The entrepreneurial spirit runs deep in these industry vanguards as they carve out new market niches and provide solutions and technologies to improve the healthcare process.

Dr. Robert Friedman

Pioneering Patient-Centric Telemedicine

Patients need to understand why they are prescribed their medications, how to take them as prescribed, and common problems that can arise while taking the medications, and what to do about these problems should they occur. Without that understanding, patients do not derive the full benefit of their prescribed medications and get into more problems with them than is necessary. With a vision for improving the quality of communications between physicians and patients, Robert Friedman, M.D., cofounded InfoMedics to achieve this goal. He was among the first developers of information systems to assist researchers in conducting clinical trials. Dr. Friedman is a recognized leader in the use of computer-based telecommunications systems that monitor patients with chronic disease, improve patient compliance to their medication regimens, and improve patients’ self-care behavior using phone and Web-based surveys. His initiatives have enabled physicians to receive real-world feedback about their own patients’ experiences with prescribed treatments. Having devoted more than 20 years to studying how to use totally automated systems to improve the communications process between patients and physicians, Dr. Friedman has been the recipient of numerous research grants from the National Institutes of Health, has more than 80 publications in scientific literature, and his vision has served as the foundation for hundreds of programs that assist pharmaceutical brands, physicians, and patients. Dr. Friedman also maintains a busy schedule. He is professor of medicine and public health at Boston University, chief of the medical information systems unit, and a fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics. He also cofounded IDX Inc., a major supplier of clinical-information systems to medical group practices and hospitals throughout the United States. Robert Friedman, M.D., Cofounder and Senior Scientist of InfoMedics, is focused on the goal of improving the quality of communications between physicians and patients. Personal data Born May 25, 1942, in San Francisco Education B.A., cum laude, from Harvard College and an M.D. from Stanford University Career Highlights Developed the first totally automated program for promoting patient adherence/compliance to a prescribed medication regimen and cofounded InfoMedics in 1995 Hobbies Winemaking Biggest Industry Challenge Educating patients about the medications they are prescribed and optimizing their adherence to the medication regimen Dr. Jane Chin What Glass Ceiling? An industry veteran recognized for her contribution to field-based medical science liaison (MSL) programs Jane Chin, Ph.D., founded the MSL Institute to safeguard and enhance the profession. MSLs exist at the interface between pharmaceutical companies and physicians researching new treatments. Through MSL Institute, Dr. Chin provides the industry with newsletters, forums, training programs, and a job posting board, to name only a few of the resources that previously did not exist. With humility, Dr. Chin credits those closest to her for her career successes. She describes her husband as her mentor and role model, acknowledges her father for teaching her that she could accomplish anything she set out to do, and gives credit to her mother, who was an entrepreneur, for providing the inspiration to launch her own company. The lessons she has drawn from those around her, and from her own strength of character, are that she should not allow the fact that she is a woman, or Asian, or five-foot-two prevent her from challenging the glass ceiling. One of the toughest tasks Dr. Chin has undertaken has been the age-old problem of deciding what to do with the rest of her life, so she blogs semiprofessionally and in her spare time is writing a book on alternative career transitions for scientists. Believing that individuals have the answers to most of their own questions, Dr. Chin considers that it is a matter of facing what is valued in one’s career and life and having the courage to be honest about what to do with one’s talents. And while she admits that she doesn’t have “the” answer to the question of how best to use her talents, just by virtue of posing it she draws closer to a solution every day. A busy professional, Dr. Chin not only established MSL Institute, but also created PharmRepClinic.com to steer sales representatives away from the mistakes she said she made when she was in the field. At the same time, Dr. Chin finds time for community pursuits, dressing up as the Star Wars character Jawa to entertain kids who are cancer survivors. An inspiration to her peers, Dr. Chin commits herself to helping others uncover their talents, sharing from the lessons she has learned and the mistakes she