Distinguished Professor Jim DeKloe serves as the director and founder of the Industrial Biotechnology program of Solano College in the North San Francisco Bay area. This program emphasizes biomanufacturing by training students to work in companies that have located in the biotech manufacturing cluster in Vacaville, CA (located half way between San Francisco and Sacramento). This program was one of the first in the United States designed to teach the skills and knowledge required to go into the manufacturing (rather than research) sector of the biotech industry. Since its founding this program has served as the model for biomanufacturing programs all around the country. He recently designed a Certificate of Achievement in Cell and Gene Therapy – the first certificate of its kind in the country to focus on this emerging field. In 2015 Jim led the successful effort that resulted in the approval for Solano College to offer a Baccalaureate Degree in Biomanufacturing; that made Solano College one of only fifteen community colleges approved to offer a Baccalaureate degree for the first time in California history. The Bachelors degree launched in Fall 2017 and the first cohort graduated in May 2019. The sixth cohort is now beginning its career journey. Graduates have enjoyed a 100% placement rate so far. Putting these programs together with partnerships with both high schools and graduate programs, this creates a complete educational pathway from articulated high school programs to several certificates to an Associates degree that flows seamlessly into the Bachelors degree with guaranteed admission into one of six different graduate schools; this pathway has multiple entry and exit points. Jim also worked on a campaign in 2012 that resulted in Solano College receiving a $348 million bond to pay for capital construction. He then played a key role working with architects to design a $34 million building on the Vacaville campus that contains four biomanufacturing suites to train students in biomanufacturing. In his capacity he has helped equip and staff seven different laboratories. He serves as a Board member of the newly formed California Biomanufacturing Center, and serves on the advisory committees of multiple college and high school biotechnology programs across the United States. On sabbatical he worked in the manufacturing department of biotech pioneer Genentech Inc. He also served as a consultant to help biotech giant Amgen redesign the training programs for their biomanufacturing technicians and for their quality assurance associates. He serves as a Board member of the newly formed California Biomanufacturing Center, and serves on the advisory committees of multiple college and high school biotechnology programs.