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Gary A. Ascani, President
Gary A. Ascani, President of Vulcan Medical Ventures, Inc., has over 25 years of
experience in marketing, sales and general management in the biotechnology/medical
products industry. Born in 1946, Mr. Ascani attended parochial schools in New Orleans and
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA where he received both an undergraduate and
graduate degree in Microbiology.
After two years on active duty with the US Army as a 1st Lieutenant, Mr. Ascani
returned to New Orleans and worked for a year in an industrial lab as a chemist and
bacteriologist. In 1974, Mr. Ascani secured his first job in sales with Calbiochem, a
progressive and innovative medical products company in LaJolla, CA. Mr. Ascani was
responsible for sales of the company’s in vitro diagnostic products in six southern
states.
In 1975, Mr. Ascani was recruited by Hyland Labs, a Division of
Baxter–Travenol, and relocated to Memphis, TN. In his second year with the company,
Mr. Ascani was fourth out of 54 sales representatives in the country and won numerous
awards. By the end of the second year, Mr. Ascani had been promoted twice and in 1979 was
relocated to the home office in Chicago and appointed Product Manager for the
company’s $20 million Immunodiagnostics Product Line. While working full time, Mr.
Ascani attended the Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University where he was a
Dean’s List Student.
In 1981, Mr. Ascani left Hyland to join Monoclonal Antibodies, Inc., a start-up
biotechnology company located in the Silicon Valley. As Director and Vice President, Mr.
Ascani was credited with refocusing the company’s strategic business and developing
an evolutionary product design that still today is standard for many laboratory and
over-the-counter diagnostic products. Mr. Ascani’s responsibilities included
establishing the company’s sales department. This organization was comprised of an 18
person dedicated US field sales group and an international sales department in London,
England. Mr. Ascani was also responsible for developing and managing the marketing
department comprised of product managers, technical support personnel, marketing
communications, business development, distributor relations and customer service. In
addition, Mr. Ascani played a significant role in the company successfully raising two
rounds of public financing and achieving a valuation of $129 million within the first 6
years.
In 1989, Mr. Ascani joined a new venture capital backed company in Houston, TX.
As President and CEO of Molecular Analysis, Inc., Mr. Ascani, in addition to managing the
day-to-day operations, was successful in achieving significant milestones for the company.
These milestones included:
 | Relocating the company into an appropriate laboratory facility so the scientists
could continue to refine the technology, |
| Hiring additional operating personnel, |
| Preparing the company’s strategic and operating plans, |
| Demonstrating the company’s technology through product development, |
| Securing exclusive licensing rights to the technology developed by the scientific
founders while with the University of Texas, MD Anderson Hospital and |
| Raising $500,000 of follow-on financing from investors. |
In 1991, Mr. Ascani joined T Cell Diagnostics, Cambridge, MA, a biotechnology
company focused on the development and sales of a proprietary in vitro diagnostic product
for monitoring HIV infected persons. Mr. Ascani was instrumental in launching the product
into international markets and to the research community in the US.
In 1994, Mr. Ascani joined Diamedix, a Division of Ivax Corp. Miami, FL. Prior
to Mr. Ascani joining the company, Diamedix was sanctioned by the US Food and Drug
Administration for serious labeling and GMP violations and was on the verge of going out
of business. Mr. Ascani, along with a team of new managers, was successful in keeping
Diamedix products in the market while scientists and regulatory professionals revamped the
company’s manufacturing and development procedures. Mr. Ascani was successful in
re-launching the company’s newly revitalized laboratory products and automated
instrumentation.
In 1999, Mr. Ascani helped form Vulcan Medical Ventures, Inc., a small venture
capital firm in Birmingham, AL focused on seed stage venture financing. Mr. Ascani serves
as President.
Mr. Ascani is married and has two daughters.
Charles H. Stephens, Vice President
Charles H. Stephens, Vice President of Vulcan Medical Ventures, has many years
of solid business development experience. Mr. Stephens has founded and/or operated, either
personally or as a partner, many businesses in such diverse areas as building supplies,
commercial and residential property development, beach development, shopping center
development, and forestry.
Mr. Stephens is a native of Birmingham, Alabama, who attended Woodlawn High
School and received a Bachelor of Science degree from Samford University (at that time
Howard College).
He is an active member of Liberty Park Baptist Church, where he has served in
numerous leadership positions. Mr. Stephens also serves in leadership positions of several
charitable, civic, and non-profit organizations.
Mr. Stephens is married and has three married daughters and four grandsons.
John Lankford, Ph.D., Consultant
A native of Alabama, Dr. Lankford received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Auburn
University and Ph.D. from The University of Alabama at Birmingham in Molecular Biology.
Dr. Lankford has held positions as Chief Chemist, Laboratory Manager and
Technical Director of a clinical reference laboratory, an Assistant Professor of Pathology
at the University of South Alabama Medical Center and Vice President and Director of
Product Development, Manufacturing and Research and Development for two successful
biotechnology companies in the Silicon Valley of California.
Dr. Lankford has experience in a variety of scientific endeavors including
clinical chemistry, enzyme immunoassay, monoclonal antibody technology, and rapid
diagnostics.
In additional to his scientific background, Dr. Lankford has many business
accomplishments. During his 10 years in the biotechnology industry, Dr. Lankford raised
start-up financing from private investors and venture capitalists and was successful in
raising three rounds of public financing. More recently, Dr. Lankford has worked in an
administrative capacity responsible for the development function at both Auburn University
and The Univeristy of Alabama in Birmingham School of Medicine.
Dr. Lankford performs consulting services for Vulcan Medical Ventures and has
done so from VMV’s inception.
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