The Mentors In addition to their day-to-day responsibilities, these corporate leaders carve out substantial amounts of time to mentor and develop the next generation of industry leaders. Mario Nacinovich Jr. A 360-Degree Visionary With an all-around perspective that balances the needs of his staff and those of his clients, Mario R. Nacinovich Jr. has earned the respect and admiration of both. His drive, determination, and dedication to improving himself and those around him have been the cornerstones of the company’s growth since he joined Fission Communications as its second executive. Today, Fission is a 50-person medical-education company. Learning from mentors and people he has admired, such as his family, Fission colleague and CEO Michael Platt, and baseball great Joe Torre, Mr. Nacinovich has a hands-on approach to management. As senior VP, he is entitled to his own office but instead occupies a space with two other team members, which allows him to share in the blood, sweat, and tears associated with producing the best work possible. Refusing to be simply a “boss,” he motivates his staff by providing them continuous support and opportunities to challenge themselves and attain whatever goals they deem important in their careers and lives. In his previous positions at Merck and Ventiv, Mr. Nacinovich learned that those who are the most successful and satisfied personally and professionally devote the necessary time to develop the people around them.This attitude has led his colleagues and associates to attribute their personal and professional growth to their relationship with him. His knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry is a wellspring of insight to the needs, demands, expectations, and forecasts for his clients. Mr. Nacinovich, who at 33 years old is responsible for leading several departments, including business development, strategic planning, creative and production, as well as editorial and medical writing, attributes his expertise and accomplishments to a relentless and unquenchable thirst for learning. His teams are managed by an inimitable group of hand-picked individuals who, like Mr. Nacinovich, go beyond delivering what their job descriptions state, are team players, and embrace an entrepreneurial spirit. Mario R. Nacinovich Jr., Senior VP of Fission Communications, is driven, determined, and dedicated to continuously improve himself and those around him. August 2005 PharmaVOICE PharmaVOICE 100 Clifford Kalb A Future Orientation With more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including positions in strategic business analysis, sales, marketing research, health economics, public-policy management, marketing management, licensing, business intelligence, and business development, Clifford Kalb has been instrumental in helping to guide the careers of many. His philosophy is simple: “I trust you, I hired you, I trained you, now go and show me what you can do.” This management style has proven to be quite successful because people feel as though they have the freedom to succeed. Of all of his accomplishments, Mr. Kalb is most proud of having hired and helped develop the careers of more than 450 people. For him, that is more important than any personal contribution he could make to a single corporation because these people are making a contribution far greater than anything he could do alone. Despite his modesty, as VP of life sciences at Wood Mackenzie Inc., Mr. Kalb is making a contribution to the company. He is integral in identifying and developing new markets and product ideas for the company’s research and consulting services division, which provides insight into critical business issues and enables pharma and biotech companies to better focus on and prepare for the future. And the future is all about vision and instilling confidence in others to make decisions today that can fund the research of medicines tomorrow. Throughout his 30-year career, Clifford Kalb has liked to coach and teach by doing. Currently as VP of Life Sciences at Wood Mackenzie Inc., he continues to develop and shape the career development of the industry’s up-and-coming leaders. Donna Berk A Motivational Multitasker With responsibility for more than 105 employees, delivery of $27 million in clinical-research services, maintaining a project management department, while serving as a key member of the corporate and business development teams, Donna Berk, senior director of clinical operations at Target Research Associates Inc., wears many different hats. Despite the multiple tasks and responsibilities she deals with on a daily basis, her positive attitude motivates her colleagues and associates. A fan of the Tour de France, Ms. Berk draws her inspiration from Lance Armstrong’s positive attitude and fortitude. She describes her leadership style as fair and energetic, and, although she takes her responsibilities seriously, she always makes time to have a little fun. She deals with the challenges of rapid growth at a small company by creating opportunities and career pathways for her employees and promoting from within when possible. By building an infrastructure to support her company’s growth and providing opportunities for career development, Ms. Berk has been able to consistently retain talented people — quite an achievement in a sector of the industry where high turnover is the norm. By developing long-lasting relationships with clients and ensuring there is senior management involvement during the trial process, she has also successfully built and retained a top-notch sponsor roster of business. Highly respected and admired by all employees for her mentoring and coaching skills, Donna Berk, M.S., Senior Director of Clinical Operations at Target Research Associates Inc., is considered a valuable asset and a contributor to the growth of the company. Jon Wallace Guiding Newcomers to Success In life there are individuals who bound to the top of their fields, there are those who just get along, and then there are the select few who make it their mission to help those around them excel. Jon Wallace is one of those rare individuals who has made his mark both professionally and as a mentor. New recruits to CV