Oregon State University's Austin Family Business Program has named Robin Klemm, a Seattle private business consultant, as its new interim director.

The former leader of a national global economic think tank, Klemm also co-founded her own family business specializing in business economics and strategy.

"I like to add that cutting edge to things," Klemm said. "What are the things that are affecting family businesses?"

As a faculty member at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, Klemm developed a course that focused on how factors outside the business world affect the bottom line.

She later became executive director of the Global Interdependence Center at Penn, which helped develop training manuals and materials for businesses entering global markets.

Klemm will oversee operations at the Austin program during the search for a permanent director. The College of Business plans to begin its national search in a few months.

Klemm succeeds Mark T. Green, who left the university for the private sector. Green had been director of the program for six years.

The Austin program was created to assist family businesses balance day-to-day operations with the added challenge of family dynamics.