Office Space: Jeff Vermeulen, AVP for External Relations, Executive Director of the J.D. Brown Center and York College of Pennsylvania’s Knowledge Park
The way a person decorates can say a lot about them. In the Office Space series, we go beyond the résumé and get to know York College faculty and staff members through the objects they like to keep close.
Jeff Vermeulen is the AVP for External Relations and Executive Director of the J.D. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship and YCP’s Knowledge Park. Before joining YCP, he worked in the University of South Florida system, launching the Blue Sky incubators. Prior to USF, he was President of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and Executive Officer of the Home Builders Association of Chester and Delaware Counties. Currently, he chairs the York County Economic Alliance (YCEA) Board and is a member of York Rotary. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Temple University and a master’s from Neumann University.
1. A Photo Collage of Downtown York
Vermeulen says, “My son Chase took the photos while a grade school student at York Country Day School. The photos are quite good for a child, but I always enjoy the angle each photo is taken from. It reminds me how little he was.”
2. Pottery Owl
Owls are important to Vermeulen and his wife for a variety of reasons. For one, he thinks they’re beautiful and really fascinating creatures. Most importantly, though, he says they met at Temple and are Owls for life.
3. Citation from the PA House of Representative
“I was presented the Citation by a former PA House member celebrating my appointment as President of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce.” Vermeulen says at that moment, it was a truly exciting and interesting time period in his life.
4. "You Rock" Rocks
Vermeulen has multiple rocks marked with the words “You Rock.” His son Andrew gave him his first “You Rock” rock for Christmas a number of years ago. With a smile, he adds, “And because I must truly rock, I received another one the following year as well.”
5. A Watercolor of the Bridge over the Tyler Run Creek
Vermeulen says this “was a gift from our first incubator client company, and was hand painted by the spouse of one of the company’s original investors.” Vermeulen has crossed the bridge to enter Kings Mill Depot, the home of the J.D. Brown Center, countless times and says the painting beautifully captures the light and vibe on a sunny day from that vantage point.
