Chris Draper, director of EMERGE@Simpson, has been elected to the board of the Iowa Innovation Corp., where he will represent private colleges. The nonprofit corporation fosters research and development, supports the commercialization of ideas and establishes funding to help Iowa companies grow and innovate. Draper joins the board May 1. The panel is chaired by Des Moines businessman Robert Riley Jr., a member of Simpson’s Board of Trustees. EMERGE starts and develops business startup ideas. Draper was featured in a story on innovation at  BusinessRecord.com.