UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Smeal College of Business Dean Charles H. Whiteman recently appointed Henry Ines, CEO and founder of Chainparency, a blockchain technology company, to the college’s Board of Visitors.
Board members offer advice to the dean and other Smeal administrators based on their professional experience and knowledge of the latest issues and trends facing the business community.
Ines, who spent more than a decade in Silicon Valley and Asia as an advisor and venture capitalist for DragonVenture, DFJ Dragon and DraperDragon Funds, said his work with novel technologies helped him see the potential for blockchain.
“Blockchain focuses on trust and authenticity," said Ines. "Once something is recorded on a blockchain, it’s immutable. It becomes your single source of truth."
In addition to Chainparency, Ines also serves on the steering committee of the GoChain Foundation and is co-founder of multiple GoChain blockchain-based initiatives including Zeromint NTF Marketplace, a platform which empowers artists and creators to responsibly mint, auction and sell non-fungible tokens, commonly known as NFTs.
GoChain recently entered a partnership with Smeal’s Center for Supply Chain Research in the enterprise and government blockchain solutions space. The partnership has Penn State among early adopters and one of more than 20 operating nodes using proof-of-reputation as the algorithm that powers real projects aimed at bringing the potential of blockchain to supply chain management.
Whiteman said that he was thrilled to welcome Ines to the Smeal Board of Visitors.
“Henry’s experience with blockchain technology applications brings a unique expertise to the Smeal Board of Visitors,” he said. “By leveraging that expertise and his entrepreneurial drive, the college will be better positioned to prepare our students and faculty for the opportunities and challenges this technology presents.”
Ines earned a degree in finance from Smeal in 1998 and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business in 2008.
Ines said that while he has always known Penn State was a world-class institution, he is continually “blown away” when he returns to campus.
“Watching Penn State leverage its strength in academia, research, and now technology to really push the boundaries is inspiring,” he said.
“I’ve always loved the idea of being able to contribute to the University, but to have the opportunity to do it as a member of Smeal’s Board of Visitors, with such an esteemed group of individuals, is a great honor and great opportunity. I am looking forward to seeing how I can contribute, particularly through the lens of technology.”
The board's next meeting is April 21-22. The Smeal College of Business Board of Visitors is a nearly 40-member advisory board composed of global business and industry leaders who are Smeal alumni and friends. The complete list of Smeal’s Board of Visitors membership can be found online.