Serving all of the University of Michigan from the Ross School of Business
Serving all of the University of Michigan from the Ross School of Business

Richard ‘Erik’ Gordon

Faculty Director, Wolverine Venture Fund & Zell Early Stage Fund

(734) 764-5274
Erik Gordon Zell Lurie Institute University of Michigan Ross

Erik Gordon’s interests focus on entrepreneurship and technology commercialization, including strategy, marketing, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and venture finance. His expertise also includes alliances and joint ventures, intellectual-property strategy and licensing, and the roles and operations of boards of directors, particularly in the biomedical, energy, and green-technology fields. Professor Gordon is the managing director of the Wolverine Venture Fund and teaches a foundation course on how to prepare business plans for new ventures in the life sciences, biotechnology, and other industries and another course on how to market start-up businesses to potential funders, customers, and other key influencers. Previously, Erik was the Shulman Family Chair in Technology and Business Innovation and associate dean at Stevens Institute of Technology. He also served on the faculty and as associate dean/director of the graduate division of business and management (Carey Business School) at Johns Hopkins University. During his career, Erik has co-founded or advised numerous companies.

Gordon holds a B.A. in economics from Bucknell University and a J.D. from The Albany Law School of Union University.