SCbio Names Thornton Kirby to 2023 Board of Directors
In an effort to revamp their leadership group structure, SCbio has created a new executive-led Fiduciary & Operations Board and named SCHA President and CEO Thornton Kirby as one of its officers.
This new structure comes five years after SCbio, an investor-driven economic development organization exclusively focused on building, advancing, and growing the life sciences industry, completed a formal relaunch. In that time, SCbio has more than tripled its membership, increased revenues nine-fold, and had life sciences recognized as South Carolina’s fastest-growing industry. It has documented an industry presence in 42 of the state’s 46 counties while providing an annual economic impact of nearly $26 billion.
“The life science industry and the hospital community are closely intertwined,” says Kirby. “I’m excited to join this Board and contribute to that partnership and the shared growth of our industries.”
Leading the new fiduciary and operational efforts of the SCbio Board of Directors are:
- David Stefanich, Founder & CEO of Rymedi, as Board Chair;
- Lou Kennedy, CEO & Owner of Nephron Pharmaceuticals as Past Chair;
- Christopher Hanson, Partner with Nelson Mullins, as Vice Chair;
- Dan Nodes, COO of Vikor Scientific as Treasurer; and
- Matthew Cannon, Dean for Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Carolinas, Secretary
Other officers named to the Board are Greg Marshall, COO/VP of Charles River Labs; Cynthia Young, Ph.D., Dean of Clemson University College of Science; Ashely Teasdel, Deputy Secretary, SC Dept. of Commerce; Herbert Drayton, Managing Partner of HI Mark Capital; and Scott Pancoast, CEO & Founder of Zylö Therapeutics. Mr. Chappell also serves on the Board.
The rapid growth of such national and global brands as Nephron Pharmaceuticals, Arthrex, GE Health, Thermo Fisher, Abbott, AVX and Charles River as just a few examples of the state’s rapid rise in the $25.7 billion life sciences industry, which currently spans more than 1,030 companies in 42 counties and employs over 87,700 well-paid associates directly or indirectly.
Governor Henry McMaster has identified life sciences as a top state economic development priority both domestically and globally to continue to grow and expand the industry in the Palmetto State.
For additional information on SCbio, visit www.SCbio.org.