Board of Directors

Director Since: 2009

John Sullivan, Ph.D. was appointed as the Chairman of the Board upon his retirement from his position as Chief Executive Officer and President in September 2017. Dr. Sullivan was previously promoted to the position of Chief Executive Officer and President, in March 2009. Dr. Sullivan joined us in October 2004 in the role of Vice President of Sales and Marketing and was promoted to the positions of President and Chief Operating Officer in 2006. In 1988, Dr. Sullivan joined Varian, Inc. (a major analytical instrument manufacturer) and served in various capacities in Research and Development, Sales and Marketing Management, and Business Development until 2004. In 1982, Dr. Sullivan joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Seattle District Laboratory as a Senior Research Scientist and worked there until 1988. From 1976 until 1980, Dr. Sullivan was employed as an Analytical Chemist at BioMed Research Labs (an independent research and testing laboratory). Dr. Sullivan received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Western Washington University in 1976 and a Ph.D. degree in Food Science from the University of Washington in 1982.

Director Since: 2017

Gary Owens was promoted to the position of Chief Executive Officer and President in September 2017. Mr. Owens joined us in March 2017 as our Chief Operating Officer. From 2006 through March 2017, Mr. Owens held several positions with Danaher Corporation. From 2016 through March 2017, Mr. Owens served as Corporate Vice-President of Strategic Development for Danaher Corporation and was seconded to Pall Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Danaher Corporation as Commercial Integration Lead. From 2012 to 2016, Mr. Owens served as Vice-President and General Manager of Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of Danaher Corporation. From 2009 to 2012, Mr. Owens was Corporate Vice-President of Strategic Development for Danaher Corporation. From 2006 to 2009, Mr. Owens served as the Group Vice-President of Business Development for Danaher Industrial. From 1998 to 2006, Mr. Owens served in various product management, sales and business development roles for Canon Incorporated and Trilogy Software. From 1994 to 1998, Mr. Owens was a team leader for Bain & Company. Mr. Owens received his BSE in Mechanical Engineering from Tulane University in 1990 and his Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia Business School in 1994.

Director Since: 2015

Mr. Schmieder has experience in corporate finance, public accounting, and investment banking, and is now the owner of multiple holistic health clinics in St. Louis, Missouri, opening the first in 2005. Between 2006 and 2010, Mr. Schmieder also served as the President and Treasurer of the Acupuncture Association of Missouri. He worked at George K. Baum & Co. and Citizens Funds (which became Sentinel Investments) from 1998 to 2003. From 1995 to 2002, Mr. Schmieder served as an equity and financial analyst at May Department Stores (now Macy’s Corporation). From 1990 to 1993, Mr. Schmieder served in various positions, including senior auditor, at Arthur Andersen & Co. He received a Bachelor of Administration in Business degree from the University of San Diego in 1990, a Master of Business Administration with emphasis in finance and corporate strategy from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in 1995 and a Master of Oriental Medicine Degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science (formerly New England School of Acupuncture) in 2005.

Director Since: 2019

Jennifer Alltoft was appointed as a director on March 4, 2019. Ms. Alltoft had a 32-year career at Pfizer, Inc., where she held multiple positions in Research and Development, Sales and Marketing, Technical Support and General Management. In her most recent experience, she led Pfizer’s Biosimilars business. Ms. Alltoft received a Higher National Certificate in applied biology from Bromley College in 1989, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from North East Surrey College of Technology in 1992.

Director Since: 2020

Shannon Hall was appointed as a director on May 11, 2020. Ms. Hall currently serves on the Board of one privately-held company. Additionally, she works as an investor and advisor to multiple early stage startups, primarily in the life sciences industry and is co-founder of Pow.bio. For 25 years, she worked at Bio-Rad Laboratories in progressive roles, including over ten years in executive leadership roles. She led core businesses at Bio-Rad Laboratories, creating effective leadership teams and improving sales growth and margins in her organizations. Ms. Hall received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the College of Saint Benedict.

Director Since: 2021

During his 24-year career with Thermo Fisher Scientific, Shiraz Ladiwala held various, progressive leadership roles in the areas of corporate strategy and development and business operations, including Senior Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development and General Manager of Asia/ Pacific. He has significant corporate strategic development experience, extensive knowledge of the life sciences, bioproduction and diagnostics industries, and a background in international business operations. Mr. Ladiwala has a leadership style characterized by cultural adaptability, strong business acumen, and financial knowledge. He received a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Bombay and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

Director Since: 2022

During his 36-year career with Corning, Incorporated, Tony Tripeny held various, progressive leadership roles in the areas of corporate accounting and finance, including Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President, Corporate Controller and Principal Accounting Officer. He has significant operational, strategy, and M&A experience, extensive knowledge of the manufacturing, technology, and life sciences industries, and a background in international corporate accounting. Mr. Tripeny has a leadership style characterized by his ability to be steady, adaptable, and action-oriented during times of volatility and possesses a proven track record of recruiting and mentoring diverse talent. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and is a member of the Financial Executives Institute and the Institute of Management Accounting.