Executive Appointments and Promotions
Pharma POOL
Pamela Harris
Patrick Loustau
Edward L. Williams
Novo Nordisk Appoints Key Executives
Novo Nordisk, a healthcare company with U.S. headquarters in Princeton, N.J., has appointed Pamela Harris as VP of diabetes sales, managed care, and government accounts South/West. She also has joined the Novo Nordisk executive team. Ms. Harris has 26 years of pharmaceutical sales experience. Previously, she led two salesforces at Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Additionally, Novo Nordisk has named Patrick Loustau as VP of diabetes sales, managed care, and government accounts North/Midwest. He also has joined Novo Nordisk’s executive team. Mr. Loustau has been with the company for 10 years, most recently serving as president of Novo Nordisk Canada. Edward L. Williams has joined Novo Nordisk as VP of biopharmaceuticals. He joins Ms. Harris and Mr. Loustau on the executive team. In this role, Mr. Williams builds and executes the business strategies for the biopharmaceuticals business unit and sets direction for the company’s biopharmaceutical products. He has 26 years of industry experience, most recently as VP of sales for the respiratory and dermatology business unit at Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Biotech POOL Peggy Berry Dyax Appoints Senior VP, Quality and Regulatory Affairs Peggy Berry has joined Dyax as senior VP, quality and regulatory affairs. Dyax, Cambridge, Mass., develops novel biotherapeutics for unmet medical needs, with an emphasis on cancer and inflammatory indications. A 20-year veteran of the pharmaceutical industry, Ms. Barry has held regulatory affairs positions at Cato Research, Ilex Oncology, Dey LP, and AstraZeneca. Gayl Rogers Chrysler BioE Names VP Gayl Rogers Chrysler has been appointed VP, cellular technologies and clinical affairs, at BioE, St. Paul, Minn., a biomedical company providing human cord blood stem cells for drug discovery and therapeutic research. In this role, Ms. Chrysler is responsible for cultivating clinical markets for the company’s cell isolation platform. She has more than 25 years of management experience in the fields of cord blood and blood banking as well as tissue and organ procurement. She most recently served as the national director of operations for the National American Red Cross’ cord blood program. A certified/registered nurse, Ms. Chrysler has an MBA in healthcare from the University of St. Thomas and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the College of St. Catherine. Peter S. Greenleaf MedImmune Fills Senior Marketing and Sales Post MedImmune, Gaithersburg, Md., has hired Peter S. Greenleaf as senior VP, marketing and sales. He is responsible for leading the biotech company’s global commercial organization and developing strategies to ensure the successful commercialization of its current and future products. Previously, Mr. Greenleaf was a VP at Centocor. He has a bachelor’s degree from Western Connecticut State University and an MBA from St. Joseph’s University. Dr. Alan J. Lewis Novocell Appoints President and CEO Novocell, a stem-cell engineering company in Irvine, Calif., has hired Alan J. Lewis, Ph.D., as president and CEO. He has 25 years of biotechnology and pharmaceutical experience. Most recently, he was president of the Signal Research division at Celgene. He earned his Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Wales and completed his postdoctoral training at Yale University. Michael P. Miller Dr. David Schenkein Genentech Appoints VPs Genentech, a biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, Calif., has appointed Michael P. Miller to VP, sales and marketing, HER family. In this role, Mr. Miller, 49, oversees the sales and marketing activities for the oncology products Herceptin and Tarceva. He has replaced John Orwin, who was promoted to VP, bio-oncology. Mr. Miller joins Genentech from Connetics, where he was senior VP, chief commercial officer. He has a B.S. in business administration from the University of San Francisco and an MBA from San Francisco State University. Additionally, David Schenkein, M.D., has been named VP, clinical hematology/oncology. Dr. Schenkein, 49, is responsible for leading the medical and scientific strategies for the development bio-oncology portfolio, as well as overseeing the bio-oncology clinical science and medical-science liaison functions. Most recently, he was senior VP of clinical research at Millennium Pharmaceuticals. He has a B.A. in chemistry from Wesleyan University and a medical degree from the State University of New York Upstate Medical School. Dr. Marc Navre Catalyst Hires Head of Drug Discovery Marc Navre, Ph.D., has been named VP of drug discovery at Catalyst Biosciences, South San Francisco, Calif., a biotechnology company focused on engineering and developing novel therapeutic protease products. Before joining Catalyst, Dr. Navre was VP of biology at Takeda San Diego. He received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of California at Berkeley and completed postdoctoral training at Stanford University as a Damon Runyon fellow. Dr. Frederick Schmid Panacos Appoints Senior VP Panacos Pharmaceuticals, Watertown, Mass., a biotechnology company developing next-generation antiviral