim’s ability to a be strong, courageous, ethical, advocate.

Both Nancy and Tim remain intellectually curious, committed to their continuous personal growth, and consequentially, are especially well read in their respective fields and beyond."

John W. Moore,
Former President, Indiana State University (1992-2000)
Former Principal and CEO, Penson and Associates (2001-2015)
Former Chancellor, California State University at Stanislaus (1985-1992)

“The Franklins brought a vision of change to the community that stretched the comfort zone of both its leaders and its general populace. “

“Drs. Tim and Nancy Franklin arrived in Danville just after the City had undergone tremendous losses of its key industrial base and was frighteningly close to total desperation regarding its economic future.  The Franklins brought a vision of change to the community that stretched the comfort zone of both its leaders and its general populace.  The two of them did not attempt to land a knockout punch, but they exerted steady, firm pressure to build a culture that has welcomed twenty-first century technology and has built a winning attitude among both the City’s leaders and the vast majority of its people.  The vision that the Franklins brought to Danville nearly two decades ago is today the real essence of the community.  Our gratitude is infinite!”

Linwood Wright,
Former City of Danville (VA) mayor
Chairman, Future of the Piedmont Foundation
Founding Chairman, Institute for Advanced Learning and Research Board of Trustees (2002-2006)

“His expertise coupled with a strong sense of community and inclusive leadership led to numerous transformational successes…”

“I had the opportunity to work with Tim Franklin on the establishment of the New Jersey Innovation Institute, a unique institution focused on driving economic development and workforce outcomes by leveraging assets of higher education in combination with public and private organizations in key industry sectors.  His expertise coupled with a strong sense of community and inclusive leadership led to numerous transformational successes in healthcare, defense supply chain, biopharma manufacturing and smart city projects.”

Judith A. Sheft,
Executive Director, NJ Commission on Innovation, Science and Technology
Former Associate Vice President for Technology Commercialization, NJIT and NJII

“I miss Tim and Nancy's visionary approach to highly complex matters, as well as their effective and honest communication.”

“I had the pleasure of working with Tim and Nancy Franklin for a number of years during their effort to revitalize the economy of Southside Virginia through the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR).  Tim and Nancy spearheaded setting up IALR and making it a reality from its very beginning to successful implementation.  Through their vision, effective communication, and masterful management of politics among five municipalities and townships in the area, they managed to achieve what was initially thought to be improbable.  Upon their departure from IALR many of the initiatives that they had started became stagnant or ended, simply because they were no longer there to shepherd it along.  The golden days of IALR ended with their departure.  I miss Tim and Nancy's visionary approach to highly complex matters, as well as their effective and honest communication.”

Mehdi Ahmadian, Ph.D.
Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech
Technical Visionary for IALR’s Virginia Institute for Performance Engineering and Research

“They are extraordinary visionaries and implementers.“

“Over the past twenty-five years I’ve watched, worked, and benefitted from the leadership and thinking of the Franklins.  They are extraordinary visionaries and implementers.  Their leadership left Indiana State with a strategic plan and position that has translated into the success that ISU enjoys today and their thinking and leadership of PA Prosperity partnerships laid the groundwork for Penn State to be more involved in communities around the state.  As a Chancellor of a campus that is enjoying success from this work, I am grateful to them for their leadership. Thinking, planning, collaborating, implementing, and impact are what you get with these two leaders in higher education!”

Kevin Snider, Ph.D., Chancellor
Penn State University – New Kensington
Former Associate VP for Institutional Research, Indiana State University

“I am energized when presented the opportunity to work with Drs. Tim and Nancy Franklin.”

“I am energized when presented the opportunity to work with Drs. Tim and Nancy Franklin. Having collaborated with them on complex research and writing, community and economic development (Virginia Tech’s Southside Initiative and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research), as well as professional development projects (Engagement Academy for University Leaders), I know the Franklins work diligently to arrive at breakthrough, important, strategic solutions.  As principals, they consistently demonstrate exceptional high-level technical, managerial, and relational skills to facilitate and lead efforts that have resulted in national models. That is why when charged to find leaders of national engagement initiatives and advocacy work, I have turned to both members of the Franklin team and have never been disappointed in their thorough, thoughtful, creative contributions.”

