Wright Brothers Institute Expands Commercialization Services with New Team Members

17.07.19 08:00 PM By Jennie Hempstead

Dayton, July 17, 2019: Wright Brothers Institute (WBI) has expanded their Commercialization Services offerings with two new team members that will help the Air Force Research Laboratory connect their technologies to industry and military markets.


Ms. Rene Meadors, MBA is the new Industry Outreach Program Manager. She replaces Scott Springer, following his promotion to Director of Collaboration services at WBI. Ms. Meadors has nine years of combined experience in technology-focused business development and intellectual property. She brings a wealth of connections and commercialization expertise from various positions she held at Georgia Tech Research Corporation’s Office of Industry Engagement. “I envision my skill set at WBI building industry partners and collaborators that will leverage AFRL technologies, intellectual property, and research capabilities,” said Rene.


Mr. Jeffery D. Wheeler, JD will serve as the new Intellectual Property Program Manager. This position will facilitate IP and technology transfer education, and assist with the Air Force invention disclosure process, among other duties. Jeffery’s previous experience includes managing patent portfolios at the Apogee Law Group and harvesting of inventions via interaction with key technologists and inventors at Dolby Laboratories. At WBI, Jeffery’s first new program is the design and implement a new Innovation Discovery Event (IDE) process to help Air Force scientists and engineers start the process of transferring their inventions to industry so they can be successfully developed and transitioned to the warfighter.


WBI’s Commercialization Team, led by Director Meghan Sheehan, provides support for AFRL Technology Transfer personnel to increase the quantity and quality of invention disclosures that precede patent application and patent license agreements. These new additions to the team fill critically important positions and will help WBI leverage several upcoming interactions between industry, academia and AFRL.


Download the press release here.

Jennie Hempstead