Leadership

At LipoScience, we believe that leadership carries a strong obligation to contribute and a strong obligation to serve:

• We develop and guide the implementation of our strategic vision
• We deliver results by working alongside of and being responsive to our teams
• We engage in the real work of clearing barriers; we strengthen what makes us great

As a leadership team, we are stewards for releasing the potential of our organization toward one of the greatest opportunities of all, namely advancing the practice of medicine and making a tangible difference in the lives of patients.

Fundamental to our leadership model is a belief that every person is inherently blessed with talents. We rely on our employees' candor and talents. We empower them to find solutions to complex challenges and then drive change.

As a result, we have achieved many milestones that relatively few companies our size, in our industry, these days achieve.

The opportunity to lead is a blessing, and as a company we are committed to using our talents to advance patient care.

Rick Brajer
President and CEO

 

Richard O. Brajer
President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Brajer joined LipoScience, Inc. on February 26, 2003. He serves as President and CEO and is a member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Brajer joined LipoScience from Becton Dickinson and Company where he served as Corporate Executive Officer and President for the company's $1.2 billion sales worldwide diagnostic business. He began his 12-year career with BD in 1990 as director of corporate planning and subsequently held a number of general management positions in the United States and Europe. He was elected a corporate officer of Becton Dickinson in 1998.

Prior to joining Becton Dickinson, Mr. Brajer served as a consultant with McKinsey & Company from 1987 to 1990. At McKinsey, he worked with client executives to solve problems and develop action plans on issues relating to marketing, operations, organization and strategy. Mr. Brajer began his career as a product development engineer with the Procter & Gamble Company. He received the degree of Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University.

 

 

Mark Del Vecchio
Vice President of Regulatory Affairs

Mr. Del Vecchio joined LipoScience in 2008 as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs with nearly 20 years of clinical and regulatory experience in the biotechnology and molecular in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) industries. Prior to coming to LipoScience, Mr. Del Vecchio served as Vice President of Regulatory and Clinical Affairs for Digene Corporation, Director of Regulatory Affairs in the Food, Drug, Medical Device, and Agriculture practice at Hogan and Hartson, and Manager of Clinical Affairs for Roche Molecular Systems.  In these positions, Mr. Del Vecchio acquired extensive experience interacting with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of In-Vitro Diagnostic Device Evaluation and Safety (OIVD) and several international regulatory authorities, having worked predominantly with IVD's on the leading-edge of diagnostic technology. Mr. Del Vecchio holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Scranton.

 

 

James M. Fries
Vice President of Scientific Development

Mr. Fries joined LipoScience as Vice President of Payor Markets in 2003.  In 2006, he was appointed to drive external validation and scientific development. Mr. Fries came to LipoScience from VNUS Medical Technologies where he served as Director of Reimbursement. Mr. Fries' experience in reimbursement and business development includes postings as Manager of Payor Relations and Reimbursement for Smith and Nephew, Director of Managed Care for OrthoLogic and Director of Health Initiatives and Business Development for Progressions Health System. Mr. Fries holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Management and Development and a Master of Business Administration from Eastern University where he also holds an adjunct faculty appointment.

 

 

Robert D. Juncosa
Vice President of Research and Development

Mr. Juncosa joined LipoScience in 2004 as Vice President of Research and Development. Mr. Juncosa comes to LipoScience from Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, a Johnson & Johnson Company. His 30-year career in aerospace, clinical diagnostics and biotechnology research and development is highlighted by automating and commercializing new technologies and launching new instrument platforms into the marketplace. Mr. Juncosa earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Rutgers University and holds 10 patents in the fields of clinical diagnostics, cancer detection, and nucleic acid (DNA) testing.

 

 

Lucy G. Martindale
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Ms. Martindale joined LipoScience in 2001 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining LipoScience, Ms. Martindale served as Vice President and Finance Director of Glaxo Wellcome Research & Development. Her prior positions at Glaxo Wellcome include Vice President, Corporate Planning and Analysis and Vice President, Financial Planning and Analysis. Ms. Martindale also held several financial and operational management roles at Bristol Myers and American Hospital Supply Corporation. Ms. Martindale holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Indiana University and a Master of Business Administration from Campbell University.