therapeutics, has appointed Frederick Schmid, DVM, as senior VP, commercial operations and business development. In this role, Dr. Schmid oversees business development, marketing, and product commercialization. He most recently was VP of sales and marketing for virology/HIV at Roche Laboratories. He has a DVM from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and an MBA from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Biopharmaceutical POOL Daniel M. Bradbury Amylin Promotes President and Chief Operating Officer Amylin Pharmaceuticals, a San Diego-based biopharmaceutical company, has promoted Daniel M. Bradbury to president and chief operating officer. As part of the company’s succession plan, he will become CEO within a year. Since joining Amylin in 1994, Mr. Bradbury, 45, has held officer-level positions in corporate development and marketing, and most recently he was chief operating officer. Before that, he spent 10 years at SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals. He has a bachelor of pharmacy from Nottingham University and a diploma in management studies from Harrow and Ealing Colleges of Higher Education. Dr. Laurence Elias Geron Hires Head of Oncology Clinical Development Laurence Elias, M.D., has been named VP, oncology clinical development, at Geron, a biopharmaceutical company based in Menlo Park, Calif. In this role, Dr. Elias oversees the clinical trials of the company’s lead anticancer compound and its therapeutic vaccine product. Before joining Geron, he was director of clinical and medical affairs for Chiron’s oncology therapeutic unit. He holds a medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine and a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University. He completed his postdoctoral training in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology at Stanford University Medical Center. Margery B. Fischbein Human Genome Sciences Names VP Margery B. Fischbein has joined Human Genome Sciences as VP, business development and strategic planning. Human Genome Sciences, Rockville, Md., discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets drugs with a primary focus on protein and antibody drugs. Ms. Fischbein brings more than 25 years of experience in business development and strategic planning. She formerly served as VP of business development at Imclone Systems. Ms. Fischbein has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.A. in economics from Harvard University. Dr. Gerard T. Kennealey MGI Pharma Hires Senior VP MGI Pharma, Bloomington, Minn., a biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and acute care, has hired Gerard T. Kennealey, M.D., to the newly created position of senior VP, clinical development. A board-certified medical oncologist, Dr. Kennealey has more than 30 years of experience, including 10 years as a practicing physician. Most recently he was senior VP and chief medical officer at Eximias. Before that, he spent 18 years at AstraZeneca. He has a B.S. in biology from Boston College and an M.D. from the Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Susan Kramer Corgentech Names Preclinical Development VP Susan Kramer, Dr.P.H., has joined Corgentech, a late-stage biopharmaceutical company based in South San Francisco, Calif., as VP of preclinical development. She most recently was cofounder and VP of research and development for BAS Medical. Before that, she worked at Genentech for 18 years. Dr. Kramer holds Dr.P.H. and M.P.H. degrees in biomedical sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Roger G. Mills Acadia Names Executive VP, Development Roger G. Mills, M.D., has been named executive VP, development, of Acadia Pharmaceuticals, a San Diego-based biopharmaceutical company developing novel treatments for central nervous system disorders. In this role, he is responsible for leading the company’s global drug-development activities. Most recently, he spent five years as VP of development for Pfizer Global R&D. Dr. Mills received his medical degree at the Charing Cross Hospital Medical School and completed his specialized medical training at the Royal College of General Practitioners. Timothy P. Noyes Proteon Therapeutics Hires CEO Timothy P. Noyes has joined Proteon Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company in Kansas City, Mo., as president and CEO. Mr. Noyes was most recently chief operating officer of Trine Pharmaceuticals. He is a graduate of Harvard College and has an MBA from the Harvard Business School. Dr. William Pullman Cubist Names Chief Medical Officer William Pullman, M.D., Ph.D., has been named senior VP and chief medical officer of Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Lexington, Mass., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the acute-care environment. In this new role, Dr. Pullman, who has 25 years of medical experience, oversees both clinical development and medical affairs. Most recently, he was senior VP of exploratory development at TransForm Pharmaceuticals. Before that, he was senior VP, clinical and exploratory pharmacology, at Sanofi-Aventis. He is a fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians, and he has a Ph.D. in immunology from the Australian National University. Lauren Sabella Altus Appoints VP Lauren Sabella has been appointed