Nicholas Berente is a research fellow and lecturer at the University of Michigan's School of Information, where he teaches a course on information and control. Nick is also an instructor with Case Western Reserve University's Executive Doctorate of Management program. His research focuses on complex design processes and the role of information systems in supporting innovation. He has a bachelor's degree in finance from John Carroll University and an MBA and PhD from Case Western Reserve University. He is former president and founder of Pentagon Engineering Corporation, a nationwide systems integrator that specialized product lifecycle management (PLM) assessment, implementation, and support services. Nick sold Pentagon Engineering in 2002.