Decision Makers
Board of Directors
Mr. Koblish has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Orthovita since April 2002, after serving as Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations since June 2001. From January 1999 to June 2001, Mr. Koblish managed Orthovita’s Worldwide Marketing division. Prior to 1999, Mr. Koblish served as Director of Marketing and Product Development, Reconstructive Specialty Group of Howmedica, Inc., a subsidiary of Pfizer, Inc. Mr. Koblish serves on the board of Pennsylvania Bio, a trade association representing Pennsylvania’s biosciences community. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a Master of Science degree in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
President & CEO |
Current |
| Jeffrey Rovell & Associates, Inc. |
|
Current |
| Pennsylvania Bio |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Howmedica, Inc. |
Director of Marketing and Product Development |
Former |
| Pfizer Inc. |
Director of Marketing and Product Development |
Former |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute |
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering |
Former |
Mr. Pavucek has been Orthovita’s Chief Financial Officer since February 2007, after serving as Vice President, Finance and Controller since September 2006. Before joining Orthovita, Mr. Pavucek served as Vice President, Finance and Operations, of PDI, Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical commercialization partner, from 2002 to September 2006. Mr. Pavucek also served as Executive Director, Controller of PDI, Inc. from 2001 to 2002. He holds Bachelor and Master Degrees in Business Administration from Temple University, and is a Fellow Alumnus of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Chief Science Officer |
Current |
| The American Ceramic Society |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| 3M Company |
Senior Product Development Engineer |
Former |
| University of Missouri |
doctorate |
Former |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology |
Doctorate |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Chief Financial Officer |
Current |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
CFO |
Current |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Cephalon, Inc. |
Controller |
Former |
| Rutgers University |
Masters of Business Administration |
Former |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University |
Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting |
Former |
Dr. Persenaire has served as Orthovita’s Chief Medical Officer since April 1999. Prior to joining Orthovita, Dr. Persenaire was Vice President of Clinical Affairs at AcroMed Corporation, a DePuy-Johnson & Johnson company. Fluent in four languages, Dr. Persenaire received his medical degree from Groningen University in The Netherlands in 1982 and served his residencies in internal medicine and surgery at St. Geertruiden and Naval Hospitals in The Netherlands.
Mr. Smith has been Orthovita’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing since July 2007 after serving as Senior Vice President of U.S. Sales from March 2006 to June 2007 and Vice President, Sales from February 2004 to February 2006. From 1999 to 2004, he was a group director at Medtronic Neurologic Technologies, a division of Medtronic, Inc. From 1992 to 1999, Mr. Smith founded and was President of ThoroughMed Inc., a spine, neurosurgery and biomaterials distributor agency based in New York. ThoroughMed was acquired by Medtronic in 1999 and incorporated into Medtronic’s Neurologic Technologies sales division.
Mr. McIlhenny has been Orthovita’s Senior Vice President, Operations, since December 2002. From January 1996 to December 2002, Mr. McIlhenny served Orthovita in several capacities, namely Vice President of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, Vice President of Quality Systems and Operations Support, and Director of Manufacturing and Quality Control. From 1991 to 1995, Mr. McIlhenny was Director of Operations and Engineering at Surgical Laser Technologies, Inc., a company that developed, manufactured and marketed regulatory approved medical lasers and disposable fiber optic laser delivery systems. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Old Dominion University.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Senior Vice President, Operations |
Current |
| Surgical Laser Technologies, Inc. |
Director of Operations and Engineering |
Former |
| Old Dominion University |
Master of Business Administration Degree |
Former |
| The Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor of Science Degree In Civil Engineering |
Former |
| Drexel University |
Bachelor of Science Degree In Mechanical Engineering |
Former |
Mr. Low has served as Orthovita’s Senior Vice President, European Operations, since April 2006, after serving as Vice President, European Operations since May 2002. Mr. Low served as Director of European Operations from December 2001 to May 2002, and as Director of Marketing for Orthovita’s European operations from September 2001 to December 2001. Prior to joining the Company, he held senior marketing positions at both Howmedica and DePuy, a Johnson & Johnson company, where he was responsible for the International Knee Business Unit. He graduated in 1981 with a combined Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Marketing from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Senior Vice President, European Operations, Board of Directors |
Current |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Vice President, Prod Development |
Current |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Vice President, Operations, Europe |
Current |
| University of Strathclyde |
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Marketing |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Vice President, Technology |
Current |
| The Pennsylvania State University |
B.S. in Ceramic Science and Engineering |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Partner, Essex Woodlands Health Ventures |
Current |
| Essex Woodlands |
|
Current |
| Victory Pharma, Inc. |
Director |
Current |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Collaborations, Inc. |
Global Head |
Former |
| Century Capital Associates LLC. |
Director |
