3/23/2026 Ashley Sims
The Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering honors the memory of alumnus Marvin Smollar (‘68 BS GE; ‘68 BA LAS), whose leadership helped establish programs that continue to connect Grainger Engineering students with alumni and industry leaders. Smollar was instrumental in creating the ISE Engineer in Residence program and helped found the Technology Entrepreneur Center at Illinois, expanding opportunities for mentorship, innovation and entrepreneurship across campus.
Written by Ashley Sims
The Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering honors the memory of alumnus Marvin Smollar (‘68 BS GE; ‘68 BA LAS), who passed away November 2025. Marvin left a lasting mark on the ISE community through his entrepreneurial vision and commitment to giving back. His leadership and engagement with the University helped create programs that continue to connect Grainger Engineering students with alumni and industry leaders today.
A 1968 graduate of the University of Illinois with degrees in General Engineering and Liberal Arts and Sciences, Smollar built a career that reflected the interdisciplinary mindset he developed at Illinois. His professional path spanned engineering, patent law, international business and investment leadership.
Smollar began his career as a junior engineer at the Washington, D.C. Naval Shipyard before joining the Physics Group at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He later earned a law degree from Georgetown University, expanding his work at the intersection of technology and intellectual property. Over the course of his career, he held leadership roles across several ventures, including serving as chief executive officer of Kidco, Inc., founding Marchon, Inc., and co-founding Delray Capital Group.
Throughout his professional life, Smollar remained engaged with the University of Illinois. He served in leadership roles with the Illinois Alumni Association and the General Engineering Alumni Board and contributed to efforts that strengthened connections between students, alumni and industry. He was generous with his time and deeply committed to supporting students and fellow alumni.
Within the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering, Smollar was instrumental in establishing what became the ISE Engineer in Residence (EIR) program. The initiative brings experienced alumni leaders into direct conversation with students, creating opportunities for them to share professional insight and perspective on careers in engineering.
Today, the course remains one of ISE’s most impactful alumni engagement efforts. Each year, about 20 alumni return as featured speakers, providing guidance on career development, industry trends and the professional skills that complement a strong technical education. The program continues to build on the foundation Smollar helped establish, connecting students with alumni who bring real-world industry experience into the classroom.
Smollar also helped advance entrepreneurship at Illinois as one of the founders of the Technology Entrepreneur Center (TEC). The center has since grown into a hub for innovation, offering students opportunities to explore entrepreneurship through coursework, mentorship and experiential programs that translate technologies and ideas into startups and new ventures.
Jed Taylor, director of the Technology Entrepreneur Center, reflected on Smollar’s lasting influence on the program’s creation and growth:
“Marvin played a pivotal role in shaping a culture of entrepreneurship at Illinois, helping found the Technology Entrepreneur Center. Over 26 years, TEC has grown into a cornerstone of innovation on campus, translating his vision into lasting impact for tens of thousands of students. His commitment to connecting education, industry, and opportunity remains central to our mission today.”
In recognition of his service to the university and its students, Smollar received the Department of General Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2000 and the Grainger College of Engineering Alumni Award for Distinguished Service in 2010.
His legacy will continue through the students and programs he helped shape at ISE. Through this engagement with Illinois, he strengthened the connection between alumni and students, leaving a lasting imprint on the Grainger Engineering community.