John W. Walsh is the co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alpha-1 Foundation based in Miami, Florida. The organization has gained international recognition and has raised more than $31 million to support Alpha-1 research and research-related projects. Currently, more than 60 academic institutions in North America and Europe have been awarded funding grants.

 

Mr. Walsh is also co-founder and President of AlphaNet, Inc., a not-for-profit disease management services company that provides comprehensive care exclusively for individuals with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. Presently, AlphaNet serves over 2,500

individuals with Alpha-1 in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

 

In the fall of 2004, Mr. Walsh partnered in the founding of Centric Health Resources, Inc. to better serve the needs of individuals with rare chronic disorders. As Chairman, he meets frequently with patient advocacy organizations, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and related health care stakeholders.

 

Mr. Walsh’s contributions to pioneering collaboration in orphan drug development were officially recognized by the Food and Drug Administration in 2002 with the presentation of the Commissioner’s Special Citation. With an extensive background in business management and government relations, Mr. Walsh regularly testifies before Congress and health advisory groups as a patient advocate. He was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency in 1989.    

 

 

Craig Kephart is a co-founder of Centric Health Resources, Inc. and key developer of the company’s business model for addressing the needs of individuals with rare chronic disorders. He has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare sector, beginning his career as a respiratory therapist in hospital settings as a clinician and administrator. 

 

Mr. Kephart previously served with Express Scripts, Inc. as the Vice President of Specialty Distribution Services managing the Bayer Direct Program. While at Express Scripts, he also had management responsibilities in a variety of operational roles including reimbursement, pharmacy and specialty mail order pharmacy.

 

Prior corporate affiliations include Quantum Health Resources, Inc., where he was general manager of the St. Louis facility and later responsible for all national Alpha-1 programs as a corporate group marketing director.    

 

 

Bruce Greenberg is a co-founder and owner of FFP, LLC. Based in Sunrise, Florida, this specialty pharmacy company serves the hemophilia community nationwide. Previously, Mr. Greenberg served a Chief Financial Officer for Medistat Pharmacy Services. Medistat grew to become the largest privately held institutional pharmacy company in Florida and was subsequently acquired by Omnicare, Inc.

 

Mr. Greenberg has also served as President and Chief Financial Officer for Flagship Pharmacy and MedChoice Pharmacy Services. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of several health care organizations and consults with companies on financial management related to pharmacy business practices.    

 

 

Stephen A. Hurwitz is a co-founder and owner of FFP, LLC. Based in Sunrise Florida, this specialty pharmacy company serves the hemophilia community nationwide. Mr. Hurwitz is a Certified Public Accountant and previously served in management positions at Deloitte and Touche in New York. He later served as Corporate Controller for the APL Corporation before retiring in 1993.     

 

 

Stuart R. Kaufman is a co-founder and owner of FFP, LLC. Based in Sunrise, Florida, this specialty pharmacy company serves the hemophilia community nationwide.   Mr. Kaufman was the founder, Executive Vice President and a board member of Health Infusions, Inc., a publicly held corporation. In 1992, Health Infusions was purchased by Coram Health Services.  

 

Mr. Kaufman was previously General Partner and Business Officer for a 200 physician limited partnership located in Miami.  Early in his career, Mr. Kaufman also served in county government as a Director, Office of Public Relations, Metro-Dade Fire Rescue and later as a staff aide, Health and Safety Liaison, to the Dade County Mayor.   

 

 

Dennis Matheis is the President of Alliance Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Missouri. He currently directs product and service innovation, underwriting and sales. Previously, he was Vice President and general manager of group business for the health plans. 

 

Mr. Matheis has over 17 years of experience in the health insurance sector and has served in a variety of senior management positions. Prior affiliations include Advocate Health Partners in Chicago where he served as the Chief Executive Officer. In addition, he formerly served as President and general manager at Cigna HealthCare of Illinois and as President of Humana Health Plans of Kansas and Missouri.  In addition, he was President of Health Partners of the Midwest located in St. Louis.

 

Mr. Matheis began his career in public accounting with Coopers & Lybrand.   

 

 

John McCormick, MD recently retired from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For the past 20 years, Dr. McCormick served in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and then was appointed Deputy Director of the Office of Orphan Product Development.

 

Most recently, Dr. McCormick supervised the Designation Team and represented the Office Director in meetings with patient groups, regulatory officials and pharmaceutical industry executives. He received his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia and was in private practice before joining the Food and Drug Administration in 1986.   

 

 

John Perkins joined Talecris Biotherapeutics in 2006 and currently serves as the Vice President and General Manager for the US Commercial Operations. In his current position, he is responsible for the US business which is comprised of ten products that generate over $750 million in annual sales. Mr. Perkins is a member of the Talecris Management Committee.

 

Prior to joining Talecris, Mr. Perkins was an operations professional for Cerberus Capital Management, a $20 billion private investment firm, where he provided executive management for several existing portfolio companies including Talecris and operational due diligence for potential investments.

 

Mr. Perkins started his career with GE where he spent approximately ten years in a variety of positions including marketing/product management, sales, corporate audit, strategic planning and corporate business development mergers and acquisitions.

 

 

Lawrence D. Stern has served as Talecris Biotherapeutics Inc., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since June 2007, as a director since April 2005, and currently serves on the audit and finance committees. He was previously the Executive Chairman from April 2005 until June 2007.