The Center for E-Business and Advanced IT has picked a former NASA engineer and technology entrepreneur as its new leader.

Margrethe “Grethe” Lindemann will move to Erie from Wheeling, W.Va., to oversee the state-backed organization, which works to help businesses in the Erie region with the use of information technology and e-business tools.

The Center for E-Business has a lot of potential to help drive new business startups and help existing businesses improve their efficiency. It was started in 2002 out of recognition that many businesses in northwestern Pennsylvania were well behind their competitors in other parts of the country in their use of IT and e-business tools. By closing the gap, the theory is those companies would become more competitive — and spinoff companies would emerge to service these existing firms.

Susan Breon, who had been he head of communications at GE Transportation in Erie, has been the Center for E-Business’ executive director since the organization was founded in 2002. She plans to retire and hopefully will stay engaged in Erie’s economic development efforts. Susan is bright and energetic and has some tremendous experience working in the corporate culture at GE.

Her successor will bring a different perspective to the position.

Lindemann began her career as an engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center and has founded or led several technology-based economic development efforts.

Her resume includes stints at the Urban Technology Transfer Institute in Baltimore, the Aerosea Research Institute in San Francisco, and the Hopewell Fund in Wheeling.

She has degrees in physics, biophysics, and cognitive science, with a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.