A National Science Foundation Workshop

Partnerships

Building a New Foundation for Innovation

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Egils Milbergs

Egils Milbergs is the President of the National Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM). NACFAM is an industry-led, non-profit organization aimed at providing education and research services to the advanced manufacturing community for the purpose of improving the productivity growth and competitiveness of U.S. based manufacturing. He directs the Advanced Manufacturing Leadership Forum--the policy development arm of NACFAM. The current Chairman of the Forum is Eric Mittelstadt, chairman emeritus of Fanuc Robotics. Mr. Milbergs also directs membership development, technology partnership programs, and international services.

Mr. Milbergs brings to NACFAM extensive private and public sector experience in the areas of science and technology policy, productivity improvement, technology transfer education and workforce training and national competitiveness strategy.

Mr. Milbergs' public sector experience includes service at the U.S. Commerce Department as director of the Office of Productivity, Technology and Innovation (OPTI) and then as Deputy Assistant Secretary to Malcolm Baldridge. Mr. Milbergs championed major changes to technology transfer laws permitting a wide range of new partnerships and collaborations between the private sector, universities and laboratories. He is an author of the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 and helped establish the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

He served as executive director of the President's Commission on Industrial Competitiveness chaired by John Young, CEO of Hewlett-Packard. The 30 member commission produced the landmark report to President Ronald Reagan entitled "Global Competition: The New Reality." Earlier in Mr. Milbergs government career, he served on the staff of the Office of Management and Budget and the President's Advisory Council on Executive Organization (Ash Council).

Mr. Milbergs' private sector experience includes service at SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute) directing a multi-disciplinary program to accelerate the commercialization of federally funded R&D. He also consulted to government and industry clients on strategic trends in consumer values and lifestyles, technology, global competition, demographics and workforce skill requirements.

Mr. Milbergs has been a pioneer in regional and state initiatives in competitiveness. He served as the president of the Institute for Illinois, an industry supported partnership with the Illinois Congressional Delegation, focused on building a statewide consensus on federal funding priorities, technology, workforce quality, and the state's defense industrial base. In Virginia, he developed the first strategic plan and technology investment strategies for the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT). Mr. Milbergs also founded a consulting practice advising information technology companies, higher education institutions and public school systems on how to effectively implement Internet based learning systems. He was the force in creating the Chicago Neighborhood Learning NetworkÆa digital learning community linking students, families, and community based organizations with the Chicago Public School system.

Mr. Milbergs is a graduate of Harvard College where he concentrated on public policy and economics. Mr. Milbergs has been active in civic and professional organizations including the National Conference for the Advancement of Research, National Advisory Council on Continuing Education, Illinois Coalition (founding director), Illinois State Society and Harvard Club of Washington.