Thomas B. (Tom) Ballard was appointed the inaugural Director of the Partnerships Directorate for UT-Battelle, the managing contractor for Oak Ridge National Laboratory, on January 1, 2008. The new organization added two strategic responsibilities – industrial and educational partnerships – to the former Technology Transfer and Economic Development Directorate which Ballard had headed as Interim Director since August 1, 2007.

In his new role, Ballard leads an organization that plays a key role in connecting the world to the technology rich assets of ORNL. The Partnerships team manages ORNL’s intellectual property, negotiates and executes licenses for use of that intellectual property, links local economic development organizations and their businesses to the lab’s resources, executes research and usage agreements with companies needing access to ORNL’s researchers and tools, and promotes stronger alliances between universities and the lab.

Ballard joined UT-Battelle in July 2004 after retiring from The University of Tennessee as Vice President for Public and Governmental Relations following nearly 35 years representing the institution with a variety of stakeholders. During his more than three decades at UT, Ballard helped facilitate major initiatives in Tennessee including implementation of the Solid Waste Management Act of 1991 and the Tennessee Growth Policy Act of 1998, development of statewide distance learning and telecommunications networks, and coordination of the planning committee for the first-ever Governor’s Economic Summit in 1997.

Ballard serves on the board of directors of a number of local and regional not-for-profit organizations including the Blount County Chamber of Commerce, East Tennessee Economic Council (Past Chair), East Tennessee State University’s Innovation Park, Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership, National Transportation Research Center Inc., Oak Ridge Economic Partnership (Chair), Technology 2020, Tennessee Technology Development Corporation (Executive Committee), Tennessee Valley Corridor, Inc. (Past Chair), and Tennessee Valley Corridor Foundation (Chair). He also serves on the Advisory Board for The University of Tennessee’s Center for Industrial Services and is a member of the Southern Technology Council.

Ballard joined the UT staff in 1969 as Director of Alumni Programs and moved to the 18-month old Institute for Public Service in early 1973. For years, IPS has been recognized as the nation’s most comprehensive, university-based program focused on helping build stronger communities by strengthening the efficiency and effectiveness of cities, counties and manufacturers.

Ballard is a graduate of UT with a bachelor's degree in communications and was the 2001 recipient of the College’s Hileman Outstanding Alumni Award. He also was named the second “Tennessee Valley Corridor Champion” in 2005. His wife, Diane, is editor of The Tennessee Alumnus magazine, and they have one daughter, a granddaughter and two step grandchildren.