Mr. Rod McSherry is the Associate Vice President for Innovation and Economic Development at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Mr. McSherry oversees the Valdez Institute for Economic Development and the Office of Commercialization and Innovation and manages a staff of over 100. His mission includes expanding the reach of current programs, building new relationships with stakeholders, and developing new funding sources, both from the public and the private sectors. He reports to the Vice President for Research.

Established in 1979, UTSA’s Valdez Institute for Economic Development hosts ten centers and a variety of programs that facilitate economic, community, and business development at the local, regional, and national levels. The ten centers are the South-West Texas Border Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network; the UTSA Small Business Development Center; the SBDC International Trade Center; the SBDC Technology Commercialization Center; the SBDC National Information Clearinghouse; the SBDC Center for Government Contracting; the Apex Accelerator; the Center for Community and Business Research; the Southwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center; and the Minority Business Development Center. Programs serve a range of entrepreneurs, from those who are just starting a business to experienced business owners looking for new markets to communities seeking to improve their economic health.

Mr. McSherry has over 36 years of experience in the field of global economic, community, and business development.  He has held a variety of positions, most recently as the Associate Provost, International and Border Programs, at New Mexico State University. He has over 30 years of service in the United States Department of Agriculture culminating in his service as a Senior Foreign Service Officer. Additionally, he held postings in Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Thailand, Venezuela, Mexico, and Russia.

Mr. McSherry earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Chemistry, and Biology degree from New Mexico State University in 1984, a Master of Arts in International Agricultural Economics degree from New Mexico State University in 1986, and is currently a Doctor of Economic Development Candidate at New Mexico State University. He is fluent in both English and Spanish and is proficient in Russian, Thai, and French.