Amy Butler named new executive director of OU INC

By Katie Land, news editor

Amy Butler is the new executive director of OU INC.

As Michigan looks to regain economic strength and grow innovative businesses, Oakland University’s business incubator welcomes a fresh direction with Amy Butler, the new executive director of OU INC.

Beginning this summer, Butler’s new role will encompass the Rochester Hills/OU SmartZone Business Incubator, business accelerator and the university’s Clean Energy Research Center.

She will provide leadership and direction for high quality commercialization, capital investment programs and services for OU INC, as well as its client companies and other customer businesses of the incubator community.

An Oakland alumna, Butler spent 32 years serving the state government, where she served as director of the Bureau of Energy Systems for the Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth.

"I am thrilled to be back at Oakland University, and to have the ability to use my experience and talents to grow the mission of OU INC," Butler said. "My career has focused on helping people achieve their objectives, whether its a community, non-profit, business, or individual. This position allows me to engage the business sector with the university's world class faculty and extraordinary student talent to craft solutions that will build jobs and economic strength within our surrounding communities and region."

In her most recent position, Butler worked as a senior advisor to the National Association of State Energy Offices and as the principle of her own business, Performance Energy Consulting, LLC.

Throughout her career, Butler’s focus has been to align Michigan’s energy sector initiatives by promoting economic growth job creation for the state’s transition to the energy economy.

Her experience in working with governmental agencies, foundations, entrepreneurs, businesses, corporations, and investors across the state will be a valuable asset in coordinating the services for leading edge technology incubation at Oakland. 

OU INC links the resources of the business incubator, research center, and university to provide customized entrepreneurial resources and strategic business solutions to accelerate ideas to market. OU INC supports existing and grows new technology-based and life science businesses with university resources, decision support technology, business counseling services, technology support and financial/capital acquisition assistance. For more information about OU INC, view the website at oakland.edu/ouinc.