Mark Romney joined the UC Davis School of Medicine in 1991, initially serving as the assistant manager for Facilities Planning within the Dean’s Office. In this role, he effectively managed the allocation and utilization tracking of over 600K square feet of research space on both the Davis and Sacramento campuses. With his extensive experience in space planning and innovative spatial solutions, Mark was frequently approached by the Dean’s office and departments to meet with faculty recruits during the interview processes. Once selected, he played a pivotal role in identifying suitable research space options and overseeing any necessary renovations to support their research methodologies.

This month, we also say goodbye to Bob Segar, chief planning director for Aggie Square and associate vice chancellor of UC Davis Campus Planning and Environmental Stewardship.

Read more about Segar's legacy

In 1996, the School of Medicine Facilities Planning unit merged with UCDMC Medical Sciences Planning, broadening Mark's responsibilities. He began spearheading impactful projects, including identifying the site and leading the design of the first UC Davis Medical Group primary care network clinic. Furthermore, he co-authored several successful state and federal grants, resulting in the School of Medicine receiving over $30M in matching funds.

In 2010, Mark established a streamlined process to facilitate leasing university-controlled space to strategic industry partners. Five years later, he transitioned from Facilities Planning to the School of Medicine, assuming the role of Director of Research Development and Industry Alliances. In 2016, when space for industry interested in co-locating to the Sacramento campus reached capacity, coupled with the growth in extramural funding by the School of Medicine research faculty, Mark undertook the ideation, master planning, and detailed phasing plan for the School of Medicine's Innovation District. These planning efforts were successfully completed in late 2017.

In early 2018, following the arrival of Chancellor May, Mark presented the School of Medicine's Innovation District plan to the chancellor and senior leadership. During the presentation, Chancellor May proposed two changes: renaming the project to Aggie Square and expanding its scope to include all UC Davis schools and colleges. Mark embraced these suggestions, further enhancing the project's reach and potential impact. From 2018 until his retirement, Mark continued to lead the programing and design efforts for Aggie Square's Life Sciences & Engineering Building East, while also spearheading the recruitment of strategic industry partners for Aggie Square.

Mark Romney has played an indispensable role in the establishment and growth of Aggie Square, contributing significantly to its early stages and ongoing development.