“I want to welcome Dr. Jackson as the RTDC’s new Board Chairman. He brings a unique set of skills and experience to our mission of technology transfer, and we look forward to his contributions as we move the RTDC to the next level,” said RTDC CEO Robert A. Curtis, Pharm.D. “In addition, I want to acknowledge the contributions of our former Board Chairman, Bill Zammer, for his vision, efforts, and service, in partnership with the late Harlyn Halvorson, in founding the RTDC and guiding its early development. Mr. Zammer’s expertise and influence have been critical in driving the vision for Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts to become a flourishing technology-based region.”
"It's an exciting time, and I look forward to working with Bob Curtis and the RTDC board to help develop the rich and vibrant technology from the Cape’s world-class institutions in the life sciences, clean technologies, energy, and aquaculture for important existing and emerging industries,” said Dr. Jackson.
The RTDC has also appointed three new directors: Harry Wilcox, a Partner and Chief Financial Officer at Flagship Ventures; Donald Emery, a Cape Cod-based financier and entrepreneur; and Richard “Chip” Morse, Jr., an attorney, member of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL)’s Board of Overseers, and Member of the Corporation of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).
“The addition of Mr. Wilcox, Mr. Emery, and Mr. Morse to our board creates a critical mass of entrepreneurial talent and technology commercialization expertise as the RTDC sets out to establish a more supportive environment for mining and transferring technologies from the Cape’s research assets,” said Dr. Curtis. “The RTDC is now well positioned to help the Cape’s research institutions become powerful economic engines to advance the profile and influence of Cape Cod as a technological region.
“I would also like to recognize Gary Vacon and Dave Sampson, who have decided to step down from the board, and thank them for their support and assistance to RTDC during their board tenure,” added Dr. Curtis.
Harry Wilcox has more than 28 years of experience and expertise in financial management, fund management, and business strategy. In addition to his role at Flagship Ventures, he has served as Chief Financial Officer of two other venture capital firms—Highland Capital Partners, of which he was founding Chief Financial Officer and General Partner, and Charles River Ventures. More recently, he has led an active consulting practice, including service as interim CEO for two biotechnology startup companies.
Donald Emery, a co-founder and former General Partner of Clarence Ventures, was an initial investor in and Chief Financial Officer of Infinium Software. Sandwiched around a 10-year career as a Wall Street investment banker, Mr. Emery has focused most of his professional career as an entrepreneur with particular expertise in corporate finance and business strategy. His more than 30 years as an entrepreneur and private investor in early-stage companies began as a co-founder, major shareholder, and Chief Financial Officer of importer-retailer Pier One Imports (NYSE:PIR).
Richard “Chip” Morse co-founded and currently serves Of Counsel to Morse, Barnes-Brown & Pendleton, a business and technology law firm. In addition to his service on the MBL Board of Overseers and as Member of the Corporation of WHOI, he is a Director of the Coalition for Buzzards Bay and Chairman of the Board of the Quissett Harbor Preservation Trust. He also serves as a Director of Lexia Learning Systems, Inc., an educational software firm, and a Manager of Boyd Technologies, LLC, a specialty paper company.
Messrs. Wilcox, Emery, and Morse join Dr. Jackson along with Sallie Riggs (Vice Chair and Treasurer of the Board) of the Bourne Financial Development Corporation, David Augustinho of the Cape & Islands Workforce Investment Board, and William McKeon, who recently retired from WHOI, in constituting the new board.
ABOUT THE RTDC (www.regionaltechcorp.org) The Regional Technology Development Corporation (RTDC) of Cape Cod is a not-for-profit “virtual incubator” with the mission to facilitate technology transfer and technology commercialization from its affiliated institutions in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The RTDC’s primary technology focus areas include marine sciences, environmental sciences, life sciences, alternative energy, and aquaculture. The RTDC is funded in part by the John Adams Innovation Institute of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
CONTACT: Robert A. Curtis, Pharm.D. Chief Executive Officer (508) 540-2333 info@regionaltechcorp.org
Mary Moynihan M2Friend Biocommunications 802) 951-9600 mary@m2friend.com