VP, commercial development, at Altus Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, Mass., a biopharmaceutical company focused on protein therapeutics for patients with gastrointestinal and metabolic disorders. Ms. Sabella leads the company’s commercialization activities. Previously, she spent 18 years at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, most recently as VP of sales, eastern zone. She holds a B.B.A. from Hofstra University. Dr. Brian Schwartz Ziopharm Appoints Chief Medical Officer Brian Schwartz, M.D., has joined Ziopharm Oncology as senior VP for medical and regulatory affairs and chief medical officer. Ziopharm is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes cancer drugs. Dr. Schwartz was most recently at Bayer Healthcare, where he focused on oncology clinical development. He earned his M.D. in Pretoria, South Africa. Specialty POOL Dr. Brian Blakey AtheroGenics Names VP of Marketing AtheroGenics, Alpharetta, Ga., a pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, has named Brian Blakey, Pharm.D., to the newly created position of VP of marketing. Dr. Blakey comes to AtheroGenics from Novo Nordisk, where he was senior director of diabetes marketing. He has a doctor of pharmacy degree from the College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida. Cynthia Canup Shari Geffon Connetics Appoints Directors Connetics, a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes dermatology products, has appointed Cynthia Canup to the position of director, sales training. Additionally, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company has named Shari Geffon as senior director, project management. Paul G. Chaney OSI Changes Eyetech Management Paul G. Chaney has been promoted to executive VP of OSI Pharmaceuticals and president of the (OSI) Eyetech business team. OSI, Melville, N.Y., develops drugs for patients with cancer, eye diseases, and diabetes. In this new role, Mr. Chaney has assumed operational leadership of the company’s eye disease franchise. He has served as the chief operating officer of (OSI) Eyetech since 2005. Glenn M. Esgro Esprit Pharma Appoints Trade VP Esprit Pharma, East Brunswick, N.J., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the urology and women’s healthcare fields, has appointed Glenn M. Esgro as VP of trade. Mr. Esgro was most recently senior director of trade for Biovail Pharmaceuticals. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond. Jim Loerop Alfonso Ugarte Stiefel Appoints VPs Stiefel Laboratories, Coral Gables, Fla., a pharmaceutical company specializing in dermatology, has appointed Jim Loerop to the position of VP, corporate development. He is responsible for identifying, negotiating, and implementing new business opportunities, acquisitions, and divestitures. Most recently, he was the VP of corporate development and business expansion at KV Pharmaceutical. Additionally, Stiefel has named Alfonso Ugarte as its VP of global marketing. He is responsible for building the company’s global marketing function and supporting its commercial efforts worldwide. Mr. Ugarte most recently spent nine years in various positions of increasing responsibility at Merck. He has a B.S. in industrial engineering from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru and a Global Executive MBA from Duke University. Jeremy D. Middleton Valera Appoints Business Development VP Valera Pharmaceuticals, Cranbury, N.J., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on products for the urology and endocrinology markets, has appointed Jeremy D. Middleton to the newly created position of VP, business development. An industrial chemist by training, Mr. Middleton comes to Valera from Neose Technologies, where he was VP, commercial development. Dean J. Mitchell Alpharma Names President and CEO Dean J. Mitchell has been appointed president and CEO of Alpharma, Fort Lee, N.J., a global specialty pharmaceutical company with a focus on the chronic pain market. He succeeds Ingrid Wiik, who has retired. Mr. Mitchell, 50, has nearly 30 years of management experience, most recently as president and CEO of Guilford Pharmaceuticals. Before that, he held a broad range of positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb and GlaxoSmithKline. He has an MBA from City University Business School and a B.S. from Coventry University. Dr. Peter Silverstone Biovail Appoints Senior VP Biovail has named Dr. Peter Silverstone senior VP, medical and scientific affairs, responsible for the rapid clinical development and effective registration of the company’s pipeline products. Biovail, Mississauga, Canada, is a pharmaceutical company specializing in products that use advanced drug-delivery technologies. Dr. Silverstone previously was chief medical officer of Global IQ. He is also a professor in the departments of psychiatry and neuroscience at the University of Alberta. He trained in medicine and completed a doctoral fellowship at the University of London. He also completed a research fellowship at the University of Oxford. Discovery POOL Michelle Gordon-Savenor Genstruct Names Director of Alliance Management Michelle Gordon-Savenor has been appointed director of alliance management for Genstruct, Cambridge, Mass., a knowledge-driven discovery company focused on the areas of oncology, metabolic disorders, and inflammation. She manages the alliances between Genstruct and its large pharmaceutical partners. Most recently, Ms. Gordon-Savenor was an alliance manager for Millennium Pharmaceuticals. She earned her A.B. in biology and English from Vassar College and was a visiting scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Emerging POOL Kurt S. Mussina Aptuit Hires VP, Sales and Marketing Kurt S. Mussina has been named VP, sales and marketing, of Aptuit’s global drug-development services enterprise. Aptuit, Greenwich, Conn., is an emerging company focused on streamlining and supporting the drug-development process for biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovators. Mr. Muss
