April 18, 1996
The Potomac KnowledgeWay Project
today announced that William (Brit) E. Kirwan, Ph.D., president of
the University of Maryland at College Park, and John R. Tydings,
president of The Greater Washington Board of Trade, have joined
its board of directors.
"The addition of two well-known and highly respected leaders
underscores the Project's expanded focus and commitment to serving
the interests of the entire greater Washington region," said Mario
Morino, chairman of the Potomac KnowledgeWay Project. "Brit and
John will help us reach out to a broader segment of the community
and better serve the area's businesses, individuals and
institutions."
The KnowledgeWay is focusing on four primary initiatives:
increasing the awareness of what the communications revolution
means to companies, individuals and institutions in the region;
cultivating network driven entrepreneurship; promoting a net-savvy
workforce; and advancing a regional information infrastructure
that will improve and facilitate connectedness throughout the
region.
"I am excited to become part of such a vital and innovative
project," said Kirwan, who has served as the University's
president since 1989 and has been a professor and administrator at
College Park for more than 30 years. "My interest in finding
creative, business-oriented solutions to educational challenges
and in advancing the interests of the future workforce and the
community makes this an exciting opportunity, one which meshes
well with the strengths of this University," he added. Kirwan is
credited with leading several significant University initiatives,
including streamlining academic offerings, recruiting and
retaining distinguished faculty and initiating a successful
capital campaign. He is also known as a visionary and consensus
builder.
Tydings, a long-time advocate and representative of the business
community in the greater Washington region, will be a tremendous
asset to the board. "The Potomac KnowledgeWay's efforts
complement those of the Board of Trade," said Tydings, a founder
of Leadership Washington and secretary to the Metropolitan
Washington Council of Chambers of Commerce. "The greater
Washington business community has an incredible opportunity to
position itselffor the future based on some emerging new
strengths. I want to help shape that future through the Potomac
KnowledgeWay Project," he added.
Formed in June 1995, the Potomac KnowledgeWay Project has quickly
emerged as a powerful and positive force in the greater Washington
region. It is committed to establishing the region as one that
has embraced the communications revolution and prospered from it
by educating the community and workforce about the enormous
opportunities the communications revolution represents.