Dennis A. Trinkle is the Director for the Center of Information and Communication Sciences (CICS) and Director of the Applied Research Institutes at Ball State University. Dr. Trinkle brings a diverse multi-sector leadership background to his leadership of CICS, where he also holds the rank of Professor of Information Sciences and Communication. Prior to joining Ball State, Dr. Trinkle served as the system executive, provost, and chief academic officer for Harrison College. Trinkle provided executive and academic leadership for the entire Harrison College system, which included 900-plus employees and 12 campuses, an online division, and a culinary division (The Chef’s Academy).
Dr. Trinkle has served leading institutions across the higher education, corporate, and government sectors, including serving as the Chief Executive Officer of IHETS, Chief Information Officer, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Tenzer Professor of Information Technology for DePauw University, and CEO for multiple technology companies and non-profit organizations.
Trinkle is the author and editor of 16 books and more than 50 articles on entrepreneurship, technology, leadership, teaching and learning, and history. He is a frequently invited keynote speaker at international events on business, innovation, and technology topics. Together with Kevin Allen, CEO of EiGames, he developed the award-winning video game on the entrepreneurial process—Fireworks: The Entrepreneurship Experience (2018).
A Phi Beta Kappa member, Trinkle’s honors and awards include the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Program; Indy’s Best and Brightest; Golden Horseshoe Award for Top Philanthropist, Indianapolis Colts; Innovation Fellow, Northwest Indiana Society of Innovators; CIO 100; EDUCAUSE Quarterly Contribution of the Year Award; Mira Award for Technology Leadership in Higher Education; and EDUCAUSE Teaching and Learning Award.
A native of Indianapolis, Trinkle earned a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from DePauw University, an MBA in technology management from the University of Phoenix, and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati. He currently serves on multiple boards of directors, including College Mentors for Kids, the Lawrence Township School Foundation, Certell, North Coast College, BlackAsh Technologies, and the New England Culinary Institute. He resides in Indianapolis with his wife, Kristi, and two sons, JT and Nathan.
