Craig Watters is an accomplished scholar, educator, entrepreneur, manager, and economic development specialist. He comes to Oklahoma State University from the top-ranked entrepreneurship program at Syracuse University, where he led a portfolio of educational and community engagement initiatives. He has worked with faculty across an array of disciplines on curriculum development and outreach programs related to creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. At OSU, he is the Executive Director, Riata Center for Entrepreneurship, the Norman C. Stevenson Chair in School of Entrepreneurship and International Entrepreneurship Chair.

He teaches and is pioneering its Study Abroad initiatives to Nicaragua, Ecuador, Tel Aviv, South Africa, and Mexico. He is the Senior Vice-President for Marketing, USASBE (US Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship). A former manager at General Electric and the Syracuse Research Corporation, Craig has extensive experience in project management and contracts administration. In addition to his corporate experience, Watters has launched two successful ventures. His dissertation examined the impact of infrastructure on economic development in rural areas.