Lorilee R. Sandmann, Ph.D.
Founding Director, Engagement Academy (national training academy for Sr. Univ. Leaders)
Professor Emerita
Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy
University of Georgia

“In that capacity, he was a forward thinker whose critical-thinking and strategies would ultimately incorporate inclusiveness and diversity in the plan…”

“I feel very honored to have met and worked with Tim and Nancy Franklin while Tim served as Director for the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, Virginia. In that capacity, he was a forward thinker whose critical-thinking and strategies would ultimately incorporate inclusiveness and diversity in the plan to merge a rural and agricultural community into an area that would transform itself into a technological community while not abandoning the lifestyles of the citizens whose outlook was primarily focused on manufacturing or tobacco. Tim and Nancy Franklin were and remain to be professional and positive forward thinkers. Integrity is a very important value to me, and Tim and Nancy demonstrated those qualities as they shepherded the community to embrace advancements while not excluding any Persons. We all can trust Nancy and Tim Franklin.”

Everlena Ross, Executive Director
Pittsylvania County Community Action, Inc.
Founding Member, SCALE UP (Southside Community Aligned for Leadership in Education, Upward Progress)

"They were strategic, partnership-oriented, outcomes-oriented, and courageous."

“I began working with Tim and Nancy Franklin as they started to implement the vision of the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research. IALR was to serve as an anchor to revitalize and transform the textile, tobacco, and furniture economy in southside Virginia. They were strategic, partnership-oriented, outcomes-oriented, and courageous. They worked as a team in developing and executing multiple strategies to engage the entire community, including a black community that was historically disenfranchised. They created big ideas and recognized the importance of the details of implementation. With their strategic focus they capitalized on existing assets in the region, culminating in pillars focusing on strengthening agriculture, polymers, motorsports, and unmanned systems/robotics. With these pillars identified they developed partnerships to secure external federal, state, and local resources to build multiple programs and additional necessary facilities. Their efforts culminated in Virginia Tech and IALR being awarded the regional and national 2007 McGrath/APLU Engagement Awards for the Southside Initiative. Today, IALR is larger, has stimulated a new economy with various spin-off companies, and helped to attract new companies and grow existing companies in Southside Virginia. In short, their legacy of regional revitalization is alive and going strong today … a real testament to their efforts.”

Ted Settle, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Economic Development (retired)
Virginia Tech

"The Franklins bring the intellect, the experience, and the perspectives to help individuals, companies, public and private organizations succeed in today's and tomorrow's performance-based economy.”

“We have witnessed major disruptions in our economy, our workforce, and our political landscape over the past several decades.  These disruptions have presented both challenges and opportunities to change the ways we think about and "act" in developing regional economies, preparing our workforce, and addressing societal issues.  I have worked with Tim and Nancy Franklin in many initiatives designed to develop and execute new strategies and solutions to deploy . . . the Workforce Innovations in Regional Economic Development national initiative, Pennsylvania Prosperity Partnerships, Transformative Regional Engagement networks, to name just a few.  Public policies, best practices, and investment strategies continue to evolve in this creative space.  The Franklins bring the intellect, the experience, and the perspectives to help individuals, companies, public and private organizations succeed in today's and tomorrow's performance-based economy.”  

