Wesley D. Blakeslee, a Johns Hopkins University lawyer
with long experience in commercialization of technology
and licensing of intellectual property, has been appointed
acting director of the
Johns Hopkins Office of Technology Transfer.
He also will serve as acting director of technology
transfer for the School of Medicine, recognizing that
school's particular interest in bringing its inventions and
discoveries to the marketplace. Blakeslee replaces Jill
Tarzian Sorensen, who resigned.
Blakeslee has been associate general counsel at Johns
Hopkins since 1999, responsible for the complex legal
issues involved in intellectual property matters,
technology licensing and transfer, sponsored research
agreements, and export and import controls.
Previously, he had been since 1984 the chief executive
officer of Blakeslee, Wallace and Associates, focusing his
legal practice on technology development, acquisitions and
licensing. He managed successful new companies and assisted
more than 50 startup companies.
Prior to beginning his law career, Blakeslee was an
engineering manager at NASA, where he managed a software
design, development and implementation group.
"Wes' skills and experience and his close association
with the Office of Technology Transfer over the years make
him an ideal choice to lead the office during this interim
period," said Ted Poehler, vice provost for research at
Johns Hopkins. "He is well-known nationally not only for
his legal skills but also for his wide-ranging business
experience, management expertise and technology
background."
Sorensen led Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer during
an important period of organizational change, Poehler said.
She is leaving to pursue areas of personal interest in
technology transfer policy and in the nonmonetary,
humanitarian impact of technology transfer.
"Jill strengthened the university's infrastructure in
technology transfer," Poehler said. "She introduced a
distributed organizational model which provides technology
transfer staff to work with faculty inventors in the
various Johns Hopkins divisions and to accommodate the
varying needs of the schools."
Blakeslee and the Office of Technology Transfer staff
will build on this infrastructure, Poehler said.
"Wes will focus on honing efficient business processes
and building on our current momentum," he said.
Blakeslee is a 1969 engineering graduate of the
Pennsylvania State University. He earned his law degree at
the University of Maryland in Baltimore in 1976.
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