STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. — Julie Gustafson, founding director and past president of the award-winning Amoskeag Business Incubator in Manchester, N.H., has been named executive director of the Macomb OU Incubator, 20 miles outside Detroit.

The focus of the Oakland University facility is on the development of advanced manufacturing, homeland security, defense and energyrelated businesses, along with new technology-based and life-science businesses.

Gustafson directed the Amoskeag Business Incubator, now known as abi Innovation Hub, to become the longest-operating incubator in New Hampshire, raising more than $2 million to create its original location at 670 Commercial St. and its current location at 33 S. Commercial St. She spent 13 years guiding the support system for hundreds of companies, achieving an 87 percent “graduation” rate, where start-ups moved on from the incubator and its administrative infrastructure model to become self-sustaining, independent companies.

At the incubator, Gustafson and her staff directed educational seminars, workshops, and networking events in business development that were attended by more than 8,000 people.

She also was instrumental in establishing , with the New Hampshire Union Leader, the popular Web-based “Ask the Expert” forum, which is a joint venture between abi and the New Hampshire Union Leader.