Former |
| Wesleyan University |
Bachelor of Arts Degree |
Former |
David F. Fitzgerald became a Director of the Company in April 2003 and President and Chief Executive Officer in February 2009. Mr. Fitzgerald spent twenty-five years in management positions at Pfizer, Inc., serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of its Howmedica division during his last fifteen years with the company, prior to retiring in 1996. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Orthovita, Inc and on the Board of Advisors of Sandvik MedTech, a contract manufacturer in the medical devices area. He served on the Board of Directors of LifeCell Corporation from 2001 until the company was acquired by Kinetic Concepts, Inc. in 2008. He holds a B.S. from American International College and M.B.A. from New York University.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| ArthroCare Corporation |
Interim Chief Executive Officer |
Current |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| ArthroCare Corporation |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Howmedica, Inc. |
Chief Executive Officer |
Former |
| Pfizer Inc. |
President and Chief Executive Officer |
Former |
| Howmedica, Inc. |
President |
Former |
| Pfizer Inc. |
Vice President |
Former |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Director, HR |
Former |
| Pfizer Inc. |
Compensation Committee Member |
Former |
| New York University |
M.B.A. |
Former |
| American International College |
B.S. |
Former |
Joseph is currently a venture partner and a fund manager of Trillium Lakefront Partners III, an expansion stage technology venture capital fund. Joseph formerly served as senior vice president and director of Corporate Strategy and Development for SmithKline Beecham, currently Glaxo SmithKline, a multi-billion dollar global research-based pharmaceutical company. In that role, he analyzed, planned and executed strategic transactions for the company, including acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures. During his tenure there, he completed several transactions totaling in excess of $2 billion, including the sale of SB Clinical Laboratories to Quest Diagnostics, Inc. and the sale of Diversified Pharmaceutical Systems to Express Scripts, Inc. Prior to his position with SmithKline Beecham, Joseph served as managing director of business development for Eastman Kodak Company, a global manufacturer and marketer of traditional and digital imaging products and services. In this position, he planned and managed more than 45 strategic transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and licensing transactions, totaling in excess of $10 billion. These transactions included the sale of Kodak's Clinical Diagnostics Division to Johnson & Johnson, a joint venture with Matsushita Electric, Inc. and the sale of Verbatim Corporation to Mitsubishi Kasai. Joseph has also served in senior management positions with companies manufacturing and marketing electronics and medical devices.
Mary E. Paetzold was Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of Ecogen, Inc., where she worked from 1994 to 2000. Prior thereto, Ms. Paetzold was an audit partner and SEC reviewing partner for KPMG LLP, in Short Hills, New Jersey, where she worked for 21 years. She also served as chairperson of the Advisory Council of the School of Business at Montclair State University, where she earned an undergraduate degree in mathematics. Ms. Paetzold is a certified public accountant.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Immunomedics, Inc. |
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, Treasurer |
Current |
| Immunomedics, Inc. |
Chairperson |
Current |
| Immunomedics, Inc. |
Director |
Current |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Eco-Gen, Ltd |
Chief Financial Officer |
Former |
| Eco-Gen, Ltd |
Vice President |
Former |
| KPMG International |
audit partner |
Former |
| The Advisory Council |
Chairperson |
Former |
| Eco-Gen, Ltd |
Member of the Board of Directors |
Former |
| Montclair State University |
Undergraduate Degree |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Innovative Spinal Technologies, Inc |
Chairman of the Board |
Current |
| AVANIR Pharmaceuticals |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Amex, Inc |
Director |
Current |
| Innovative Spinal Technologies, Inc |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| LifeCell Corporation |
Chief Executive Officer |
Former |
| Columbia University |
M.B.A. Degree, With An Emphasis In Marketing and |
Former |
| St. Michael's College |
B.S. Degree In Chemistry |
Former |
Mr. Touhey is President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc., which is a subsidiary of Miraca Holdings, Inc., a healthcare holding company based in Tokyo, Japan, principally engaged in laboratory testing services and in vitro diagnostic products. Prior to his appointment as President and Chief Operating Officer in 2003, Mr. Touhey served as Fujirebio Diagnostics’ Senior Vice President (1999-2003) and Vice President of Operations (1998-1999). Prior to joining Fujirebio Diagnostics, he served in various executive positions at Centocor, Inc., including Vice President of Centocor’s Diagnostics Division. Centocor, Inc. is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Mr. Touhey is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Medical Device Manufacturers Association (“MDMA”), a position he has held since 1996. From 2000 to 2003, Mr. Touhey served as Chairman of the Board of MDMA. Mr. Touhey holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Temple University and completed the Cornell University Executive Management Program.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Fujirebio, Inc. |
|
Former |
| Fujirebio Diagnostics Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Former |
| Johnson & Johnson |
|
Former |
| MDMA Inc. |
Chairman of the Board |
Former |
| Temple University |
BA In Political Science |
Former |
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Mdb Capital Group LLC |
Managing Director, Investment Banking |
Current |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Howmedica, Inc. |
Senior Vice President |
Former |
| Howmedica, Inc. |
Corporate Vice President |
Former |
| Howmedica, Inc. |
General Manager |
Former |
| The Palantir Group, Ltd |
