January 13, 2014
Georgia Research Alliance Announces its Inaugural Class of Industry Fellows
Atlanta - The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) is proud to announce its inaugural class of Industry Fellows. Launched in 2013, the Industry Fellows program is made up of a broad group of industry veterans from life sciences and technology sectors. Its objective is to help match faculty and entrepreneurs with seasoned industry professionals to aid in building successful startup companies.
“There are opportunities with strong commercial potential being developed in the labs of our universities,” said C. Michael Cassidy, president and CEO of GRA. “We see firsthand how instrumental industry expertise can be in taking a discovery to market. We developed the Industry Fellows program to give faculty access to top industry minds, right here in Georgia.”
Industry Fellows are selected based on their interest, compatibility with faculty entrepreneurs and in-depth experience. Their roles range from early advisor to interim executive to launch executive officer. Many of them will contribute as board members of emerging successful companies.
Allen Moseley, GRA Trustee and General Partner with Noro-Moseley, said “Industry experience is invaluable for startups, and GRA has cultivated a team of professionals with proven track records and in-depth experience leading successful organizations.”
The current class of GRA Industry Fellows includes several who have become CEOs of companies recently formed around university-based technologies, including Gregg BeVier, CEO of Body Surface Translations, Inc., (The University of Georgia); L. Edward Cannon, President and CEO of NovAb (Emory); Tom O'Brien, President and CEO of Axion Biosystems (Georgia Tech); and Jim Stratigos, Founder and CEO of Sytheros Communications (Georgia Tech).
Also serving as current advisors to a number of emerging GRA portfolio companies are: Chris Cashman, previous CEO and President of Sanuwave Health, Inc.; Heather Creran, previous CEO and President of CSI Laboratories; Greg Duncan, previous Executive Vice President of UCB; Blake Patton, previous President and COO of Interactive Advisory Software; Jonathan Solomon, previous Chief Corporate Development Officer of PSA Healthcare; Tom Stribling, President and CEO, Northampton Medical, and Michael Zeto, Director of Corporate Development and M&A, AT&T Mobility.
To read more about GRA’s Industry Fellows, visit gra.org.
About the Georgia Research Alliance
The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) expands research and commercialization capacity in Georgia’s universities to launch new companies, create high-value jobs and transform lives. By driving the state’s strategy to develop a technology-rich economy, GRA plays a distinct role in Georgia’s overall economic development.
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Contact:
Amanda Schroeder
404-443-2659
aschroeder@gra.org