Therapeutics Inc. have benefited immensely from his mentorship and willingness to help others find their feet. His generosity has benefited not only those whom he has taken under his wing, but the company at large. Mr. Wallace has been an important player at CV Therapeutics, helping the company to maintain high standards in product development. Aware that worst-case scenarios can and do occur, he understands the importance of having in place recall strategies as part of a product launch. He is also happy to share his knowledge and insights with the industry at large, presenting at conferences and industry events. As he retires from CV Therapeutics, he leaves behind a wealth of knowledge and individuals who have succeeded and thrived thanks to his guidance. Though recently retired from CV Therapeutics Inc., Jon Wallace, formerly VP of Quality, leaves an important legacy of helping people to find their place in the company. Dr. Machelle Manuel Positive Impact With an unwavering dedication, exceptional leadership skills, and extraordinary vision, S. Machelle Manuel, Ph.D., has had a very positive impact on Sankyo Pharma Inc. since joining the company in 1999. Dr. Manuel, director of medical and scientific affairs, has been a consistent source of inspiration to those around her as she has built a strong, balanced team of medical science liaisons. She also is credited with leading the company’s Women’s Forum, which creates programs that provide educational and networking opportunities for all women at Sankyo. Her most recent program, offered to both men and women, was a seminar focused on the value of mentoring. The Women’s Forum, which she has led for two years as part of Sankyo’s Workplace Excellence initiative, provides feedback to the company’s executive management on issues of particular interest to women. Dr. Manuel describes her leadership style as people-focused; her goal is to help each member of her team find his or her own passion and identify where skills can best be put to use. She provides her team members with the experiences and opportunities that allow them to realize their individual potential, which at times may mean seeing a team member move to a different department within the organization. While other leaders sometimes hesitate to encourage staff members to pursue opportunities outside their departments, Dr. Manuel’s philosophy is that she and Sankyo are stronger for supporting employees’ professional development in this way. Her strong science background — she has a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences and was a professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy — has helped her in her current role, but the transition from academia to industry challenged her to acquire a whole new set of skills needed for a pharmaceutical industry focus. In addition to learning about specific business processes and focusing on customer needs, as a scientist Dr. Manuel integrated her own values of integrity and scientific ethics into the position. Ultimately, she has found balancing the two worlds to be a rewarding learning experience. Dr. Manuel successfully manages a staff of 18 scientists working throughout the country by creating a virtual community for those individuals as well as by providing a variety of avenues for her team to interact with each other in person when possible. S. Machelle Manuel, Ph.D., Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs at Sankyo Pharma Inc., leads a companywide initiative dedicated to the advancement of women. Dr. Robin Winter-Sperry Bridging the Gaps With a reputation for building bridges between business and science, Robin L. Winter-Sperry, M.D., is enhancing the leadership of medical marketing by managing across boundaries. Whether working with a large pharma company, running her business, or volunteering, she is driven to help people. As the founder and president of Scientific Advantage LLC, Dr. Winter-Sperry helps pharmaceutical companies in bridging the gap between business and science by developing qualified medical liaisons who link pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical-device companies to the medical community. Dr. Winter-Sperry believes the role of the medical liaison is one of the most effective ways of introducing and building product awareness. And these individuals are invaluable in shortening the time to peak product optimization, providing real-world research and outreach, and developing key thought leaders. In addition to adding value for clients, Dr. Winter-Sperry believes in cultivating the potential of the individuals on the medical-liaison teams that she puts together by enhancing their own individual talents and developing appropriate career paths. Helping field-based medical professionals achieve new levels of dedication and professionalism, her company is setting the standards for the evolving field of medical liaisons. Dr. Winter-Sperry, who holds an assistant professorship in dermatology at Mt. Sinai in Manhattan as well as professional memberships in the American Academy of Dermatology and the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJWBO), is committed to taking action at the local level to help address complex health and social issues. Dr. Winter-Sperry serves on the board of the Metro Chapter of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association; she supports the Girl Scouts, and in 2004, she cochaired the annual fundraiser for the Women’s Health & Counseling Center (WHCC) of Somerville, N.J., an organization she continues to actively support. With a strong vision for the future of medicine, a desire to fulfill unmet medical needs, and a dedication to the next generation, Dr. Winter-Sperry encourages her employees to spend time volunteering in their communities as well. With a strong vision for the future of medicine, a desire to fulfill unmet medical needs, and a passion for fostering the growth of the next generation of health professionals, Robin L. Winter-Sperry, M.D., Founder and President of Scientific Advantage LLC, is helping field-based medical professionals achieve new levels of dedication and professionalism.

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