Randy Pilkington will retire from the University of Northern Iowa after leading economic development outreach efforts through the Wilson College of Business’ Business and Community Services office for 38 years.

According to a news release, he will continue to serve as co-chair of the UNI Sesquicentennial Celebration and work part time to support the leadership transition and focus on special projects, including federal relations, intellectual property.

Pilkington, a UNI alumnus, was recruited to the university in 1987 to help launch the university’s economic development programs in the then-School of Business. He directly managed the Institute for Decision Making, UNI John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and Intellectual Property Office, and assisted with federal relations.

In 2000, he helped create and direct Business and Community Services, or BCS, an umbrella organization that today is composed of 12 outreach programs. BCS has pursued projects in multiple states, reaches approximately 250,000 Iowans, 3,000 UNI students and more than 4,000 business, community and nonprofit clients each year, the release said.

“Randy’s leadership has been instrumental to the enormous economic impact that BCS and its associated centers have had on Iowa’s economy,” Leslie Wilson, dean of the Wilson College of Business, said in a prepared statement. “The estimate of that impact for 2023 alone was over $30 million. He has ensured that the state’s investment in UNI’s economic outreach efforts has always exceeded expectations.”

In his career, Pilkington has served as president of the Professional Developers of Iowa and has been part of the Iowa Department of Economic Development board of directors, the 21st Century Workforce Council and the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors. He currently serves on the Iowa Business Council’s Business Education Alliance, Iowa Innovation Council, Cedar Valley TechWorks Board and as co-chair of the UNI Research Foundation.

UNI President Mark Nook said BCS programs have provided students and faculty with “unique opportunities to create, empower and innovate.”

“With a forward-looking mindset, the center has remained true to its commitment to creating real value for the businesses and communities — not just across Iowa, but in many other states. Randy’s leadership has been instrumental to these successes,” Nook said in a prepared statement. “His unwavering dedication to the university and tireless work to design and provide services that meet the changing needs of businesses and communities will shape the future of economic development in our state for years to come.”