has made, and speaking up for those who may be afraid (or unable) to speak for themselves. Jane Chin, Ph.D., President of Medical Science Liaison Institute LLC and Managing Partner of Pharm Rep Clinic, commits herself to helping others uncover their talents, sharing from the lessons she has learned and the mistakes she has made, and speaking up for those who may be afraid (or unable) to speak for themselves. Personal data Born Jan. 3, 1972, in Taipei, Taiwan Education B.S. in microbiology from Cornell University; a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Buffalo at Roswell Park Cancer Institute Hobbies Improvisation comedy classes, writing, blogging, and volunteering at the City of Hope’s Annual Pediatric Cancer Picnic dressed as Jawa (Star Wars character) Kevin McMurtry When asked to identify one of the toughest tasks he faces, Kevin McMurtry jokingly responds “shucking oysters.” And anyone who has attempted to crack open these pearl-bearing bivalve mollusks would probably agree. In actuality, the pearl for Mr. McMurtry has been the creation and evolution of Advanced Health Media, a thriving full-service, marketing services company specializing in speaker program and compliance management services for the life-sciences and pharmaceutical industries. A creative and thought-provoking leader, Mr. McMurtry dares the industry to think outside itself. And he does this through the company he founded and manages. In the seven years since its inception and under Mr. McMurtry’s leadership, AHM’s employees have increased in number to almost 300 and the company has been able to maintain solid growth, which is a testament to his management and people skills. The company, which was founded in March 1999, supplies its clients with custom software and infrastructure along with traditional logistical services to provide the management solutions that are necessary in today’s highly regulated marketing environment. Leading by example, Mr. McMurtry always puts people first — customers, patients, employees, and the community — and recognizes that the professional speaker bureaus platform could be a critical communications channel for the pharmaceutical industry. His speaker management firm helps ensure compliance as well as top-notch meetings and other customer-service events. Despite AHM’s success, Mr. McMurtry maintains that the biggest challenge that the industry faces is convincing pharmaceutical companies to outsource noncore activities and assets. He believes that because the industry has always been specialized and regulated, it tends to “build and own,” but by doing this companies sometimes miss out on opportunities to acquire the skills and depth of experience — in essence the pearls — that specialized providers can provide. Kevin McMurtry, Founding Partner and CEO of Advanced Health Media, has built a thriving marketing-services company from the ground up. Personal data Born Sept. 3, 1965, in Cincinnati Education B.S. in philosophy from Colgate University and an MBA from the Stern School of Business, NYU First job Sales rep for Procter & Gamble Family Wife, Deirdre, and three daughters, Fiona (8), Avery (6), and Gillian (4) Career highlight Founding Advanced Health Media On his reading list The Only Sustainable Competitive Advantage by John Hagel and John Brown; South by Ernest Shackleton; Citizen Soldiers by Stephen Ambrose; The Hungry Ocean by Linda Greenlaw It’s Not Shucking Oysters Dr. Stephen Raymond Diary of a Clinical Research Innovator A founding father of the growing electronic patient reported outcome (ePRO) industry, Stephen Raymond, Ph.D., is tireless in his efforts to improve clinical research. The inspiration to find better ways to collect self-reported data from clinical-trial subjects was triggered while Dr. Raymond was working on pain trials at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Frustrated by the poor information that paper diaries offered, he used technology to invent a new way to collect data directly from the subjects in clinical trials, and he received several patents for his work. With a wholehearted belief in the mission of furthering the ability of scientific researchers to understand how subjects really feel during a clinical trial, Dr. Raymond founded PHT Corp. in 1994, and today the company has more than 115 employees worldwide. He remains actively involved in nearly every aspect of the business — from serving as liaison for academic medicine, to working with regulatory authorities, to leading the PHT innovation team in developing new technologies. Dr. Raymond offers his time, knowledge, and expertise to numerous people and organizations, including study sponsors, conference organizers, industry groups such as CDISC, academic groups, external auditors, analysts and reporters, PHT partners, and internal employees. He speaks and delivers presentations at seminars, contributes chapters to scientific publications, and takes time to discuss the future of the industry with