ANN ARBOR, Mich. ? University of Michigan Vice President for Research Stephen Forrest has been named the new board chairman of Ann Arbor SPARK, the region?s economic development authority.

Forrest was elected during SPARK?s annual meeting Thursday. He succeeds Rick Snyder, who served as chairman since SPARK?s formation in 2005.

“I’m excited to take on this greater level of involvement in Ann Arbor SPARK,” Forrest said. “The organization is one of the keys to keeping the doors open between the intellectual resources at the University of Michigan and the business community in the region.”

Forrest was appointed U-M?s vice president for research in September 2005 and is a professor in the departments of physics, electrical engineering, and computer science. He personally holds more than 185 patents and has co-founded several private companies.

He has been a driving force behind the university?s recent efforts to strengthen ties with business and industry.

?Forging new partnerships with business and industry will allow the University of Michigan to thrive during troubled times while helping to diversify and revive the state?s economy,? Forrest said in a recent interview.

?This effort to strengthen ties with industry has been a steady push for several years now, and the word is out that we strongly support this from the highest levels of the university,? he said. ?And our efforts are finally starting to bear fruit.?

Highlights of those efforts include: