Agenda
7:15 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Registration
7:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. Networking and Breakfast
8:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Panel Discussion
Leadership Panel Bios
Vin Milano
Mr. Milano joined Idera as Chief Executive Officer in December 2014. Mr. Milano most recently served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of ViroPharma, which was acquired by Shire Pharmaceuticals in January 2014. Under his stewardship, ViroPharma became a leading developer of innovative therapies for rare diseases, with the approval and commercialization of its lead product, Cinryze, for the treatment of hereditary angioedema in the United States and Europe. Mr. Milano joined ViroPharma in 1996 and served as Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from 1997 to 2006 prior to becoming Chief Executive Officer. He was instrumental in building the company, including leading efforts in raising nearly $900 million in capital, as well as acquisitions of Lev Pharmaceuticals and the drug Vancocin from Eli Lilly. In addition, he played critical roles in business development and investor relations activities for ViroPharma, as well as contributed significantly to establishing the strategic focus of the company. Prior to joining ViroPharma, he served as a senior manager at KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm.
Mr. Milano currently serves on the Board of Directors of Spark Therapeutics, Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Pennsylvania Bio and VenatoRx. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Rider College.
Joe Milano
Joe Milano is an accomplished thought leader, actuary, strategist, and recognized as one of the insurance industry’s top insurance consultants (2015 Risk & Insurance magazine). His powerful leadership experiences make him sought after for collective bargaining negotiations, consulting projects, and providing business direction and advice to some of the largest businesses in our region.
At a time of shifting business priorities, Joe provides solid direction and the strategic business guidance and solutions needed by corporations. He achieves this by becoming a trusted business partner. With a combination of core experiences, Joe forges those partnerships using the rare combination of analytics and forward strategic thinking that he fostered as an actuary and later as a senior HR executive with a large, multinational Fortune 300 company.
Joe’s experiences range from consulting for large, complex, self-funded clients across a breadth of industries, to adapting customized insurance and business solutions to meet the needs of large employers. Every recommendation is delivered with objectivity respectful of the unique culture of each organization and then he shepherds the right specialized talent based on the assessed needs of every customer. Joe has the ability to speak in plain English but also use his analytical skills to help clients move from good to great and give them the ability to become best in class.
Joe earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Drexel University. Licensed as an Enrolled Actuary and Health & Life Insurance Producer in all 50 states. 2015 Named “Power Broker” by Risk & Insurance magazine; March 2015 Featured interview in Philadelphia Business Journal
Neal Walker
Dr. Neal Walker is President and Chief Executive Officer at Aclaris Therapeutics. He is also a co-founding partner of Nexeption, LLC, a biopharmaceutical management company. He is a board certified dermatologist and serial entrepreneur with over 18 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Prior to founding Aclaris, he was co-founder, President and CEO of Vicept Therapeutics (acquired by Allergan). Dr. Walker began his pharmaceutical industry career at Johnson and Johnson and has co-founded and led a number of life science companies: Octagon Research Solutions, a software and services provider to biopharmaceutical companies (acquired by Accenture); Trigenesis Therapeutics, a specialty dermatology company where he served as Chief Medical Officer (acquired by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories); Cutix Inc., a commercial dermatology company that markets PreSun®, a sunscreen brand acquired from Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Dr. Walker co-founded and is Vice Chairman of Alexar Therapeutics, Inc. and serves on the Board of Directors of Sebacia, Inc. He also co-founded and serves on the Board of Directors of the Dermatology Summit, an Advancing Innovation in Dermatology Conference. He previously served on the Board of Directors for Octagon and the Advisory Board of Flexible Medical Systems. Dr. Walker received his MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Jim Walker
Over the course of his 23 year career, Jim Walker spent 13 years serving as CEO and Chairman of a venture-backed company. He was the founder, CEO and Chairman of Octagon Research Solutions, Inc. (Octagon), a global pharmaceutical services and software company that was acquired by Accenture (NYSE:ACN) in September, 2012.
Dr. Walker is a graduate of Villanova University earning a B.S. in Science Comprehensive. He also earned an M.S. in Environmental Science from Rutgers University and an M.B.A. from Duke University and a Doctorate from University of Pennsylvania- The Wharton School. His dissertation was an exploratory study on adaptability in the workplace.
