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Secrist Named CEO of Southern Research Institute
Birmingham, Alabama – September 2006 – John A. “Jack” Secrist III, Ph.D. has been named president and CEO of Southern Research Institute following a national search, said UAB President and Southern Research Board chair Dr. Carol Z. Garrison. His appointment is effective Sept. 18.
Secrist has 26 years’ experience at the Institute, reporting directly to the CEO since 1990 in various roles, including COO, executive vice president, scientific director of life sciences and, most recently, vice president of the Drug Discovery Division. While carrying out these administrative responsibilities, he has remained active in his scientific research.
“Jack is an outstanding administrator and scientist who has headed up one of Southern Research Institute’s most productive units in drug discovery,” Garrison said. “He is strongly committed to Southern Research and to Birmingham, and he has been very successful nurturing collaborative relationships with UAB. He has all the experience and skills to be a highly effective CEO, and the Board has great confidence in his ability to take Southern Research Institute forward.”
“It is a great honor for me to be chosen to lead the Institute,” Secrist said, “and I am excited about the opportunity, together with the Board, our senior leadership team and the dedicated staff at Southern Research, to shape the future of the organization in the coming years.”
Secrist led Southern Research’s drug discovery initiatives since 1990, from an exclusive focus on governmental support to its current mix of government and commercial projects—increasing divisional revenues from $6.95 million in 2000 to $12.85 million in 2005. He established the high-throughput screening laboratory at Southern Research Institute’s Frederick, Md. facility, then moved it to Birmingham to leverage greater synergies between the Birmingham staff and UAB faculty.
His research has focused mainly on the development of new anticancer, antiviral and antibacterial agents, largely through support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He is on the editorial advisory boards of several journals, is executive editor of Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids, and serves as a consultant or member of the scientific advisory boards of several companies. He recently completed terms as president of the International Society for Antiviral Research and the International Society for Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids. He has published over 140 papers and holds over 25 patents.
Secrist received his B.S. degree from the University of Michigan, his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and was a NIH postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University.
Tina S. Rogers, Ph.D. has served as interim president and CEO since June 30, when former CEO Robert C. Lonergan retired. She was not a candidate for the permanent post.
Southern Research Institute is an independent 501-(c)-3, not-for-profit center for scientific research, affiliated with UAB. Founded in 1941, Southern Research is known for innovative leadership in major scientific discoveries in drug discovery and development, aerospace and materials engineering, and environment and energy research. Public and private sector clients include the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Departments of Justice, Defense, Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and NASA, as well as major private companies in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, energy, manufacturing and more.
Secrist Named CEO of Southern Research Institute
Birmingham, Alabama – September 2006 – John A. “Jack” Secrist III, Ph.D. has been named president and CEO of Southern Research Institute following a national search, said UAB President and Southern Research Board chair Dr. Carol Z. Garrison. His appointment is effective Sept. 18.
Secrist has 26 years’ experience at the Institute, reporting directly to the CEO since 1990 in various roles, including COO, executive vice president, scientific director of life sciences and, most recently, vice president of the Drug Discovery Division. While carrying out these administrative responsibilities, he has remained active in his scientific research.
“Jack is an outstanding administrator and scientist who has headed up one of Southern Research Institute’s most productive units in drug discovery,” Garrison said. “He is strongly committed to Southern Research and to Birmingham, and he has been very successful nurturing collaborative relationships with UAB. He has all the experience and skills to be a highly effective CEO, and the Board has great confidence in his ability to take Southern Research Institute forward.”
“It is a great honor for me to be chosen to lead the Institute,” Secrist said, “and I am excited about the opportunity, together with the Board, our senior leadership team and the dedicated staff at Southern Research, to shape the future of the organization in the coming years.”
Secrist led Southern Research’s drug discovery initiatives since 1990, from an exclusive focus on governmental support to its current mix of government and commercial projects—increasing divisional revenues from $6.95 million in 2000 to $12.85 million in 2005. He established the high-throughput screening laboratory at Southern Research Institute’s Frederick, Md. facility, then moved it to Birmingham to leverage greater synergies between the Birmingham staff and UAB faculty.
His research has focused mainly on the development of new anticancer, antiviral and antibacterial agents, largely through support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He is on the editorial advisory boards of several journals, is executive editor of Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids, and serves as a consultant or member of the scientific advisory boards of several companies. He recently completed terms as president of the International Society for Antiviral Research and the International Society for Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids. He has published over 140 papers and holds over 25 patents.
Secrist received his B.S. degree from the University of Michigan, his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and was a NIH postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University.
Tina S. Rogers, Ph.D. has served as interim president and CEO since June 30, when former CEO Robert C. Lonergan retired. She was not a candidate for the permanent post.
Southern Research Institute is an independent 501-(c)-3, not-for-profit center for scientific research, affiliated with UAB. Founded in 1941, Southern Research is known for innovative leadership in major scientific discoveries in drug discovery and development, aerospace and materials engineering, and environment and energy research. Public and private sector clients include the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Departments of Justice, Defense, Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and NASA, as well as major private companies in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, energy, manufacturing and more.
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