CONNECT Announces New Chair and Vice Chair for Board of Directors
Tim Scott will be board chair, James Mackay will be vice chair, beginning December 1, 2018
SAN DIEGO, CA (November 15, 2018) – CONNECT is pleased to announce executive committee member Tim Scott will become chair of the Foundation’s board, succeeding current chairman Stath Karras. Karras will continue to serve on the CONNECT executive committee; fellow executive committee member James Mackay will become vice chair of the board
“I believe strongly in the mission of CONNECT to support entrepreneurship and innovation in San Diego. I have been very fortunate to have been a graduate of CONNECT’s Springboard Accelerator program, as well as had my companies receive funding through CONNECT programs and be honored with Most Innovative New Product Awards. I look forward to taking on another chapter in my work with CONNECT,” said Scott. “I’ve learned a great deal from Stath during his tenure as chairman and I am grateful to have his continuing support as an executive committee member. I’m also grateful that my colleague James Mackay will become vice chair; his partnership will be essential as we take on this new opportunity to continue to advance the mission of CONNECT.”
Scott has served on the CONNECT board for six years, currently serving on both the executive committee and as the head of the Springboard Accelerator committee. He is a prominent leader in the San Diego life sciences community, currently serving as the CEO of TEGA Therapeutics, after the acquisition of his company Pharmatek Laboratories by Catalent in 2016. Scott will bring the perspective and experience of both the entrepreneur and an executive, as well as an experienced member of CONNECT’S board of directors, to the role.
Mackay joined the CONNECT board in 2014, and previously headed the finance committee. He is a distinguished scientist and experienced entrepreneur having led the development of six drugs through to regulatory approval. Mackay is currently the President and CEO of Aristea Therapeutics, which he founded recently. Previously Mackay was CEO of Ardea Biosciences and held a number of executive positions at AstraZeneca. He also serves on the board of directors of Biocom and is a member of Tech Coast Angels.
”We are extremely grateful to Stath for his dedication to CONNECT in his tenure as chairman of the board,” says Greg McKee, CEO of CONNECT. “He has been invaluable in his stewardship of CONNECT’s mission. We are looking forward to Tim Scott stepping into the chairmanship and expanding his leadership role within CONNECT. Tim’s experience across many aspects of CONNECT make him a strong fit to assume this important role. James Mackay has been an integral part of our executive committee and having him step into the role of vice chair gives us a strong, clear succession plan for the board that we are excited about.”
Karras has been on the board of CONNECT for twelve years and a member of the executive committee for the last eight years, serving as its chairman the past four years. He is the executive director of the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego.
“We are incredibly pleased to have Tim Scott step into the chairmanship of CONNECT. We believe that he is the right person to continue the very important CONNECT mission,” says Karras. “Tim is a highly respected industry professional and intimately familiar with the CONNECT programs.” Karras adds, “I have been honored to have chaired CONNECT these past four years and am looking forward to continuing to work with Tim, James, and the CONNECT team.”
Scott and Mackay will officially assume their positions for CONNECT on December 1, 2018.
For further information contact Jana Wallis at jwallis@connect.org or 858.964.1300.
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