Bob Geolas, hired in 2011 to lead development of a new strategic plan for Research Triangle Park, is leaving as president and CEO of the Research Triangle Foundation, which oversees the Park.

Geolas confirmed his departure in an interview.

“I will be leaving the Park and will be seeking other opportunities,” Geolas told WRAL TechWire.

“I have had five wonderful years working with the Park,” he added. His “focus has been on positioning the Park” for growth. “I feel really good about that,” he added.

Golas would not discuss the circumstances surrounding his decision.

WRAL TechWire learned of the decision and reached out to both Geolas as well as Smedes York, the Raleigh real estate developer who is chair of the RTP Foundation board.

“The only thing I can say right now is that Bob has done and is doing an outstanding job,” York said in an interview.

“He is a visionary who put us back on the map,” York added.

However, York would not talk about the circumstances surrounding Geolas’ departure.

“Any other statement about the change will have to come from Bob,” York said.

Geolas is expected to step down by the end of the year.

Geolas joined the RTP Foundation in November of 2011 and set about working with the board as well as staff to draft a new plan for development of the Park. He had previously worked at N.C. State as part of the team that developed NCSU’s Centennial Campus. Geolas returned to N.C. from Clemson where he had served as Executive Director of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and Associate Vice President for Economic Development at Clemson University.

The new plan was unveiled in 2012, calling for billions of dollars in investment and a new vision for the Park, which would include residential development.

Since the unveiling, the most publicized development has been the refitting of buildings that are known as The Frontier. Located on property adjacent to I-40, the main building has become a hub for several startup and other entrepreneurial companies. The Park also recently disclosed plans to upfit two nearby structures in order to meet demand for office space.

Bob Geolas’ biography

Robert T. “Bob” Geolas is President and CEO of the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina. Bob joined the Research Triangle Foundation in November 2011 and coordinates initiatives and efforts to ensure the Park remains at the forefront of technology and applied science. He leads the Foundation in achieving its mission of creating opportunities for all of North Carolina by repositioning RTP to respond to new realities and re-invent itself to meet the demands of the 21st Century.

Bob brings more than 20 years of experience to RTP and has a proven track record of leveraging world-class education, research and business activities. Prior to being named the President & CEO of the Foundation, Bob most recently served as Executive Director of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and Associate Vice President for Economic Development at Clemson University. In his earlier career, Bob led North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus and Centennial Biomedical Campus.

Source: Research Triangle Park Foundation