Bay Village entrepreneur named first director of B-W LaunchPad program

Michael C. Nock

Michael C. Nock of Bay Village, founder and CEO for 22 years of Nock Inc., a publisher of customized nightly newsletters for portfolio-managers, has been named the first director of the new Blackstone LaunchPad program at Baldwin-Wallace College. His appointment is effective April 1.

“Mike started a company when he was 25. He knows firsthand that it is possible to launch a new venture at an early age,” said Peter Rea, the Burton D. Morgan Chair for Entrepreneurial Studies and founding director of Baldwin-Wallace College's Center for Innovation and Growth. “We are incubating students to convert their passion into entrepreneurial opportunities.  Mike’s insights about business ownership, approachable style and coaching ability will help students realize entrepreneurship is a viable career choice.”

Nock graduated from St. Ignatius High School and Williams College. Before starting Nock Inc., he also worked at E. F. Hutton & Company and Citicorp in New York City and Laserwriting in Bay Village. In the community, he has served on the founding board of St. Martin De Porres High School, in addition to the Boards of Urban Community School and Near West Food Center (part of West Side Ecumenical Ministries).

“I know first-hand the thrills and trials of starting a business,” said Nock. “I’m enthusiastic about the chance to help and mentor B-W students as they move along the path toward starting their own businesses.”

In November 2011, Baldwin-Wallace College was selected as one of four Northeast Ohio schools to share in $3.2 million, three-year grant from The Blackstone Charitable Foundation and Burton D. Morgan Foundation to create a LaunchPad program on campus. In partnership with the University of Miami in Florida, the Center for Innovation & Growth will implement the highly successful LaunchPad program to benefit Baldwin-Wallace College students. Scheduled to be piloted on campus this spring and summer and for a campus-wide “launch” next fall, the LaunchPad program is designed to train the next generation of entrepreneurs by providing students with the skills, knowledge and coaching to start new companies.

“The Center for Innovation & Growth mission is to infuse entrepreneurship campus wide while we contribute to regional development,” said Rea. “Mike’s mentoring ability will provide undergraduate students from all majors and MBA students the support needed to test new venture ideas.”