BCS 113
- (319) 273-6945
- randy.pilkington@uni.edu
Randy Pilkington
Executive Director - Business & Community Services
Director JPEC
Education
M.A. and B.A., University of Northern Iowa (Geography – economic and urban emphasis)
Research Interests
Pilkington's areas of expertise include strategic planning, student entrepreneurship, angel and seed funding, economic impact, and regional development.
Responsibilities
Randy Pilkington serves as Executive Director of Business and Community Services (BCS). BCS is the economic and community development division of UNIBusiness and consists of eight outreach programs that provide an integrated approach to meeting the needs of businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities throughout Iowa and beyond. BCS serves external constituents through specialized professional development, market research and analysis, entrepreneurship, guidance for environmentally sound practices, small business counseling, and community and economic development guidance.
In addition, Pilkington serves as the Director of the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center. He has helped establish a community-based equity fund for Northeast Iowa, assisted with student entrepreneurship programming, and facilitated public and private funding for a student-based business incubator.
Professional Accomplishments
Pilkington has worked in all 99 Iowa counties and guided economic development plans and projects in more than 300 Iowa communities. He served as president of Professional Developers of Iowa, served on the Iowa Department of Economic Development Board of Directors, the twenty-first Century Workforce Council, and the Governors Council of Economic Advisors. He currently serves on the Iowa Business Council Deputy Committee, Iowa Innovation Council, Iowa Innovation Corporation, Cedar Valley TechWorks, the Iowa Advanced Manufacturing Workgroup, and is co-chair of the UNI Research Foundation. He currently serves as director of Federal Relations, guiding UNI's federal relations activities. This role also includes lobbying on behalf of UNI and maintaining relationships with all six Iowa Congressional offices. He was awarded the Regent's Award for Staff Excellence in 2003.
Latest News & Views
Upcoming event: What if business stopped pandering to China?
Monday, December 9, 2019
7:00 PM
Curris Business Building #109 John Deere Auditorium
China has become increasingly assertive in forcing companies wishing to do business in China to conform to Chinese governmental demands. What if U.S. companies stopped pandering to China?
CPA Firm Forum connects accounting students with companies of all sizes
A wide range of Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firms were on hand for the annual CPA Firm Forum on Oct.
University of Northern Iowa partners with Shanghai University of Engineering Science
University of Northern Iowa and China’s Shanghai University of Engineering Science (SUES) are partnering to create a 2+2-degree program,
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IWRC painter training program reflects on 25 years
The UNI Iowa Waste Reduction Center’s (IWRC) painter training program has evolved to serve needs.
UNI receives six-figure grant for utility workforce research
The University of Northern Iowa was awarded more than $129,000 via the Iowa Energy Center board’s grant program to conduct workforce asse