BioUtah Recruits Kelly Slone as Next President and CEO to Elevate Utah's Life Sciences Ecosystem

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The BioUtah Board of Directors today announced that it has selected Kelly Slone as the new President and CEO to lead BioUtah as it expands its vision, programming and leadership of the life science community in Utah.

"During our recruitment process, the search committee explored a broad spectrum of candidates from Utah and across the country. Through that process we uncovered a wealth of talent, but when push came to shove, Kelly Slone stood out from the rest as our candidate of choice," said Gary Crocker, Chairman of the BioUtah Search and Selection Committee. "A native of Utah, Kelly not only has the policy expertise, but she knows what it takes to run an effective advocacy organization that delivers real value to its members. In Kelly, we have recruited the pinnacle of talent and pedigree—a real star that will drive BioUtah and the Utah life sciences community to the next level."

Slone brings a myriad of talents and experience to BioUtah as a savvy advocacy professional specializing in public policy, lobbying and political strategy. Slone understands the unique challenges of the regulatory and reimbursement atmosphere for life science companies both large and small, and has proven community engagement and strategic involvement highlighted by an influential nationwide network.

"I am thrilled to see Kelly Slone join BioUtah as President/CEO. Kelly's background and professional experiences have uniquely qualified her for managing and leading an organization such as BioUtah," said Rich Linder, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BioUtah. "Without question, Kelly was a standout candidate who has the fundamental skill and leadership capability that will be required as we grow BioUtah into a leading life science trade association. Utah is one the best places in the world to start a business, and the innovation in life sciences coming from Utah's serial entrepreneurs and the world-class research coming from Utah's universities clearly differentiates Utah from other states. Truly, Utah stands at the crossroads of innovation, hard work and entrepreneurial spirit."

Most recently, Slone served as Vice President of Government Affairs with the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), the national trade association for the venture capital industry. In this role, Slone was responsible for raising the visibility NVCA's life sciences members to policymakers on the important role venture capital plays in the creation and development of innovative medical therapies and technologies. In addition, Slone was the point person and lead lobbyist on public policy issues impacting life sciences investors, including healthcare reform, intellectual property, coverage and payment, and regulatory changes at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"As sad as I am to see Kelly go, I'm excited for what's in store for her as she transitions back to Utah to assume this new leadership role at BioUtah," said Bobby Franklin, President & CEO of NVCA. "Kelly is an absolute all-star and the epitome of a team player. She was an integral part of NVCA's success and I have no doubt she'll take BioUtah and its members to new heights."

Prior to joining NVCA, Slone spent 11 years as Senior Director of Legislative and International Trade Affairs for Baxter Health Corporation. In this capacity she lobbied, developed and implemented strategies on a wide range of issues, including FDA reform, the development of FDA user fees, product liability and various corporate tax issues. She also managed the company's political action committee (PAC).

Slone got her start working on health care policy while working in government, first as a congressional staffer for Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) as his legislative staffer while serving as Chairman of the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, and then later as a political appointee at the Department of Health and Human Services.

"I'm incredibly humbled and honored to be selected for the position from such a talented pool of candidates. Returning home to Utah has always been a goal of mine and I'm fortunate to be making my return with such an exciting opportunity ahead of me," said Slone. "I'm eager to pull from my over 30 years of experience working at the highest rungs of government and advocacy to advance BioUtah's mission and work with state and federal government policymakers and important stakeholders to nurture and grow Utah's life sciences innovation ecosystem."

As a native of Utah, Slone is excited about the prospect of facilitating the continued development to propel Utah's life science ecosystem. She will officially be assuming her new position effective April 6, 2015.

About BioUtah

BioUtah is a 501(c)(6) life science industry association created to elevate the stature and influence of Utah's life science community on the local, national and global stage. Launched in 2012, the organization serves Utah's medical device, biotech/pharma, diagnostics and healthcare industries through networking, advocacy and education programs. BioUtah creates value for its members through impactful events, legislative initiatives and communications outreach. We foster collaboration within and between industry, government and education to provide growth opportunities through access to funding sources, talent acquisition/development and strategic collaboration.

For more information about BioUtah and its programs, or to become a member, visit www.bioutah.org. See us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Contacts
BioUtah
Richard Linder, Chairman
President/CEO, Co-Founder
CoNextions Medical
801-557-7588
[email protected]
or
George Hamilton, Vice-Chair
Vice President, Business Development
Intermountain Healthcare
801-946-4088
[email protected]