Delaware Business Times highlights an annual list of individuals as “People to Watch” in the new year as we believe they will leave a mark on their industries or communities.
WILMINGTON – While northern Delaware has been a hotbed for biopharmaceutical talent, the ability to develop such projects here has been limited compared to neighboring areas.
That belief is changing in no small part due to the Chestnut Run Innovation and Science Park (CRISP), a $500 million project to redevelop an aging DuPont research-and-development park by Pennsylvania-based developer MRA Group. Leading that effort is Mike Wojewodka, the firm’s executive vice president.
While other developers have brought mixed-use office parks to New Castle County in recent years, CRISP will do the same with high-tech industry, including R&D, manufacturing and offices on a campus that features a variety of sought-after amenities.
The project has already scored major wins by securing major projects for Prelude Therapeutics, Solenis and DuPont, and become a frequent talking point in development circles about the future of innovation in Delaware. The first pieces of CRISP are expected to be completed in 2023.
For Kurt Foreman, the president and CEO of the Delaware Prosperity Partnership, the state’s public-private economic development organization, Wojewodka and MRA have been “a great addition to the Delaware development landscape.”
“They bring a substantial network, considerable track record and knowledge of working for years with science and tech firms relative to facilities or business parks,” he said. “Mike personally has a can-do attitude, looks for ways to make things work and is bullish on Delaware. He’s made a difference on key projects.”