na manages the company’s global sales and marketing force. He has more than 19 years of drug-development experience, most recently as VP of commercial operations for CRF. He holds an MBA from the Duke University Fuqua School of Business and a B.S. in chemistry from Montclair State University. Agency POOL Richard Bauer Cadent Names VP, Account Services Richard Bauer has been named VP of account services at Cadent Medical Communications, Irving, Texas, an inVentiv Health company and a medical communication company. Mr. Bauer is the first Cadent employee to work from Westerville, Ohio, where inVentiv Communications is based. There he works closely with colleagues at Cadent’s sister companies to develop medical-education programs for clients, while also building a roster of new clients. Previously, Mr. Bauer was a consultant for Executive Management Partners. Megan Beauchamp Mark Gvero Bethany Hood Jenny Miller MedPoint Builds Account Management Staff Megan Beauchamp has been hired as a meeting planner for MedPoint Communications, Evanston, Ill., a provider of communications and e-media services to the worldwide biopharmaceutical industry. In this role, Ms. Beauchamp handles attendee meeting logistics, including registration, travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, and onsite meeting requests. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications and advertising from St. Mary’s at Notre Dame. Additionally, Mark Gvero has joined MedPoint as a technology specialist, responsible for the content development of the company’s multimedia, e-meeting, and Web conferencing services. Previously, he worked at the Will County Center for Economic Development, where he was responsible for the organization’s Website and member databases. He has a bachelor’s degree in visual communications from Westwood College and an associate science degree in graphic design from the American Academy of Art in Chicago. Bethany Hood also has joined the MedPoint account management staff as a project manager. Her responsibilities include the day-to-day coordination of activities related to the production and development of the company’s e-meeting, Web conferencing, and CD-ROM services. Most recently, Ms. Hood held account management positions at Williams-Labadie Healthcare Communications and Torre Lazur McCann Healthcare. She holds a B.A. in communications and psychology from Western Michigan University. In other MedPoint news, Jenny Miller has been hired as an account executive, responsible for new business development across the New York/New England territory. Previously, she was a senior project manager at Discovery Chicago. Ms. Miller received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Truman State University. Maryse Beaudin Kirsten Rakow Solara Adds Staff Maryse Beaudin has joined Solara, Parsippany, N.J., as an account supervisor. Solara is a CommonHealth business unit that provides strategic marketing services to improve patient access to pharmaceutical brands competing in managed markets. Most recently, she was employed at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia as a marketing planning consultant. Additionally, Solara has appointed Kirsten Rakow as a senior art director. Before joining Solara, Ms. Rakow freelanced for various healthcare agencies. Richard Campbell Laura Dodd Sara Pocius Leslie Sarnoff AbelsonTaylor Hires and Promotes AbelsonTaylor, a Chicago-based independent healthcare advertising agency, has promoted Richard Campbell to senior account executive. In this role, he is responsible for three dermatology products manufactured by Connetics. Mr. Campbell, who came to AbelsonTaylor in 2001, most recently served as account executive for the erectile dysfunction drug Cialis. He has a B.A. in advertising from Iowa State University. AbelsonTaylor has hired Laura Dodd as a senior copywriter, responsible for managing projects for MGI Pharma’s Aloxi product. Ms. Dodd has 13 years of experience in the clinical arena, most recently as senior medical writer for TAP Pharmaceuticals. She holds an M.S. in exercise physiology and health promotion from Purdue University and B.A. degrees in both psychology and exercise science from Miami University. Sara Pocius also has been hired as art director, handling products for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia. Previously, she was art director for Callahan Creek. Ms. Pocius holds a certificate from The Creative Circus and a B.S. in advertising from the University of Illinois. Additionally, Leslie Sarnoff has been promoted