other industry leaders. Despite his busy schedule, Dr. Raymond always takes the time to chat with PHT employees about science, their families, or their interests. And he is always willing to offer guidance to help his staff be the best they can be. A scientist in neurophysiology and anesthesia with academic and commercial experience in electrical engineering, Dr. Raymond brings a diverse and knowledgeable perspective to the industry. His invigorating and boundless passion for his mission, along with his tireless work ethic, inspires his staff, colleagues, and peers. Stephen Raymond, Ph.D., founder of PHT Corp., believes wholeheartedly in the mission of improving clinical research. personal data Born Oct. 13, 1943, in Pasadena, Calif. Education B.S. in physiology from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in biology/neurophysiology from MIT Toughest task Impressing upon ambitious people the importance of seemingly small or obvious things On His Reading List An American Physician in Turkey by Clarence Ussher and anything by Dr. Alan Guth or Bill Watterson Dr. Isaac Cohen Planting the Seeds of Success As leader of a company that develops plant-derived pharmaceuticals to advance women’s health, Isaac Cohen, OMD, president, CEO, and cofounder of Bionovo has seen his share of cocked eyebrows — from scientists and venture capitalists alike. But attitudes have changed since Dr. Cohen first approached scientists about plant-derived pharmaceuticals and traditional Chinese medicine in the mid-1990s. Today, Bionovo is focusing on developing pro-apoptotic agents for treating cancer and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMS) to treat severe menopausal symptoms. Additionally, Dr. Cohen is ensuring that the public is educated about menopause-related issues. He recently conducted a series of television interviews to talk about the symptoms and remedies, including Asian remedies and modern breakthrough treatments and issues surrounding hormone replacement therapy of menopause. He also has co-edited a book on the topic. Dr. Cohen has a busy life outside of work. He is a guest scientist at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and he has been involved with the UCSF Cancer Research Center and UCSF Center for Reproductive Endocrinology for the past 10 years. He is one of the founding members of the University of California, San Francisco Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center’s Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research Program. Dr. Cohen also is a co-investigator on numerous basic and clinical grants and has assembled teams of scientists from four different universities to work on his projects. Dr. Cohen has achieved much in his career to date, including developing a number of products for clinical testing that have been awarded an IND from the Food and Drug Administration, as well as a pipeline of more than 50 candidate drugs. Isaac Cohen, OMD, President, CEO, and Cofounder of Bionovo, balances the important work he does in women’s health with extensive academic involvement and a full family life. Personal Data Born Aug. 31, 1962, in Tel Aviv, Israel Education Doctor of Oriental Medicine First Job Picking melons in Israel On His Reading List Shira by Shmuel Yosef Agnon and Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations Toughest task Raising his two daughters M. Scott Salka A Biotech Bonanza A serial entrepreneur in the biotech industry, M. Scott Salka is living proof that biotech leaders are not born, but made by committed individuals who are able to turn problems into opportunities. Throughout his career, Mr. Salka has proved the value of hard work and perseverance. After dropping out of college and serving in the Army as a private, then ultimately a military advisor to the El Salvador and Honduras governments, Mr. Salka returned to college, earning a B.S. in finance and an MBA. Working his way up through the ranks, Mr. Salka served as CEO of Arcaris and 454 Corporation and cofounded Sequana (now a part of Celera Genomics), where he and his team pioneered efforts to commercialize the international Human Genome Project. Despite the project’s failure to provide immediate answers to life’s genetic problems, Mr. Salka recognized the potential in the information it did yield for developing more specifically targeted drugs. Teaming up with David Lockhart, Ph.D., Mr. Salka used the insights he had gained in the Human Genome Project to found Ambit Biosciences in 2000, developing a platform technology that enables the discovery and development of more targeted kinase inhibitors, one of the most important drug classes in the pharmaceutical industry. Under Mr. Salka’s guidance, Ambit and its 65 employees raised $56 million in six years and forged kinase screening partnerships with Roche, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer. With Mr. Salka at the helm, the company has advanced several product candidates into preclinical development and