Our board of directors includes a diverse selection of individuals dedicated to helping others achieve a better quality of life.
John W. Walsh
Chairman
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 $35 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
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Craig has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare sector. He is a respiratory therapist and has worked in hospital settings as a clinician and administrator. His prior corporate affiliations include Quantum Health Resources, Inc. where he held management positions in sales, general management and corporate marketing. At Quantum he developed his expertise and passion for serving patient communities with rare chronic disorders.
Prior to co-founding CHR, Craig served with Express Scripts, Inc. as the Vice President of Specialty Distribution Services, and subsequently Vice President/GM of Specialty Pharmacy Benefits Management. He has had management responsibility in a variety of operational roles including sales, marketing, product development, reimbursement, pharmacy and specialty mail order pharmacy.
Dennis Matheis
Director
Dennis Matheis is the President of Anthem 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: Chief Executive Officer of Advocate Health Partners in Chicago, President and General Manager at Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, President of Humana Health Plans of Kansas and Missouri and 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
Director
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
Director
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 10 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 10 years in a variety of positions including marketing/product management, sales, corporate audit, strategic planning and corporate business development mergers and acquisitions.
Larry Stern
Director
Lawrence D. Stern has served as Talecris Biotherapeutics Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since June 2007, as a Director since April 2005. He currently serves on the audit and finance committees and was previously the Executive Chairman from April 2005 until June 2007.
Mr. Stern worked with Cerberus and Ampersand in connection with the Talecris formation transaction. Prior to that, Mr. Stern served as the President of Bayer Corporation’s Urethanes group upon Bayer’s acquisition of Lyondell Chemical’s polyol business. Mr. Stern received his BS in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University in 1979 and his MS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981.