Founder |
Former |
| Pfizer Inc. |
Managerial Positions |
Former |
| Gilford Securities Inc. |
co-head |
Former |
| Prism Venture Partners |
Healthcare Advisory Board Member |
Former |
| Columbia University |
MBA |
Former |
| Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania |
B.S. in Economics |
Former |
| Prism Venture Partners |
member |
Former |
Mr. Barry joined Essex from Novartis Pharma AG where he most recently served as the Global Head of Pharma M&A and Collaborations. In this role, he was responsible for global acquisitions, equity investments and corporate partnerships across all therapeutic areas. He joined Novartis in 2002 and held positions in the Business Development & Licensing and Mergers & Acquisitions groups. Prior to joining Novartis, Mr. Barry was a Director for Century Capital Associates LLC, a boutique healthcare investment bank and consulting firm. There he focused on mergers & acquisitions, strategic partnering and financing transactions. Previously, Mr. Barry held positions at KPMG LLP in their healthcare corporate finance group and assurance services group. Mr. Barry serves as a director on the boards of Orthovita, Inc. and Bledsoe, and as an observer for the board of ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University and a MBA from the Stern School of Business at NYU.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Essex Woodlands |
|
Current |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Collaborations, Inc. |
Global Head |
Former |
| Century Capital Associates LLC. |
Director |
Former |
| Wesleyan University |
Bachelor of Arts Degree |
Former |
Mr. Tidmore formerly was president and chairman of DePuy Acromed, and formerly was president of DePuy, acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 1999. Mr. Tidmore held various senior management positions during his tenure of over 14 years with Depuy, including responsibilities for international businesses with direct operational responsibilities in several countries across Europe, Latin America, Japan, and Canada. Prior to that Mr. Tidmore served at Ethicon, Inc., where he held several management responsibilities including Vice President of Sales and Marketing in Canada. Mr. Tidmore holds a Marketing degree from the University of Georgia.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Ethicon, Inc. |
|
Former |
| Confluent Surgical, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Former |
| The University of Georgia |
Degree |
Former |
Mr. Pegg joined MVP in 2001 and became a Vice President in 2006. Mr. Pegg has served on the boards of several MVP portfolio companies including Composite Technologies, MCMC, and Praxis. Prior to joining MVP, Mr. Pegg was an Analyst for J.P. Morgan Chase Private Bank in Philadelphia. While at J.P. Morgan Chase, Mr. Pegg designed and implemented regional marketing initiatives for brokering private equity offerings. He also developed asset allocation models to craft portfolios tailored to each client's risk and return profile, including models to analyze the suitability of various financial products such as derivatives, credit and estate planning. Mr. Pegg holds a B.A. degree from Yale University, where he was a member of the varsity football team.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Meridian Venture Partners |
Vice President |
Current |
| Meridian Venture Partners |
Partner |
Current |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| Meridian Venture Partners |
Senior Associate |
Former |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
|
Former |
| Composite Technologies, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Former |
| McMc |
Board of Directors |
Former |
| Praxis Corporation |
Board of Directors |
Former |
| Yale University |
B.A. Degree |
Former |
Mr. Penn is a Managing Member of the general partner, a Member of the investment committee, and a Managing Director of the management company of Penn Venture Partners L.P. Mr. Penn is also a Senior Partner of Meridian Capital Partners, a Radnor, PA based private equity firm. He has over 25 years? experience in starting, managing, and financing high growth companies in the Mid-Atlantic region and nationally. Before joining Meridian, he was a Partner at Boston Millennia Partners, a $700 million venture firm focusing on technology investing with an emphasis in life science and healthcare. From 1994 to 1998, Mr. Penn was President and CEO of Tektagen, Inc., a leading contract services firm serving the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, which was successfully sold to Charles River Laboratories, Inc. Prior to Tektagen, he was President of Independence Ventures, Inc., a firm that specialized in starting and building high-potential, technology-based companies. Earlier in his career he held several positions in industry and venture capital. Mr. Penn is the founder of the Entrepreneurs? Forum of Greater Philadelphia. He also served as President of the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Association and was Co-Chair of Pennsylvania?s Technology 21 Biotechnology Network among other community activities. Mr. Penn holds BS degrees from MIT in metallurgy and materials science and in industrial management, an MBA from Stanford, and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania.
| Organization |
Position |
Status |
| Penn Venture Partners |
Managing Director |
Current |
| Meridian Capital Partners, Inc. |
Senior Partner |
Current |
| Protedyne Corporation |
Partner |
Current |
| Smartsilver |
Board Member |
Current |
| Nanohorizons, Inc. |
Board Member |
Current |
| Deltagen, Inc. |
Board of Directors |
Current |
| Coffin Turbo Pump Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| Orthovita, Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| GCA Services Group, Inc. |
Investor |
Current |
| Protedyne Corporation |
Investor |
Current |
| Meridian Venture Partners |
Partner |
Current |
| Protedyne Corporation |
Partner, Meridian Venture Partners |
Former |
| Pennsylvania, Inc. |
Co-Chair |
Former |
| University of Pennsylvania |
JD |
Former |
| Stanford University |
MBA |
Former |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
B.S. degrees |
Former |
| University of Pennsylvania Law School |
|
Former |
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