Guest Entrepreneur Information - April 6, 2004
Guest Entrepreneur Information
April 6, 2004:
Albert G. Prescott
WPI '90 CM
Founder, President & CEO, Crescent Innovations
Crescent Innovations, Inc. was founded in 2000 and incorporated in Delaware in 2001 to develop products using proprietary polymer technology. These state-of-the-art polymers are used to treat both chronic and acute pain, as well as controlled release/drug delivery products.
Al Prescott was a senior process development engineer at Anika Therapeutics Inc., a manufacturer of HA-based ophthalmic, orthopedic, and surgical scar reduction products. Mr. Prescott has worked and consulted for some of the preeminent biotech and biomaterials companies including Genzyme, Genetics Institute, BASF Bioresearch, and W. R. Grace and Company. Mr. Prescott has a Bachelor of Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Biotechnology and a Master of Science from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He has held many positions in the technical and customer service field of the polymer, pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device fields. His responsibilities have included all aspects of operations including facility construction management, product development, project management, budget management and personnel management. Mr. Prescott has led numerous cross-functional teams in the areas of new drug/device development from projects as simple as generic drug approval, to devices as complicated as bio-artificial pancreases.
Ron Ranauro
WPI '83 MG, WPI '88 CS
Executive Vice President & General Manager, Gene-IT
Ron Ranauro is executive vice president and general manager of Gene-IT, a bioinformatics company providing seamless, comprehensive, software tools for the rapidly growing genomic data market. The company and its products enable both bioscience researchers and intellectual property specialists to search and analyze the most complete set of proteomic/genomic sequence data and their related documentation, worldwide. Customers and collaborative partners include Aventis, DuPont, the European Bioinformatics Institute, the European Patent Office, Genoscope, Open Biosystems, Organon, Pfizer, and Servier. The company is based in Paris, France, with its North American headquarters in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Mr. Ranauro is a 1983 WPI graduate with a BS in Business Management and an '88 MS in Computer Science.
Joe Straight
CEO, Verax Biomedical, Inc.
Chief Executive Officer
jstraight@veraxbiomedical.com
Verax Biomedical
Mr. Straight co-founded the Company in May 1999 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Straight served as Chief Financial Officer at ZymeQuest, Inc., a biotechnology company, from 1996 to May 1999; he also served as Vice President Finance at Hybridon, Inc. a biotechnology firm from 1991 to May 1996. Mr. Straight also served in a variety of corporate venture assignments in the high tech arena, most recently as Vice President Finance for SIS Corp., a software/computer services start-up division, of Citigroup from 1987 to March 1991. From 1979 to April 1987, Mr. Straight served in a variety of financial and general management positions with GTE. Mr. Straight received a B.A. in business administration from the University of Washington in 1979. Mr. Straight is a Certified Public Accountant.
Tonight's Dinner will feature area biotech start-up companies.
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