FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Navigenics, a leading personal genomics testing company, announced today that Jonathan “Jack” T. Lord, MD, has been appointed by the Board of Directors to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the firm.
Dr. Lord brings to Navigenics a history and passion for combining robust medical science with technological innovation to improve consumers’ health and access to quality care. Dr. Lord comes to Navigenics from Louisville, Kentucky-based Humana, Inc., where as Chief Innovation Officer he was responsible for designing new products and services to enable people to navigate the healthcare system and support their health needs. Before Humana, Dr. Lord was president of Health Dialog in Boston, where he helped pioneer e-enabled health care. He has also served as chief operating officer of the American Hospital Association in Washington, D.C. Previously, Dr. Lord was executive vice president of Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, MD, and executive vice president of Sun Health in Charlotte, NC.
“I am excited about the prospects of leading a company that will transform healthcare. Navigenics’ leadership in science, its exceptionally committed and leading-edge investors, and strong management team make this the most exciting opportunity of my career,” said Dr. Lord. “Passion for advancing personalized medicine defines Navigenics. I am very honored to have the privilege to lead this company as we transform healthcare for the 21st century – an era of healthcare we hope will be marked by a focus on prediction and prevention.”
“When evaluating candidates for a new chief executive officer to take the helm at Navigenics, we gave high marks to Jack’s demonstrated commitment to our core values: innovating health care by using the latest scientific and technological advances to help physicians and individuals prevent disease,” said Dana G. Mead Jr., partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and member of Navigenics’ Board of Directors. “Jack has a unique, 360-degree understanding of the healthcare ecosystem and will no doubt help lead the entire genomics industry as genetic science, clinical adoption and public policy evolve.”
In addition to his operational leadership roles, Dr. Lord has solid board experience. He has served on the board of directors at TheraSense, a developer of personal clinical self-monitoring devices which was acquired by Abbott Laboratories during Dr. Lord’s tenure. Dr. Lord also serves on the board of Stericycle, a leader in healthcare infection control and compliance services, and Dexcom, a developer of glucose monitoring systems.
His expertise is sought at the national level, as demonstrated by Dr. Lord’s invitation by the Department of Health and Human Services to serve on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee to the Director in 2008. The committee advises CDC leadership on key strategic issues in order to assist the agency in fulfilling its vision of health protection and health equity. He was also appointed as an advisory board member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Chronic Disease and Malnutrition.
“As a physician-researcher and hands on health futurist, Jack has become a global leader in health care innovation, promotion and prevention,” said Mike McCallister, President and Chief Executive Officer of Humana. “For the past nine years, his work as head of Humana’s Innovation Center has powerfully transformed the company and the entire health benefits industry.”
“Jack is a visionary who as both a physician and healthcare executive has been a recognized leader in preventive medicine, consumer health and genetic science,” said Donna Shalala, president of the University of Miami and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Dr. Lord will assume his position on May 1, 2009.
ABOUT NAVIGENICS
Navigenics, Inc. is a privately held company based in Foster City, Calif. The company was founded by David Agus, M.D. and Dietrich Stephan, Ph.D., with the goal of improving health outcomes in individuals across the population. Navigenics educates and empowers individuals and their physicians with knowledge of their genetic predispositions, and then motivates them to act on the information to prevent the onset of disease, achieve earlier diagnosis, appropriately manage disease, or otherwise lessen its impact. Navigenics’ lead investors are Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, Sequoia Capital and MDV-Mohr Davidow Ventures. More information can be found at www.navigenics.com.
Contact:
Feinstein Kean Healthcare David Harvey, 415-677-2802 David.Harvey@fkhealth.com or Navigenics Brenna Sweeney, 650-585-7523 bsweeney@navigenics.com