 

 

E. Duffy McDonald
Vice President of Operations

Mr. McDonald joined LipoScience in 2003.  Prior to joining LipoScience, Mr. McDonald served as Vice President of Organizational Solutions for the Newton Instrument Company.  Previous positions include Director of Human Resources for VDO - Yazaki Corporation and 15 years of service at Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M), where he held a variety of management positions. Mr. McDonald holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from the College of Charleston and holds an advanced certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources.

 

 

James D. Otvos, Ph.D.
Founder, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Otvos is a founder of LipoScience and has served as Chief Scientific Officer and a director since the company's inception. Since 1999, he has also served as Executive Vice President. Dr. Otvos holds a Ph.D. in comparative biochemistry from the University of California-Berkeley and completed postdoctoral training in molecular biophysics at Yale University. Dr. Otvos held faculty positions in the chemistry department at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee and was Professor of Biochemistry at North Carolina State University where he remains an adjunct Professor of Biochemistry.

 

 

Ray Pourfarzib, Ph.D.
Vice President, Medical Affairs

Dr. Pourfarzib joined LipoScience as Vice President of Medical Affairs in 2007.  Over the past 14 years, Dr. Pourfarzib has held a variety of positions in the pharmaceutical sector as Director of Managed Care team, Director of Regional Medical Liaison team, and Executive Director of Disease Outcomes launching various products in chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, hypertension, lipid metabolism and gastroenterology. Prior to joining LipoScience, he spent 7 years at Amgen leading their inflammation Regional Medical Liaison team and launching numerous biotechnology compounds.  Dr. Pourfarzib holds a Ph.D. in pharmacology from Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia. His area of research focused on immunology, inflammation and microencapsulated drug therapy.

 

 

Paul C. Sanders
Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing

Mr. Sanders joined LipoScience as Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 2008.  Prior to joining LipoScience, Mr. Sanders was Vice President of Sales for the cardio-peripheral division at ev3, an endovascular technology company.  His more than 17 years of sales, marketing and management experience include director of marketing and director of sales at Abbott Vascular Devices, director of marketing for Sofamor Danek's Spine & Neuro Division (a Medtronic company), several key positions of increasing responsibility in sales and marketing at Boston Scientific, exiting as marketing manager for the Microvasive Endoscopy Division, and sales and management positions at US Surgical.  Mr. Sanders holds a bachelor degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

 

Timothy J. Williams
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Mr. Williams joined LipoScience in 2002 as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. Prior to joining LipoScience, Mr. Williams served as Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Glaxo Wellcome Inc. Before joining Glaxo, Mr. Williams was in private practice. Mr. Williams received a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton College, a J.D. from the University of California - Berkeley, and a Master of Business Administration from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

Charles A. Sanders, M.D.
Chairman of the Board

Dr. Sanders has served as a director of LipoScience since 2001 and has been Chairman of the Board for LipoScience since November 2002. He served as Chairman and CEO of Glaxo Inc. from 1989 to May 1995 and also served as a member of the board of directors of Glaxo plc. Previously, Dr. Sanders was general director of Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Sanders is a past chairman of the New York Academy of Sciences and past chairman of The Commonwealth Fund.

Dr. Sanders is currently a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, a member of the CSIS Board of Trustees, chairman of Project HOPE, and chairman of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health. In addition, Dr. Sanders has served on the board of directors of various technology, biotechnology and biopharmaceutical companies. He is currently a director of: Genaera Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, a biotechnology company; Pharmacopeia, Inc., a company that designs, develops, markets and supports science- and technology-based products and services; Biopure Corporation, a company that develops, manufactures and markets Oxygen Therapeutics(tm); Scios Inc., a biopharmaceutical company; Genentech, Inc., a biotechnology company; Trimeris, Inc., a company engaged in the discovery and development of antiviral therapeutics; and Cephalon, Inc., an international biopharmaceutical company. Dr. Sanders received his M.D. from Southwestern Medical College of the University of Texas.
 

Buzz Benson
Director

Mr. Benson has served as a director of LipoScience since October 2001. Mr. Benson is a Managing Director of SightLine Partners LLC, a venture capital firm that invests in emerging growth medical technology companies. SightLine Partners was formed in December 2004 to acquire the healthcare venture capital funds of Piper Jaffray Ventures.

Prior to co-founding SightLine Partners, he was a Managing Director and President of Piper Jaffray Ventures from 1992 to December 2004 and was co-head of Piper Jaffray's Investment Banking activities focused on the healthcare industry from 1986 to 1992. Prior to joining Piper Jaffray, Mr. Benson was a partner at Stonebridge Capital, an investment officer with Cherry Tree Ventures and a manager in the public accounting firm of Arthur Andersen & Co. Mr. Benson also serves as a director of several private companies.
 

