Mark Torline has been named director of Wichita State University's Center for Entrepreneurship, effective Oct. 12, according to Tony Vizzini, provost and senior vice president.

Torline grew up in the Wichita area, graduated from WSU and then made his career in Southern California as an investment management firm executive with demonstrated success in both start-up entrepreneurial and large corporate settings.

From 1993 to 2008 he was a founder and served as CEO of Allegiance Capital. After selling that firm, he served as an officer of the successor company, Macquarie Allegiance Capital, and of Trilinc Global.

He has maintained ties to Wichita State through his participation on the National Advisory Council of the WSU Foundation and membership on its investment committee.

“Our students and faculty will greatly benefit from the wealth of experience Mark brings,” said Vizzini. “This is an exciting time at Wichita State and Mark’s arrival will increase our entrepreneurial activity.”

Torline succeeds interim director Lou Heldman, who became Vice President for Strategic Communications at Wichita State in July.

Torline said: "I am pleased to be taking on the role of director of WSU’s Center for Entrepreneurship and to be returning to my alma mater. This is an exciting time to be part of the university. The center will play an important role as the university moves forward in becoming an innovation leader.”

Torline received a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing at Wichita State in 1979. He earned an MBA in finance at Northwestern University in 1981.

The Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State fosters and promotes entrepreneurial thinking through a wide range of academic and community programs. Located in the birthplace of many nationally known corporations, such as Pizza Hut and Koch Industries, the CFE has a strong support network of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors and WSU faculty and alumni.

The Center for Entrepreneurship, often touted as where the boardroom and the classroom marry, offers the state’s only entrepreneurship major, along with hands-on learning opportunities that create a distinct advantage over programs elsewhere.