to copywriter from her prior role as associate copywriter. She now handles copy assignments for brands in oncology and nutrition. Before joining AbelsonTaylor in 2002 as a clinical research associate, she was a marketing consultant for Miicro. She has a B.S. in biology from the University of Illinois and an M.S. in biotechnology from Northwestern University. Janine Chianese Ray Cumella Anne Giaquinto Christopher Mangione Centron Adds Staff Centron has hired Janine Chianese as senior copywriter. Ms. Chianese previously was employed at KPR. A HealthStar Communications company, Centron is a full-service medical communications agency based in New York. The agency has also hired Ray Cumella as senior VP, director of relationship marketing. He previously spent eight years as a director of relationship marketing for KPR. Anne Giaquinto has been hired as account operations manager. She also joins Centron from KPR, where she spent five years in account operations. Additionally, Christopher Mangione has been appointed senior VP, management supervisor. He previously spent 10 years in account management at KPR. Brian Conway Jim Lothrop Alyson Romanelli Adient Adds Staff Adient, Parsippany, N.J., a CommonHealth professional advertising and promotion agency, has added new staff. Brian Conway has joined Adient as an account executive. Previously, Mr. Conway was an assistant account executive at Torre Lazur McCann. Jim Lothrop has been hired as a senior art director. In this role, Mr. Lothrop is responsible for concept development, implementation, and management of art on his assigned brands. Previously, he worked as a freelance art director and ran a motion graphics and video company. Additionally, Alyson Romanelli has joined the agency as an account supervisor. She supervises the annual advertising plan, manages the tactical brainstorming process, oversees finances, and provides budget analyses for her assigned brands. Most recently, Ms. Romanelli was a senior account executive at Cline, Davis & Mann. Jennifer Dierks Jerry Fishlin Margaret Kale Amy Knierim Michele Liccone Dr. Norman Nagl Erin Ramos Altum Builds Staff Jennifer Dierks has been appointed senior account executive at Altum, Parsippany, N.J., a CommonHealth network agency providing full-service healthcare advertising and promotion focused on high-science and specialty markets. Ms. Dierks is responsible for the U.S. and global launches of a new breakthrough oncology product. Previously, she was employed at Integrated Communications. Jerry Fishlin has joined Altum as senior VP, director of client services, responsible for the agency’s ongoing client activities as well as new business initiatives. Mr. Fishlin has more than 20 years of experience in biotechnology, most recently as senior VP of account services at Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare. Additionally, Margaret Kale has been hired as VP, account supervisor. Ms. Kale previously was an account supervisor at Nelson Communications. Amy Knierim has been appointed editorial supervisor. She manages the editorial department, supervises the day-to-day work of Altum editors, and works directly on client accounts. Most recently, Ms. Knierim was editorial group supervisor at Cline, Davis & Mann. The agency also has hired Michele Liccone as an account supervisor, responsible for leading the strategic and tactical initiatives for her brands. Ms. Liccone most recently was a senior account executive at HealthStar Advertising. Norman Nagl, Ph.D., has been named scientific communications director. In this role, he interprets, verifies, and develops scientific content for internal and external projects. With a doctorate in molecular biology and genetics, Dr. Nagl has extensive experience in basic science and the clinical pathology of cancer. Before joining Altum, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Temple University School of Medicine. Erin Ramos has come to Altum as a senior art director, responsible for concept development, implementation, and management of art for her assigned brands. Previously, Ms. Ramos was a freelance art director supporting Adient, Altum’s sister agency, as well as other healthcare-communications companies. David Dunn ApotheCom Appoints Managing Director David Dunn has joined ApotheCom Associates as managing director of its Yardley, Pa., office. ApotheCom, Oakland, Calif., is a global medical communications company and a member of the Axis Healthcare Communications group. Mr. Dunn has 20 years of leadership experience in medical publishing, advertising, and communications. Most recently, he was president of Complete Medical Group. Scott Franks HLG Retains Industry Strategist The Hal Lewis Group (HLG), a Philadelphia-based branding agency focused on strategic marketing and advertising services for life-sciences companies, has retained Scott Franks as a consultant to help develop and launch a new marketing initiative. Mr. Franks was formerly CEO and chairman of Tierney Communications. Throughout his 25 years in advertising, he has worked with leading brands such as Pizza Hut, ABC Sports, Deloitte Consulting, and Johnson & Johnson. Steve Hamburg Wishbone-ITP Names Chief Creative Officer Steve Hamburg has been appointed executive VP/chief creative officer at Wishbone-ITP, New York, a