Ian Trammell

Helping to Improve the Economy in New Jersey

Meet Ian Trammell. He is the Associate Vice President of the New Jersey Innovation Institute.  NJII is a spin-off of New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).   NJII’s purpose is to bridge the gap between government, academia, industry, and the military and be able to create partnerships to expand innovation and be an economic development driver — to improve the economy in the State of New Jersey.  He is able to do anything related to economic development anywhere in the state of New Jersey and in any of the industry sectors.  (Visit the website –  https://njii.com/ )

He helps create partnerships with people doing research and connect that with businesses or government needs.  One exciting new project will establish a technology campus located at the Fort Monmouth site bringing together anchor tenants (a major health care system, a medical products company and a communications company).  They will establish common goals and work toward developing new technological ideas that will ultimately become an economic development driver.  An example of this would be to develop new technologies that will allow patients to get better health care from their homes using remote medicine.

Dedicated to Helping People Reach Their Full Potential

Ian began his career as a public school teacher and administrator.   After that, he served as a Catholic priest for ten years, gaining experience in senior executive leadership roles as well as pastoral ministry. During his tenure, he provided vision and cultivated the development of a thriving community. Someone who is passionate about guiding individuals and organizations to reach their full potential.

Just for Fun:

Q: What is your favorite local restaurant?

A: “When the whole family is gathered, we love Naples in Belford, a little pizzeria and a sweet family run restaurant. A family friendly and good place to bring everybody.  We also go to Avenue in Long Branch when it is just Camille and I.”

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?  And why?

A:”I promised my wife on our 5th Anniversary, we will go to Rome and Paris.  Camille has never been there.  It will be nice to experience it with her and see it through her eyes.”

Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theater?

A:”My favorite movie is, The Hunt for Red October — I love it. I like it because it is a story about making up your mind and making a decision of what you think is right and following through with it no matter what.  It also has a patriotic angle to it.”

Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?

A:”Be kind to each other. You don’t lose anything by being kind.”

Q: What is something on your bucket list?

A:”I want to learn scuba diving.  I keep passing by Dossils and one day want to go scuba diving with Camille.”

Q: What is your favorite music?

A:”Classical or religious are my favorite kinds of my music.”

Q: What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Middletown?

A:”When I drive past Christian Brothers Academy, it’s like returning to your college.  Certainly it was that level of academic rigor, But it was the community that I experienced there still brings up emotions in me that are very positive and there is a lot of loyalty to that institution.  I think especially of the brothers, men who gave up so much to be here to teach us.  The atmosphere and community life was a very positive thing.“

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Middletown?

A: “I think it’s crazy that I can lie in bed and look out my window and see the Verrazano Bridge.  It’s funny how you can live at the beach and see the New York City skyline from your house and you have the best of all the amenities you can hope for.  We like going in to NYC and the ability to jump on the ferry and be there is 45 minutes. The Middletown School system is a great school system – we appreciate everything that they do.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

A:”I’d like to see my oldest stepdaughter, her husband and my grandchild living close enough to us so we can see them at least once a week and have them pop over for dinner.  Watching my stepson start his own family and looking forward what Sofia, the youngest, has in her future.  And do a lot of travelling with Camille.”

Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?

A:”I was a priest. I served as a Catholic priest for a decade.  The best job I ever had was a being Chaplain of a Rider University and Westminster Choir College in Princeton.  And being pastor of St Gregory the Great was tiring but very rewarding.”

Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?

A:”Family, faith and good food.”

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