Mr. Brenner was the Founding Executive Director of Innovation Park at Notre Dame in 2009 and served in this role until 2016. Innovation Park has become a significant contributor to the creation of a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem at the University of Notre Dame, to cultivate new ideas emerging from university research into marketable new ventures. During his tenure he helped spawn 74 new startups, raising over $55 million in equity capital.

Mr. Brenner is also an accomplished executive, with over 35 years of experience at FORTUNE 100 companies, with direct responsibility to lead new business activities, either internally or externally via start-ups. His background includes founding and serving as managing partner of IdeaWorks, LLC, a new venture accelerator in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Prior to IdeaWorks, David worked for Amway Corp., in global market development and as founder and president of Amway Ventures, Inc. His professional experience also includes executive management positions at Kelloggs in the U.S. and in Europe, as well as senior marketing roles at Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble.

David has been very active with numerous non-profits, including as Vice Chairman, Notre Dame Federal Credit Union. He also co-founded the West Michigan Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth and was chairman of the Great Lakes Entrepreneurial Quest competition in Michigan. He served as a board member of the Edison Innovation Awards steering committee headquartered in Chicago for several years.

Mr. Brenner is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. David and his wife, Denise, also an ND graduate, are proud parents of three ND graduates: Dave ‘05, Marie ‘08, and Cindy ‘09.