has earned a reputation as a leader in the kinase space. M. Scott Salka, CEO of Ambit Biosciences, has forged ahead with information from the Human Genome Project. Personal data Born Jan. 8, 1962, in Florida Education B.S. in finance from San Diego State University and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University Mike Luby Mike Luby’s first professional job was carrying a sales bag at Merck, for which he sold Vasotec, Prilosec, and Noroxin throughout New England. This position instilled in him an intense interest in the pharmaceutical industry and was the start of a productive and enjoyable 10-year career in sales and marketing with Merck. He left Merck at the end of 1999 to start TargetRx armed with the vision of helping pharmaceutical companies improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their sales and marketing programs. In the six years under Mr. Luby’s leadership, TargetRx was among the first marketing information companies to be able to predict salesforce performance and to quantify what drives physician prescribing. From this, pharmaceutical companies can gain a clear understanding of how to manage and improve their performance enabling them to make better-informed decisions about sales and marketing initiatives. Named Growth Company of the Year in 2005 by the Eastern Technology Council, TargetRx, under Mr. Luby’s steerage, now provides critical sales and marketing information to the majority of the top 30 pharmaceutical comp nies in the United States. The company has raised more than $50 million in capital and employs a team of more than 100 people. The company also has received notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on its lead patent, A Method and System for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Marketing Strategies, relating to TargetRx’s approach to collecting and analyzing data for its core product offerings. Apart from his work at TargetRx, Mr. Luby is an active member of his local community, participating in the Entrepreneur in Residence program at The Wharton School and serving as a guest lecturer at Saint Joseph’s University Pharmaceutical Marketing Program. Mr. Luby recognizes that it is impossible to will away generic erosion, to wave a magic wand over a pipeline to create new drug applications (NDAs), or to change public perception overnight, but the execution of sales and marketing functions can be managed every day. And because he believes that many sales and marketing industry practices are stuck in 1985, there is a huge opportunity to rethink several aspects of this model and, like virtually all other functions of the business, to make better use of management metrics to measure performance and make improvements. Mike Luby, Founder, President, CEO of TargetRx Inc., is a bold entrepreneur, an industry thought-leader, and an active member of the local community. On Target for Service Delivery Personal Data Born June 30, 1968, in Akron, Ohio Education B.A. in economics from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania First professional job Carrying a sales bag for Merck Biggest Industry Challenges Generic erosion, pipeline drought, improving sales and marketing effectiveness, and public-image problems Steven Michaelson With a computer and a bunch of ideas, Steven Michaelson decided to follow a dream. In 1998, Mr. Michaelson left an industry giant, Robert A. Becker Inc., to start his own advertising agency where he could deliver a product to truly be proud of, in a culture where people enjoyed coming to work. Today, thanks to Mr. Michaelson’s contagious passion, drive, and relentless commitment, Wishbone is a full-service agency with more than 50 employees. He pushes the agency to never settle for good, but to strive for greatness. And he does all this while ensuring he is loyal and committed to his employees, in good times and in bad. In mid-2005 despite a successful year, Wishbone suffered a setback when product life-cycle marketing decisions led to the company losing one-third of its revenue. But though times were hard, Mr. Michaelson would not lay off any employees, choosing to personally carry the agency for four months and rededicating his team’s efforts to win new business. The result: the agency won all three of its next new business pitches. Mr. Michaelson describes himself as a regular guy, a guy with a reading disability (dyslexia), who through hard work and the inspiration of good partners and key employees who share the dream was able to start up and run a successful advertising agency. With a belief in fostering a sense of family in the workplace, Mr. Michaelson buys lunch for his employees every day and brings in a shoe shiner once a week. And he takes this strong sense of community beyond the workplace, participating and leading countless fundraisers. Described by his peers as well-rounded and selfless, Mr. Michaelson continuously strives to ensure the grass is always greener at his agency. By sheer