full-service healthcare advertising agency. Mr. Hamburg brings to Wishbone more than 20 years of pharmaceutical and consumer advertising experience, most recently as a partner at IdeAH. Before that, he was chief creative officer at Nelson Communications/Publicis. Scott Harper Jen McKeever GSW Adds Staff in New York Office GSW Worldwide, Westerville, Ohio, an inVentiv Health company and one of the largest healthcare advertising agencies in the world, has added new staff at its New York office. Scott Harper has been named senior account executive. Previously, he was a senior account executive at Cline Davis & Mann. He has a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University. GSW also has hired Jen McKeever as account executive. Ms. McKeever most recently was marketing and advertising junior account executive at Double Platinum. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington. Josh Hayes Dawn Marinacci Nicole Mazur inChord Adds Staff inChord Communications, an inVentiv company and one of the largest healthcare communications companies in the world, has added staff at its Westerville, Ohio, headquarters. Josh Hayes has been named software developer. Previously, he was senior programmer at Technical Insights. He has a bachelor’s degree from DeVry University. Dawn Marinacci has joined inChord as communication and marketing manager. Most recently, Ms. Marinacci was communication and marketing manager for Managed Health Care Systems at The Ohio State University. She has a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University. Nicole Mazur has been appointed communication and marketing coordinator. She previously was a communications and marketing assistant at the Ohio State University Medical Center. Nanette Johnson Pacific Communications Hires Group Supervisor Nanette Johnson has joined Pacific Communications as an account group supervisor. Based in Costa Mesa, Calif., Pacific Communications is a full-service provider of integrated healthcare communications. Ms. Johnson oversees the firm’s Botox and Tazorac teams. Previously, she spent more than 15 years at Mendoza Dillon, where she most recently was VP/director of the diversified communications services group. Maria Mitsios Leah Warner Palio Adds Staff Palio Communications, an inVentiv Health company based in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., has appointed Maria Mitsios as account executive. Palio is a full-spectrum advertising and communications agency. Ms. Mitsios most recently served as an associate at ICF Consulting. She has an MBA and a bachelor’s degree from The College of Saint Rose. Additionally, Leah Warner has joined the agency as an account supervisor. She previously was employed at RTC Relationship Marketing as an account supervisor for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, Indevus Pharmaceuticals, and Odyssey Pharmaceutical accounts. She has a master’s degree from American University and a bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University. Consulting POOL Dr. Mark C. Bardwell Pharma Service Network Hires Business Development Manager Pharma Services Network, a Charlotte, N.C., business development agency, has appointed Mark C. Bardwell, Ph.D., as business development manager to lead the company’s work for the firm Cognitive Drug Research. Most recently, Dr. Bardwell was a research psychologist and trial consultant. Dr. Edward Gertz Karen Sargent Polaris Hires and Promotes Edward Gertz, M.D., has been promoted to medical director for Polaris Clinical Research Consultants, Cary, N.C., a consulting company that specializes in auditing and training in clinical-research topics and processes. In this role, Dr. Gertz is responsible for developing Polaris’ Web-based training program. Previously, he was chairman of the bachelor’s and master’s programs in the Department of Clinical Research at Campbell University. Board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease, Dr. Gertz holds two patents involving ultrasound imaging and contrast agents. Polaris also has hired Karen Sargent as director of quality assurance and training. She is responsible for leading the quality assurance auditing team and working with Dr. Gertz to develop new training programs. Ms. Sargent has more than 20 years experience in product development and has performed audits of both pharmaceutical and medical-device sponsors, clinical sites, institutional review boards, and vendor qualification assessments. She has a B.S. in healthcare management from Rutgers University and is a graduate of the nuclear medicine program of Duke University and Radiologic Technology of Morehead State University. Dr. Kay M. Larholt Dr. Charles Thompson Abt Fills Key Positions Kay M. Larholt, Sc.D., has joined Abt Associates as VP and executive director, biostatistics/epidemiology. Based in Cambridge, Mass., Abt is a research and consulting firm serving government and corporate clients. Dr. Larholt provides technical oversight of all biostatistics and data-management projects. Previously, she was group director, biometrics, at Boston Scientific. She earned her Sc.D. in biostatistics from Harvard University and her B.A. in statistics from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Additionally, Abt has hired Charles R. Thompson, Ph.D., as