The University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business announced Scott Holley as the new executive director of the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute.
Holley is an experienced entrepreneur with a background in the outdoor industry, business consulting and venture capital. He has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Utah and an MBA from Harvard University.
The appointment comes at the same time as the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute announced another $25 million donation from Pierre Lassonde and the Lassonde Family Foundation. The donation doubles their gifts to support programs and scholarships for student entrepreneurs. The appointment also comes as the institute anticipates its 25th anniversary next year.
More personally, the appointment is a homecoming for Holley. He was one of the first student leaders at what is now called the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute in 2001, the year it was established, when he was an undergraduate student at the Eccles School.
“It has been thrilling to me to watch the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute grow into one of the most important and influential entrepreneurship institutions in the nation,” Holley said. “When I was a student leader almost 25 years ago, I could only have dreamed of what the Lassonde Institute has become. I am thrilled and humbled to have the opportunity to join the university to keep the traditions and momentum alive as the institute grows in Utah and abroad. I am grateful for the very capable students, staff and leadership that have grown the one program I led as a student into the best entrepreneur center anywhere.”
“Scott has a rich background and strong connections to the David Eccles School of Business and University of Utah that make him perfectly suited to this position and the opportunity to continue building our world-class entrepreneur institute,” Dirks said. “We look forward to Scott’s energy, ideas and experience as we grow our past success and look for new ways to give even more students an opportunity to learn entrepreneurship by doing and to gain an entrepreneurial mindset for any career they choose.”
Holley replaces Troy D’Ambrosio, the founding executive director of the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute. D’Ambrosio led the institute from its formation, when Pierre Lassonde provided initial funding and the vision to create an entrepreneur program focused on interdisciplinary collaboration and student experience.
D’Ambrosio grew the program from a single program engaging a handful of students to an internationally renowned center and thought leader that engages approximately 500 student startup teams and 6,000 students per year. He also led the creation of Lassonde Studios, a one-of-a-kind student innovation and living-learning facility. D’Ambrosio will continue to advise the institute while also working toward broader impacts at the University of Utah as the V.P. for innovation and chief of staff for the president’s office.
“I’ve had the incredible opportunity to lead an organization with a mission that I am passionate about while also having enormous support from Pierre Lassonde, his family and many others,” D’Ambrosio said. “I remember Scott when he was a student leader of our first program. He was determined, passionate, and tireless – important qualities for any entrepreneur and ones he has grown over time. He is a great person to lead the institute and maintain the mission of transforming students’ careers and lives through entrepreneurship.”
Prior to the appointment, Holley concluded a journey in entrepreneurship through acquisition by selling Eddyline Kayaks to Jackson Kayak, after leading the company since acquiring it in 2017. The experience took him through every aspect of entrepreneurship and business development, as he managed all aspects of the company, expanded sales in Canada, and developed manufacturing facilities in US and Mexico.
Before Eddyline, Holley started his career in investment banking and consulting. He was a managing director and founding team member of Harken Capital, a boutique investment bank that helps venture capital and private equity clients raise funds to pursue investments in small, growing companies. Along the way, he helped launch several leading investment partnerships in financial services, healthcare and technology. Before Harken, Holley was a strategy consultant for Monitor Group (now Deloitte Consulting) and OCC Strategy Consultants.
“My time at the University of Utah and the David Eccles School of Business launched my career that provided me several experiences that have prepared me for this new challenge,” Holley said. “I look forward to applying what I’ve learned to help grow the mission of the Lassonde Institute. I want to do everything I can to give the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders experiences to help them succeed. I invite everyone to get involved in these exciting programs.”
As the new executive director, Holley expects to start his tenure by listening. He said the institute is doing great work, and he wants to manage a smooth transition to the future. At the same time, he wants to maintain the institute’s reputation for thinking big.