will and juggling talent, brains, a ridiculous work ethic, ambition, and drive, Steven Michaelson, Founder and CEO of Wishbone/ITP Inc., is living his dream. Living the Dream Personal data Born Feb. 22, 1956, in Newark, N.J. Education Bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Pratt Hobbies Running, tennis, and movies Family Wife Judy, who is also a Wishbone partner, and children Sophia (6), Robert (4 1/2) and Daniel (1) Tracy Doyle It’s a unique individual who is able to see the big picture and pay heed to the details, but Tracy Doyle manages both with aplomb and thus ensures the delivery of excellence to her clients’ products and programs. Getting personally involved at all levels of the company, Ms. Doyle ensures that Phoenix Group’s dealings with its clients are all executed flawlessly and that her customers’ expectations are not only met, but exceeded. Ms. Doyle’s commitment to quality is driven by her unfailing belief that educating physicians ultimately leads to improved patient health. Foreshadowing a need to clearly separate promotional and continuing medical-education activities, Ms. Doyle established Phoenix Group Holdings and its subsidiary companies three years ago as distinct and completely firewalled entities. A leader in creating and using cutting-edge technology and ideas, Ms. Doyle has recognized the importance of technology in meeting the educational needs of adult learners and has pioneered methods for delivering educational information to those most in need, including patients and their caregivers. Described as a rare breed who is an inspirational leader, Ms. Doyle shares both her time and knowledge liberally, both at work and in her private life. She is a strong humanitarian who supported a campaign across her companies to collect food, clothing, and housewares to be donated to victims of hurricane Katrina. This charity was supplemented by a generous cash donation from the company. Her success is driven in part by what colleagues describe as her “sixth business sense” and also by her integrity in serving those most in need of medical education. An innovative and strategic business leader in the medical- education communication industry, Ms. Doyle has been widely recognized for her business success. Tracy Doyle, President and CEO of Phoenix Group Holdings, has pioneered methods for delivering educational information to those most in need, including patients and their caregivers. Delivering Excellence Personal data Born Feb. 3, 1964, in Elizabeth, N.J. Education B.A. in psychology and counseling from Montclair State University First job Retail sales clerk at Macy’s Hobbies Antiquing, decorating, traveling On her reading list Good to Great by Jim Collins and The Serving Leader by Ken Blanchard Glen de Vries Connecting Science and Business A frequent presenter at renowned health technology conferences around the world, Glen de Vries’ dedication to advancements in the field of the life sciences is endless. Committed to both the business and life-sciences communities, Mr. de Vries has made it his lifelong mission to maintain a business that is fully based on providing ways to extend lives and improve quality of life. Cofounder and chief technology officer of Medidata Solutions, Mr. de Vries created an electronic data capture platform broad enough in scope and use to change the way science is executed in the business world. Recognizing clinical-trial inefficiencies at every level — from sponsor to investigator — Mr. de Vries created a product to address these needs and allow trials to be conducted more effectively, ultimately enabling quicker delivery of life-enhancing drugs. His development and refinement of the Rave electronic clinical-data management platform has been critical to Medidata’s growth and ability to support clinical trials in more than 70 countries, with specialties in more than 20 therapeutic areas. Even before Medidata, Mr. de Vries was making positive waves in the industry. His pioneering efforts in online physician/patient relationships drew the attention of the Office of Health and Human Services. As president of Web-development company OceanTek, Mr. de Vries was the chief consultant for a Fortune 500 global e-commerce project and was the author of Web security components currently in use by thousands of Websites and corporate intranets. In addition to his role at Medidata, Mr. de Vries contributes regularly to organizations supporting basic scientific research, including amFAR, the Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Institute, and local New York universities. He has presented at DIA meetings in the United States and Japan, the National Medical Association Annual Meeting, American Urological Association annual meetings, and Biophex, among others. And he has had peer-reviewed papers published in Cancer, the Journal of Urology, Molecular Diagnostics, Urology, and Urologic Clinics of North America. Glen de Vries, Chief Technology Officer and Cofounder of