the VP of its domestic health division. In this role, Dr. Thompson oversees the behavioral health, health policy, and public health and epidemiology practices. He most recently served as a VP of RTI International. He holds a Ph.D. in education administration and business administration from American University; an M.S. in nursing from Catholic University of America; and a B.S. in nursing from University of Nevada. CRO POOL John F. Ameling Kendle Hires Director Kendle, a global full-service clinical research organization based in Cincinatti, has appointed John F. Ameling as director of clinical, regulatory, and strategic operations. He is responsible for advising clients on drug-development strategies designed to obtain approval of new applications. Previously, he was an independent regulatory consultant. He earned his B.S. in psychology from the University of Cincinnati. Contract-Sales POOL Michael J. Marquard PDI Appoints CEO PDI, Saddle River, N.J., a contract sales and marketing services provider, has appointed Michael J. Marquard as CEO. Mr. Marquard has replaced Larry Ellberger, who was PDI’s interim CEO from October 2005 until May 2006. Mr. Marquard, who has more than 30 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry, joins PDI from Mylan Laboratories, where he was VP, Mylan Laboratories, and president, Mylan Bertek Pharmaceuticals. Before his tenure at Mylan, Mr. Marquard was senior VP of U.S. sales for Wyeth. Media POOL Sally Cioci Elsevier Adds Account Manager at IMNG Sally Cioci has been appointed national account manager for Skin & Allergy News at International Medical News Group (IMNG), Morristown, N.J., a unit of Elsevier that publishes 10 medical newspapers. In this role, she has sole advertising and project responsibilities for Skin & Allergy News. Ms. Cioci joins IMNG from Quadrant HealthCom, where she was associate publisher/national sales manager for Cutis and Cosmetic Dermatology. Medical-Education POOL Bethany Blitz Jeffrey Carbone Michael Cremonese John Watson Fission Hires and Promotes Key Staff Bethany Blitz has joined Fission Communications as meetings manager. New York-based Fission, a division of McCann-Erickson Healthcare Worldwide, is a global, full-service medical-education and communications company. She previously was a senior program director at Worldwide Healthcare Communications. Fission also has hired Jeffrey Carbone as senior account manager. Mr. Carbone is responsible for managing the agency’s Elan account. Mr. Carbone, with a background in client services, comes to the company from Advanced Health Media. Additionally, Michael Cremonese has joined the medical-education company as a full-time graphic designer. He previously spent more than two years working for Fission Communications as a freelance artist. In other Fission news, the company has promoted John Watson to the position of assistant director, editorial and medical writing. Previously, Mr. Watson was a senior editor/writer at the agency. Dr. Timothy J. Hayes Vindico Names Medical Director Vindico Medical Education, Thorofare, N.J., has hired Timothy J. Hayes, M.D., Ph.D., as medical director. Vindico is an ACCME-accredited provider of continuing medical education for physicians. In his new role, Dr. Hayes assists with assessing, developing, and implementing content for the company’s live events, enduring materials, and other online education initiatives. In addition, Dr. Hayes is an adjunct professor for the Graduate School of Medical Writing at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. He has more than 25 years of medical communications experience. Dr. Hayes studied microbiology and immunology at Temple University School of Medicine, where he earned his master’s of science, doctorate of philosophy, and medical degrees. Carol Hudson Jeffrey Jones Dr. William Matikiewicz Elizabeth Myatt HLS Grows Staff HLS, Parsippany, N.J., the founding medical-education unit of CommonHealth, has added new staff to manage the agency’s continued growth. HLS has hired Carol Hudson as a senior VP, professional relations. In this position, she leads account management, provides direction for her teams, and identifies business opportunities with new and existing clients. Ms. Hudson comes to HLS from Synovate Healthcare, where she was VP. Jeffrey Jones has joined HLS as a medical writer. Mr. Jones is responsible for conceptualizing and writing for educational and promotional projects. Previously, he was a medical writer for Interactive Network for Continuing Education/Advanced Communication and Education. William Matikiewicz, M.D., has been hired as a medical director. Dr. Matikiewicz is responsible for providing scientific, clinical, and therapeutic area expertise to his assigned brand teams. Before joining HLS, Dr. Matikiewicz was the consulting scientific director at PharmAdura. Elizabeth Myatt comes to HLS as a VP, professional relations. She serves as client liaison and internal team leader to drive overall business planning and development. Most recently, Ms. Myatt was VP, patient and professional services, and chief technology officer at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. Service POOL Richard Altus ImpactRx Makes Management Changes ImpactRx Inc., a pharmaceutical market-research company based in