Thomas B. Ballard

Thomas B. Ballard is Interim Director of Technology Transfer and Economic Development and Director of Economic Development and Partnerships for UT-Battelle, the managing contractor for Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He joined the management team of UT-Battelle in July 2004 after retiring from The University of Tennessee following nearly 35 years representing the institution with a variety of stakeholders. He assumed the additional role of Interim Director effective August 1, 2007.

At UT-Battelle, Ballard leads the organization responsible for intellectual property management, licensing, sponsored research and economic development partnerships. In addition to responsibility for the entire organization, he also leads ORNL’s “Lab of the South” initiative that links the lab to state and local government officials, economic development leaders, and start-up and existing company executives throughout the region. Major regional multi-state initiatives are underway in homeland security, automotive R&D, nanotechnology, information technology, buildings technology and bioenergy.

Ballard retired from UT as Vice President for Public and Governmental Relations where spent more than three decades helping facilitate major initiatives in Tennessee. They included 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 (Immediate Past Chair), East Tennessee State University’s Innovation Park, Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership, National Transportation Research Center Inc., Oak Ridge Economic Partnership (Treasurer), Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 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.