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YANKTON, SD — Following a nationwide search, Mount Marty University has tapped biotechnology professor Mark Brown as the 12th president of the Catholic, Benedictine school, replacing Marc Long, who is retiring at the end of 2025 after 10 years at the Mount Marty helm.
Holding extensive academic, research, and executive experience, Brown currently serves Mount Marty as executive director of the biotechnology management program at its Sioux Falls campus.
Brown joined the Mount Marty faculty in 2023 when he arrived to develop the biotechnology management program, which launched that fall. The now fully online graduate program offers options for a Master of Science degree or a graduate certificate in biotechnology management. This year, under Brown’s leadership, the university launched a new regulatory science master’s program. Brown teaches several of the core courses in both programs, along with other pharmaceutical industry professionals. With more than 20 years’ experience in organizational management, drug development and biomanufacturing, Brown draws from a deep well of biotechnology knowledge. He has served in a range of executive roles in the industry and on teams that produced life-saving therapeutics and vaccines.
Mount Marty Board of Trustees Chair Rob Stephenson says he and fellow trustees look forward to Brown’s tenure and the energy and enthusiasm he brings to continue the university’s forward momentum.
“Over the last several months, we interviewed high-quality candidates from across the country,” Stephenson said. “Dr. Brown rose to the top of a stellar applicant pool with his breadth of experience in both higher education and private business, his proven success incorporating innovative strategies during challenging times in higher ed, and his firm commitment to the university’s Catholic, Benedictine liberal arts tradition. While he’s got incredible credentials in the science community, his genuine and transparent personality, passion for developing student-focused programs, and relational and collaborative leadership style all make him a strong fit to lead Mount Marty.”