Mt. Laurel, N.J., has appointed Richard Altus as president and acting CEO. Mr. Altus, who most recently was the company’s chief financial officer, replaces Nancy Lurker. Ms. Lurker has assumed another leadership position within the pharmaceutical industry. Mr. Altus has more than 25 years of financial and management experience. Before joining ImpactRx in 2002, he served as the chief operating officer for Medical Broadcasting Co. Kelli Henry Kforce Promotes Associate Director Kforce, a full-service professional staffing company based in Tampa, Fla., has promoted Kelli Henry to associate director of clinical operations for its Kforce Clinical Research Staffing division. She is responsible for supporting clinical operations initiatives, program management and delivery, and business development and marketing. Ms. Henry previously was regional and project manager for the Amgen-Kforce Alliance. Before joining the Kforce in 2001, she held research positions at Scirex, PathoGenesis, and Pacific Coast Clinical Coordinators. Ms. Henry earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the Oregon Health Sciences University. Additionally, she holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Oregon. Paula Paradise TNS Healthcare Expands Business Development Team TNS Healthcare, a division of the London-based market-research firm TNS, has added Paula Paradise to its growing business development team. As VP of business development, she is responsible for bringing TNS Healthcare’s market-research solutions to major pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. She is based in the company’s Horsham, Pa. office. Ms. Paradise comes to TNS Healthcare from ImpactRx, where she was director of business development. She has a B.A. in chemistry from Wheaton College, an M.S. in forensic chemistry from Northeastern University, and an MBA in pharmaceutical marketing from St. Joseph’s University. Technology POOL Jim Murphy ICTI Names President Interactive Clinical Technologies (ICTI), an Almac company, has appointed Jim Murphy as president. ICTI, Yardley, Pa., offers technology-based services to the biopharmaceutical industry to increase the quality and efficiency of the clinical-trial process. Since joining the company as a project manager in 1999, Mr. Murphy has held several key leadership positions, including regional director of clinical services, VP of operations, and, most recently, VP of business development and marketing. He succeeds Richard McCann, who has taken the helm of Galen, another Almac affiliate. Thomas Patton IMC Appoints CEO Thomas Patton has been appointed CEO of Informed Medical Communications (IMC), New York, an interactive medical information services provider delivering targeted healthcare programming through alternative marketing channels. Mr. Patton replaces Robert Goodman, who recently left the company. Previously, Mr. Patton was the CEO and founder of QDx. He is a graduate of Georgetown Law School and Holy Cross College. PharmaVOICE welcomes comments about this article. E-mail us at [email protected]. PFIZER NAMES JEFFREY B. KINDLER CEO Pfizer has named Jeffrey B. Kindler its new CEO. He succeeds Hank McKinnell, who has been with Pfizer for 35 years and who will remain the company’s chairman of the board until his retirement in February 2007. Mr. Kindler previously served as Pfizer’s vice chairman and general counsel and, since joining the company in 2002, has played an increasingly important role. He has been a member of the senior-most governing body of the company since 2002. “It is a privilege to assume responsibility for leading such a wonderful group of colleagues around the world,” Mr. Kindler says. “Pfizer has a proud history of innovative medical research and the will to tackle some of the most deadly diseases known to mankind. We are delivering first-in-class medicines more quickly, including new treatments for epilepsy, cancer, diabetes, and smoking cessation, among others. Our global scale gives us the ability to move quickly on opportunities anywhere we see them, and our financial strength enables us to invest aggressively in new products and technologies that can deepen the value we deliver to patients.” Mr. Kindler, 51, joined Pfizer as senior VP and general counsel. He became executive VP and general counsel in 2004 and vice chairman and general counsel in 2005, leading both the legal and corporate affairs divisions. Before joining Pfizer, Mr. Kindler served as chairman and CEO of Boston Market, which is owned by McDonald’s, and president of Partner Brands, also owned by McDonald’s. Before McDonald’s, Mr. Kindler was VP and senior counsel for litigation and legal policy for General Electric. He is a former partner at the Washington law firm of Williams & Connolly. Mr. Kindler earned his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from Tufts University in 1977 and his J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1980, where he served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Mr. Kindler is a board member of the Brennan Center for Justice, corporateprobono.org, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, the Legal Aid Society, the Manhattan Theater Club, the New York Philharmonic, and the Partnership for New York City, among other civic and charitable organizations.