Medidata Solutions Worldwide, has made it his lifelong mission to maintain a business that is based on improving the quality of life of patients. Personal data Born June 29, 1972, in New York City Education B.S. in molecular biology and genetics from Carnegie Mellon First job Forklift operator Hobbies Running triathlons, studying Japanese, competitive driving On His reading list The Fermata by Nicholson Baker, Real Men do Yoga by John Capouya, The Mauritius Command by Patrick O’Brien Anthony Costello Pushing Boundaries Keeping technology fresh, innovative, and on the cutting edge is what gets Anthony Costello up each morning. He draws his innovation from the rapid advances being made in technology solutions to improve clinical research. And he says the life-sciences industry is just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to adoption. For more than 15 years, Mr. Costello has contributed his expertise to the pharmaceutical industry. While serving as Genentech’s manager of international clinical data for the approval of its breast cancer treatment Herceptin, he honed his vision for how clinical-trial data could be better collected and managed. A Nextrials founder, Mr. Costello was one of the guiding forces behind its flagship product, Prism, an electronic data capture solution. With a passion for advancing the medical field, Mr. Costello seeks to lead by example and believes in learning from those around him. There’s nothing more exciting, he believes, than being surrounded by smart, motivated, creative people who have the energy and talent to build something completely new to help speed products to market. Beyond Nextrials, Mr. Costello has worked to help develop and promote the new CDISC standard, serves as vice chairman on the board of trustees for the Society for Clinical Data Management, and is an active member of the Data Quality Research Institute, the Drug Information Association, and American Society for Quality. As might be expected from a technology innovator, Mr. Costello constantly strives to stay ahead of the curve. He says companies and regulators are being presented with an opportunity to hyperaccelerate their programs through the use of Internet technologies. Anthony Costello, Founder and VP of Product Development and Data Services at Nextrials Inc., says medical innovation combined with technology innovation will lead to better options and outcomes for patients, which is what makes this industry such an exciting place to be. Personal data Born Sept. 13, 1969, in Davis, Calif. Education B.A. in sociology from UC Berkeley Family Wife and two young children, ages 6 and 3 On his reading list Good to Great by Jim Collins Hobbies Fly fishing, triathlons, backpacking, Pokémon battles with his kids Career highlight Starting Nextrials Dr. Evan Demestihas Flying High In founding Science Oriented Solutions (SOS), the pharma industry’s first contract medical organization (CMO), Evan Demestihas, M.D., R.Ph., recognized a significant gap in the industry and took a bold step to fill it. During his years at pharmaceutical companies such as Sandoz, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Solvay, Dr. Demestihas realized that while medical departments should be an integral part of the commercial operations team, this was rarely the case. In 1997, he created SOS as an outsourced medical-affairs group, supporting all of the activities normally associated with a commercial-side medical group in the pharmaceutical industry. Today, SOS is regarded as one of the pre-eminent providers of outsourced medical science liaisons (MSLs). The company has initiated more than 50 MSL programs over the years; hired, trained, and deployed hundreds of MSLs; and supported many new product launches. SOS’s ambitious, partnering approach has proven to be a model that has pushed the limits of relationship marketing on an outsourced basis and continues to meet the ever-changing challenges within the industry. Dr. Demestihas is a high flier in other aspects of his life, too. In 2004, he became one of the few people to reach the edge of space when he traveled in a MiG to a height of 85,000 feet at almost 1,900 miles per hour. In addition to his commitment to his company, Dr. Demestihas is active in his community. He started a new Boy Scout troop and volunteered as scoutmaster for more than a decade. He has coached numerous elementary and high school sports teams and is a distinguished board member of the Mercer School of Pharmacy. In addition, he has developed a resident rotation program at SOS. It’s obvious that Evan Demestihas, M.D., R.Ph., Founder and President of Science Oriented Solutions, standing in front of a MiG fighter plane just after an Edge of Space flight, is not afraid to reach new heights, as he continues to inspire and motivate those within his company, the pharmaceutical industry, and his community. Personal data Born March 12, 1954, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Education B.S. in