Montclair State University has appointed Dennis M. Bone, former president and CEO of Verizon New Jersey, as the inaugural director of its Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship at the School of Business. He will assume his responsibilities on January 7, 2013. Funded by a $1 million gift from Mimi and Edwin ’82 Feliciano, the innovative new center supports the University’s commitment to preparing students for success in an increasingly competitive global economy.

“We are proud to announce the appointment of Dennis Bone as the inaugural director of the School of Business’ Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship,” said Montclair State University President Susan A. Cole. “Under his able leadership, entrepreneurship will become an integral component of the educational experience for the University’s students, and I expect the Feliciano Center will become an invaluable resource not just for the University community, but also for the state and the region.”

The Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship and its entrepreneurial development program will familiarize students with the concepts and realities of new venture formation by combining traditional classroom-based coursework with experiential learning opportunities.

“The new Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship will play a pivotal role in furnishing Montclair State students with the tools and skills they need to succeed as entrepreneurs in today’s rapidly evolving world market,” said Bone. “I look forward to developing and working with a dynamic team of faculty members, area entrepreneurs and business leaders, and other external stakeholders to position the University as a leader in market-centered entrepreneurial education and new venture creation.”

A high-profile New Jersey business and telecommunications technology leader, Bone was the president and CEO of Verizon New Jersey from 2000 to 2012. Although he began his 33-year career at Verizon as an outside plant engineer for New Jersey Bell, he also worked in operations, competitive assessment, regulatory matters and external affairs before serving as president and CEO of Bell Atlantic-West Virginia from 1995 until 2000.

Bone, who holds an MBA from Rutgers University and an MS from Johns Hopkins University, is an active volunteer whose current service commitments include chairing the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission and serving on the Boards of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning, and the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce.

Read the full press release.