FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Powell, OH. – Today the leadership team of the International Center for Creativity announced that co-founder and part-time instructor, Jim “JD” Orr will be retiring from full-time teaching, and that he has accepted a long-term contract to serve the program as a “goodwill ambassador” and advisory board member.

“While we are happy that Jim will get to spend more time with his wife, Pam, their sons and grandkids, it’s certainly a big transition for the program, but one that we have been preparing for through a university-approved transition plan for the last year,” said Jim Stevenson, ICC President and co-founder.

“We’ve been blessed to have JD here as long as we have, and we are also blessed with so much teaching talent in house that has been training under JD for years preparing to take the center into the future. We also have a wide and rapidly-growing set of adjunct professors, guest presenters and industry professionals to help us to continue to grow.”

Orr took a sabbatical from full-time teaching in 2017, and was the instructor of record for two out of ICC’s 15 courses this past academic year. Orr has agreed to serve in a new capacity, promoting the educational programs and building new professional relationships for future student projects. To help facilitate his transition into his new role, Mr. Orr’s ownership interests were purchased by the company.

“We’re appreciative of Jim’s agreement to serve the ICC with his positive attitude and energy for many years to come, and know that he’ll enjoy staying active in the industry, and in our growth plans as an advisory board member and goodwill ambassador,” said Tom Balliett, ICC CFO and head of operations.

A 1960s-era graduate of the famous Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Orr, a native of Scotland immediately caught the eye of GM Design Staff and he soon found himself roaming the halls of the GM Warren Tech Center, working with GM greats like Bill Mitchell, Chuck Jordan, John DeLorean and Zora Duntov. Jim spent over 15 years as a design director in various divisions of GM including Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Cadillac and finished he career at GM as an education program liaison.

In 1984 Orr left GM Design Staff to become a consultant to GM, and other manufacturers, and moved to Columbus, Ohio, to take a position as an instructor at the Columbus College of Art and Design. He left CCAD after nearly a decade, and then taught briefly at the Cleveland Institute of Art.

The ICC was founded in 2002 by Orr, Balliett and Stevenson as a professional consulting firm, and quickly grew to create and operate the Industrial and Innovative Design major, taught in partnership with Cedarville University that thrives today, placing students in companies like Bose, Honda, Gensler, Sterilite, New Balance, General Dynamics and more. Today the ICC employs a team of nine staff and faculty, with plans of adding new academic programs, including an innovation and entrepreneurship concentration track in Cedarville’s MBA program, and new team members in the fall of 2018.

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ICC Contact:
Jim Stevenson
jstevenson(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)iccreativity.com"
614-352-4602