pharmacy from Schwartz College of Pharmacy, Long Island University and an M.D. from SUNY at Buffalo How he inspires others Encourages independent thinking and an entrepreneurial spirit, lives life to the fullest, and never forgets the importance of family Career highlight Successfully integrating his pharmacy, medical, and business background to create a long-standing and highly successful company Hobbies Gardening, photography, ballroom dancing, involvement with the Boy Scouts of America Jack Porter A visionary, a serial entrepreneur, a builder and innovator: these are just some of the terms that describe Jack Porter. As cofounder of DecisionView, Mr. Porter brought the concepts of using powerful math and visualization techniques to help radically change the status quo of clinical development by reducing delays, enhancing capacity and resource allocation, and identifying potential development risks. He is tireless and creative in his pursuit of optimizing the business and proficiency of clinical development. Mr. Porter is a seasoned leader, having been CEO of five software companies: KnowledgeTrack, FrontOffice Technologies, Paragon Software, TouchFax, and DynaComp, and he has proven expertise in establishing successful start-up technology companies. In addition to his role at DecisionView, where he is responsible for the company’s strategic direction, Mr. Porter finds the energy for many other activities. He is on the board of numerous pharmaceutical services companies, publishes books, articles, and white papers, is a prolific speaker, and a mentor to many. Peers describe Mr. Porter as possibly the most connected pharmaceutical executive in the industry. But Mr. Porter is equally inspired by those around him, saying he appreciates innovation and wisdom. With a goal of solving common industry problems, Mr. Porter collaborated with other leaders in the industry to create the Pharmaceutical Performance Institute. PPI is a consortium of pharmaceutical technology providers that are using tools to achieve radical improvements to the R&D process. Jack Porter, Founder of DecisionView Software, is tireless and creative in his pursuit of optimizing the business and proficiency of clinical development. Personal data Born March 22, 1961, in Sheridan, Wyo. On his reading list The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell; The Innovator’s Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book That Will Change the Way You Do Business by Clayton M. Christensen; The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil; Rules for Revolutionaries: The Capitalist Manifesto for Creating and Marketing New Products and Services by Guy Kawasai Biggest industry challenge Optimizing the performance of business processes Ami Assayag Bridging the Health-Diet Divide A recognized thought-leader on interactive relationship marketing for pharmaceutical companies, Ami Assayag founded a company that provides turnkey, private-labeled relationship marketing solutions to the pharmaceutical industry. Since founding Specialty Diets three years ago, Mr. Assayag, CEO, has pioneered technology that brings compliance applications to individuals with disorders such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. The original driver behind the company was, in part, a desire to help his two nephews, each born with phenylketonuria, a metabolic disorder. To that end, Mr. Assayag created a software program — a diet-management application — that helps patients manage the chronic disorder, increase the accuracy of the management process, and track their medical information. This software was, and six years later remains, the only desktop application for phenylketonuria. Because the cost for patients was prohibitive, Mr. Assayag devised a new approach to make the application available to greater numbers of individuals through third-party sponsorships. It is this revolutionary medical diet management software that is the core platform for Specialty Diets. For Mr. Assayag, one of the biggest challenges is overcoming the association of medical diets with weight loss. Mr. Assayag’s goal is to help pharmaceutical clients bridge the divide between traditional marketing approaches and new interactive strategies. Mr. Assayag believes that the future of e-health lies in providing a platform where consumers and healthcare providers can interact. Ami Assayag, CEO of Specialty Diets, has pioneered technology that brings compliance applications to individuals with disorders such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Personal data Born May 22, 1973, in Israel Education B.A. in business computer information systems from Midwestern State University and an M.S. in information systems from Penn State University Family Wife, Laura; Daughter, Kyla, 5 Hobbies Football, basketball, Sudoko, relaxing with family Biggest Industry Challenge Overcoming the association of medical diets with weight loss

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