Richard O. Brajer
President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Brajer joined LipoScience, Inc. on February 26, 2003. He serves as President and CEO and is a member of the Board of Directors. Mr. Brajer joined LipoScience from Becton Dickinson and Company where he served as Corporate Executive Officer and President for the company’s $1.2 billion sales worldwide diagnostic business. He began his 12-year career with BD in 1990 as director of corporate planning and subsequently held a number of general management positions in the United States and Europe. He was elected a corporate officer of Becton Dickinson in 1998.

Prior to joining Becton Dickinson, Mr. Brajer served as a consultant with McKinsey & Company from 1987 to 1990. At McKinsey, he worked with client executives to solve problems and develop action plans on issues relating to marketing, operations, organization and strategy. Mr. Brajer began his career as a product development engineer with the Procter & Gamble Company. He received the degree of Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University.
 

David T. Giddings
Director

Mr. Giddings has served as director of LipoScience since June 2004.  Mr. Giddings currently serves as President and CEO of Digilab, Inc.  Digilab is a global leader in the life sciences research "tools" market offering a range of genomics, proteomics, liquid handling, imaging, and spectroscopy systems and solutions. From 1996 to 2002, he served as Chairman, President, and CEO of Diametrics Medical, Inc.

Prior to joining Diametrics, Mr. Giddings served as President and COO of Boehringer Mannheim’s U.S. In-Vitro Diagnostics Businesses. He began his career with the Eastman Kodak Company in sales, and over 25 years held general management positions covering diverse markets and technology platforms for a variety of Kodak’s business units.  Mr. Giddings is a graduate of the Harvard Advanced Management Program, received his MBA from Rider University, and received his BA from Middlebury College. Mr. Giddings also serves on the board of Axela Biosciences, a life sciences research tools company based in Toronto.
 

Christopher W. Kersey
Director

Dr. Kersey serves as a Managing Member of Camden Partners in Baltimore, Maryland, where he focuses on growth equity investments in the health care and life science industries. Founded in 1995, Camden Partners is one of the largest growth equity and investment management funds in the United States with more than $700 million under management.

Dr. Kersey currently serves on the board of directors of LipoScience Inc., MinSec Holdings Inc. and PatientSafe Solutions Inc., and he is a board observer of AtriCure Corporation (NASDAQ: ATRC) and Picis Inc. He also serves on the board of trustees of Johns Hopkins Medicine and the board of trustees of The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Chris received his B.A. degree from Stanford University, his M.B.A. degree from the Harvard Business School and his M.D. degree from the Emory University School of Medicine.
 

John H. Landon
Director

Mr. Landon has over 30 years of broad, multi-functional experience with the DuPont Company.  Prior to retiring from active management, Mr. Landon was Vice President & General Manager of Medical Products for DuPont.  He had worldwide, full functional responsibility for all of DuPont’s Medical Products businesses, with total sales of $1 billion and over 5,000 employees. Mr. Landon recently served as Chairman of the Board of Cholestech Corporation and Director of Digene Corporation.  He currently is a member of the board for Christiana Care Health System and a member of the Board of Advisors for Water Street Healthcare Partners.
 

James D. Otvos, Ph.D.
Founder, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Otvos is a founder of LipoScience and has served as Chief Scientific Officer and a director since inception. He has also served as Executive Vice President since 1999. He also currently serves as Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry at North Carolina State University. After receiving a Ph.D. in comparative biochemistry from the University of California-Berkeley in 1976 and postdoctoral training in molecular biophysics at Yale University, he joined the chemistry faculty at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee in 1980 and remained there until 1990. From 1990 to 2000, Dr. Otvos was Professor of Biochemistry at North Carolina State University.
 

Roderick A. Young
Director

Mr. Young joined Three Arch Partners as a Venture Partner in May 2006.  Prior to that time he was President and CEO of Vivant Medical, a Three Arch Partners medical device company that was acquired by Tyco. He also previously held the positions of President & CEO of Targesome, Chairman & CEO of General Surgical Innovations (also a Three Arch Partners medical device company that was acquired by Tyco), President & CEO of Focus Surgery, President of Toshiba America MRI, and President & COO of Diasonics.

Rod holds a BS degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from The Harvard Business School.