Emily DeRocco, Esq.
Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Former President, Manufacturing Institute (National Association of Manufacturers)

"... Tim was successful at “enlightening” other administrators and stakeholders to the value of our vision. "

“I had a pleasure working with Mr. Timothy Franklin (Tim) for over six years, starting in 2001, on the development and early operation of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR: https://www.ialr.org/). As the newly arrived Head of the Department of Horticulture at Virginia Tech, I invited him to give a visionary presentation on the role of IALR and its major partner, Virginia Tech (VT), in the socioeconomic transformation of Southside Virginia. We were impressed! In a follow up, several VT faculty and I visited the IALR construction site. Shortly thereafter, Tim and I organized a working session with representatives of the Danville Community College, Virginia Green Industry, and others, with expertise in the area of plant biotechnology and its utilization in setting up agriculture and forestry related businesses. Tim actively supported our initiative. Three years later, we were opening applied research and development facilities housing the Institute for Sustainable and Renewed Resources. Tim’s role was much more than stimulator. He worked with us as a collaborator throughout the process by leading with funding acquisition and by building bridges with industries, farmers, local education services, activists, politicians, and others involved in the development of the region. As one himself, Tim was successful at “enlightening” other administrators and stakeholders to the value of our vision. 

To summarize, Tim has been very successful in his ability to organize collaborative teams, inviting in other leaders who are capable of offering supportive strategies, raising funds, and implementing “transformative solutions”.  I am particularly proud of my collaboration with Tim, in working with scientists, support staff and graduate students at IALR to bring forward research, education, and outreach programs focused on the larger economic development objectives for which IALR was founded.”  

Jerzy Nowak, Ph.D.
Department Head and Professor Emeriti
Department of Horticulture, Virginia Tech
Visionary and Founder, Institute for Sustainable and Renewable Resources, IALR

“Nancy and Tim Franklin are catalysts for transformation."

“Nancy and Tim Franklin are catalysts for transformation. In my work with both of them--in the context of university roles in regional development and transformation--I have experienced their expert strategic thinking, their ability to inspire collaboration, and their adeptness of moving quickly from vision to action.”

Jim Woodell, Owner and Principal, Jim Woodell & Company;
Former Vice President for Economic Development and Community Engagement,
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities

“I could rely on Tim and Nancy to provide straight-shooting practical advice as we attempted to create an international organization …”

“During my years as president of the Engagement Scholarship Consortium I could rely on Tim and Nancy to provide straight-shooting practical advice as we attempted to create an international organization and steer it toward strategic planning and more action oriented strategic doing, two of the Franklins’ many skilled areas related to organizational development.”

Hiram E. Fitzgerald, Ph.D.
University Distinguished Professor, Emeritus
Associate Provost Emeritus
Past President, Engagement Scholarship Consortium
Michigan State University

“Tim [Franklin] is as fine a strategic thinker as I have known.”  

“Tim [Franklin] is as fine a strategic thinker as I have known.”  

(April 2001, Comments at Farewell Reception for the Franklins)

Lloyd Benjamin, Ph.D.
Former President and Professor
Indiana State University

“Nancy can help folks facing substantive decisions to move towards agreement.”

“Nancy brings significant programmatic breadth and depth from a variety of institutional settings. She is extremely good at seeing the big picture and making priority judgments. A real strength is in analysis of complex issues from several viewpoints, creating alternative positions for consideration, and help policy decisions evolve. Nancy can help folks facing substantive decisions to move towards agreement.”

Dr. John Moore
Managing Director Emeritus
Technology-Enhanced Learning and Online Strategies
Virginia Tech

“Tim and Nancy comprise a powerful combination of talent, expertise, and experience making real change happen. “

“Tim and Nancy comprise a powerful combination of talent, expertise, and experience making real change happen. They are change agents, strategists, influencers, trainers, authors, and leaders who understand both organizational behavior and cross-sector collective impact.”

Patrick Jinks,
President & Certified Leadership & Strategy Coach, The Jinks Perspective
Former President and CEO, United Way of Danville & Pittsylvania County

“Nancy has the unique ability to design pilots that answer the right questions for scaling and transferability.”

“Nancy has two impressive capacities in vision: the ability to see how things will unfold and fit over an extended period, and the ability to see a collection of activities as a portfolio dedicated to an overall goal. She is the consummate director of a myriad of programs or efforts, and even while excelling at an overall view, she never loses sight of the details. Nancy has the unique ability to design pilots that answer the right questions for scaling and transferability.”

Denice Heller Wardrop
Executive Director, Chesapeake Research Consortium
Founding Director, Penn State University Sustainability Institute