Mark F. Lytle, the division director for the Georgia Centers of Innovation, has been appointed the University System of Georgia’s vice chancellor for economic development, a new position aimed at increasing the system’s role in creating business opportunities across the state. He is to assume the post on Monday, April 1.

In the announcement of Mr. Lytle’s appointment, Hank Huckaby, the system’s chancellor, said that the new position was created to coordinate the activities of the system’s 31 institutions to help grow Georgia-based jobs.

Mr. Lytle is to establish current and long-range goals objectives, plans and policies for economic development initiatives for the system and its Intellectual Capital Partnership Program. He also is to serve as the main contact between the system, business leaders, statewide economic development partners and the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

As director of the centers of innovation, he has been involved with connecting companies in Georgia’s six strategic industries — aerospace, agribusiness, energy, life science and information technology, logistics and manufacturing — with government resources, the research capabilities of the system and other companies in their industries.

Mr. Lytle joined the staff of the Georgia Department of Economic Development in 2002 where he has been director of the foreign direct investment team from 2010-11, the director of statewide projects, 2008-09 and the manager of the Kia Motors Co. supplier initiative, 2006-08.

He also has experience in Georgia’s QuickStart program run by the Technical College System of Georgia where he was manager of  Corporate Contract Customized Training in 2000. 

Mr. Lytle holds a bachelor of science in architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology.