The Center is named for Douglas C. Greene, a successful and visionary entrepreneur.  Mr. Greene is a long-time supporter and advisor to the entrepreneurship program at Southeast Missouri State University and has demonstrated his passion for entrepreneurship through scholarships and other resources for the university.

Greene has been involved in the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Center’s annual Global Entrepreneurship Week for several years. He and his wife, Heather MacDonald Greene, have made a 10-year commitment totaling $200,000 to provide scholarship support to students interested in entrepreneurship. The 10-year commitment was established to honor Southeast President Kenneth W. Dobbins for his leadership and support of the University over the past 10 years, in particular, his support for the entrepreneurial disciplines at the University.  The scholarships are designed to help students grow their passion in their field of study and prepare them in their careers.

The Greene’s also have made a planned gift of more than $1 million to establish the Douglas and Heather Greene Endowed Fund for Entrepreneurial Students which will provide student scholarships, and enhancement and expansion of the Center.

Following his graduation from Marietta College, Greene began his career with Sears Roebuck & Company in the executive training program. During his time at Sears, he served as a store manager, manager of an experiential, start-up retailing operation in a suburb of New York City, and was responsible for introducing the Radial tire and Diehard battery to Sear’s stores. He worked at the company’s Chicago headquarters as the national buyer of lighting fixtures and fireplace equipment.

After 13 years with Sears, Greene left to take over a Portland, Ore., company that manufactured glass door fire screens, and went on to own or manage several other glass door fire screen companies before starting a new company that developed remote control systems for gas fireplaces. Nicknamed the “Father of Fireplace Remotes,” Mr. Greene grew the company into an innovative, worldwide business venture.

He sold the remote business in 2001 and founded Skytech Enterprises, a company specializing in the development of Infrared (IR) devices for pain management and skin care treatments. He continues to actively develop several technology-based startups. Greene has traveled extensively, sourcing products in Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Korea, Japan, Spain, (former) Yugoslavia and India.