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Novak named first director of business relations, development

Carey Novak knows he has a big job ahead of him: be the "front door" to KU for potential industry partners while helping faculty explore business opportunities for their research. That will be his role as KU's first director of business relations and development.

Novak will be allied with the Lawrence-Douglas County Bioscience Authority to generate local industry relationships. The authority is helping to fund the position as well as travel and marketing expenses. "KU and the community have common interests when it comes to enhancing research, employment and local economic development," said LaVerne Epp, president of the authority board. "This alliance will benefit students and faculty, as well as potential business partners throughout the region."

Novak has held a similar position at Iowa State University since 1994. Before that, he directed two regional economic development agencies in Iowa and spent five years as a senior analyst with the Iowa Legislative Fiscal Bureau. He also started a company called Technology Marketing Inc. in Clinton, Iowa, and was its president for three years.

Novak starts at KU in early December. He will report to Jim Roberts, vice provost for research, and work closely with Jim Baxendale, executive director of technology transfer and intellectual property, and Beth Johnson, vice president for economic development with the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.

Messinger feted for baccalaureate work

Lori Messinger, assistant professor of social welfare, has been selected by her peers to receive the 2006 Distinguished Contemporary Contribution to Baccalaureate Social Work Education Award. Messinger was presented with the award at the annual Baccalaureate Program Director conference in October.

Lombardo's readings earn two awards

Stanley Lombardo

Stanley Lombardo, director and professor of classics, won a pair of awards for his recordings of a pair of Greek epics. His recording of Iliad was a winner and the Odyssey a finalist in the Audiobook-Non-Fiction, Unabridged category of the 2006 USA Book News Awards.

'Cheers' given to Joyce Generali

Joyce Generali, clinical professor of pharmacy practice, is among the winners of the Institute for Safe Medicine Practices' 9th Annual Cheers Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. The annual awards dinner and reception will be Dec. 5 during the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Clinical Meeting in Anaheim, Calif.

The Cheers Awards honor individuals, organizations and companies that have set a superlative standard of excellence for others to follow in the prevention of medication errors and adverse drug events. Four years ago, Generali began creating the first complete list of Black Box Warnings. Her list, which is continuously updated and free to the public, encompasses every warning from the Physician's Desk Reference. Generali thoroughly cross-checks the information with other references and has incorporated material from Federal Drug Administration's MedWatch program to ensure the list reflects current recommendations.

TOPONYMS

The original Green Hall, now Lippincott Hall, was dedicated Nov. 3, 1905, and named at the insistence of students for KU's first law professor and dean, James W. Green. He fought with the Kansas Legislature for decades over money for his continually expanding faculty and for a permanent building. "Uncle Jimmy" Green served the law school for 41 years.