A former leader of Kansas University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute will serve as the executive director of a new technical education center being planned by Lawrence economic development leaders.

Marvin Hunt has been named the executive director of the proposed Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center, according to a news release from the Economic Development Corporation of Lawrence and Douglas County.

Hunt served 22 years at KU, first in the department of Speech-Language-Hearing, and then as an assistant dean in KU’s continuing education department. Hunt founded KU’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and served as its first director, the EDC said.

The Peaslee Center is planned for property near 31st Street and Haskell Avenue. The city, the county, the Lawrence chamber of commerce and the EDC are partnering with area community colleges to convert the former Honeywell Industries building at the site into a training center that will provide technical education to the area’s workforce. The Lawrence public school district also is building a separate facility on the property to provide technical training to high school students.

The consortium of partners has applied for a $10 million federal grant to staff and equip the 80,000-square-foot building, which already has been purchased by the EDC. If approved, the center could be operational by late 2015. If the grant isn’t awarded to the project, the opening date likely would be pushed back, economic development officials have said.