Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training & Education Center

The Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC) on the Centennial Campus at North Carolina State University provides a unique pilot-scale, industry-informed, cGMP environment critical to developing a workforce proficient in the skills needed in the biomanufacturing industry. This educational investment will fuel prosperity by positioning North Carolina as a global leader in bioprocess education and biomanufacturing workforce development.

Rick Lawless has been employed by the Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training & Education Center (BTEC) for the past 18 months, but has been involved with the BTEC project since its conception as a member of the design team and the Industry Advisory Board.

He is responsible for building operations, student coordination, finance and administration, and other functions that support faculty at NC State University. He came to North Carolina in 1997 to produce vaccines at Wyeth's Sanford facility, where he held various positions in manufacturing management. Prior to his tenure at Wyeth, he held positions in development, process engineering, and manufacturing management at Eastman Kodak and Johnson and Johnson and worked on industrial biochemicals and diagnostics.

He obtained a BSE Chemical Engineering and BS in Microbiology from University of Michigan and picked-up an MBA from SUNY at Buffalo while employed at Eastman Kodak.