John W. Kelly, Ph.D.

Vice President for Economic Development
Clemson University

Executive Director
Clemson University Restoration Institute

John Kelly is the vice president for economic development at Clemson University and executive director of the Clemson University Restoration Institute. He provides leadership for programs, personnel and budgets, and strategic planning for the Restoration Institute and the university’s economic development, agriculture and public service programs.  

Kelly has formed faculty-led program teams at the Restoration Institute to direct research in the areas of advanced materials, historic preservation and materials conservation, resilient infrastructure, restoration ecology and renewable energy. He is responsible for development of the Institute’s research campus on the former Navy base in North Charleston with a focus on developing an energy systems industry cluster centered on the wind turbine drivetrain testing facility.

He leads overall strategic planning to translate research discoveries into economic development opportunities at Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville, Advanced Materials Center in Anderson, and biomedical research facilities at the Greenville Hospital System and Greenwood Genetic Center.  He also oversees the statewide Clemson Cooperative Extension Service and five research and education centers focused on agriculture, forestry and economic development.

Kelly has served as chair of the Administrative Heads Section of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, chairman of the board of directors for the American Distance Education Consortium and President of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and his master’s and doctoral degrees from Ohio State University.