Executive Director
Mr. Lohner serves the Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology (ICFT) as its Executive Director. In this role, he is responsible for advancing the mission of the Institute in driving the development of Florida’s Innovation Economy. He serves as a liaison to other Economic and Innovation caucuses around the state, connecting them with the Institute’s Investment Programs. Mr. Lohner assumes responsibility for all Institute operations, including financial and contracts management. He also supports the Board of Directors in program oversight for Institute service and seed funding programs.
Before joining the Institute, Mr. Lohner worked as a Demand Planner for PODS Enterprises, where he assisted in reviewing company strategy and making local pricing recommendations considering the impact of constraints. During his tenure, he worked with several stakeholders to align the annual operating plan and the execution of the firm’s pricing strategy.
Mr. Lohner has previously served as VP of Education at PODS Movers & Speakers, a club of Toastmasters International, which is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills around the globe.
Born and raised in Germany, Mr. Lohner came to Florida in January 2013 as a student-athlete completing his Master of Business Administration at Saint Leo University. As a student, he published a research paper at the International Business Conference in 2014 on “Social Networks and Economic Behavior Influencing International Businesses”. Additionally, Mr. Lohner completed his Bachelor of Science at the Clausthal University of Technology in Business and Engineering, where he served as a student representative in the Senate as well as the NTH Studies Committee.