HCAR - Hershey Center for Applied Research. South Centrals Pennsylvania's Premier Research Park Located Adjacent to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and College of Medicine.

Executive Director

Laura J. Butcher currently serves as the first Executive Director of the Hershey Center for Applied Research. Ms. Butcher's responsibilities include marketing and managing South Central Pennsylvania's only research park offering state-of-the art wet and dry lab facilities, office space, amenities, and support services to life sciences and high technology companies and researchers.

Previous to her work with the research park Ms. Butcher served as the Director of Constituent Affairs for the Technology Investment Office at the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. In this role she was responsible for spearheading a variety of projects and initiatives that integrated and leveraged the assets of technology-based economic development partners across the Commonwealth. Prior to her work with the Commonwealth Ms. Butcher served as a communications officer for the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus supporting the Communications and Technology committee. Before returning to the Harrisburg area Ms. Butcher was employed by the Financial Relations Board/BSMG Worldwide, an investor relations firm in San Francisco where the majority of her clients were technology companies based out of the Silicon Valley.