The IGB undergoes regular, external review from leaders in academia, industry, and government to assess all aspects of the institute. The External Advisory Board that has previously been in place has been divided into two separate boards, to better evaluate and advise on the scientific and business facets of the IGB. The Science Advisory Board reviews the research portfolio, while the Leadership Council advises on IGB’s other endeavors.
Composed of prominent individuals with expertise in the business world, the Leadership Council will review and guide our efforts to encourage business development, commercialization, and philanthropy, in support of the IGB’s community engagement goals. With annual meetings including biennial gatherings on site at the institute, the IGB is grateful to the members of the council for devoting their time and expertise towards the betterment of our efforts in these areas.
The Leadership Council consists of the following members:
Richard Foster
Managing Partner, Millbrook Management Group LLC
Richard Foster is a director of, and investor in, digital healthcare, cyber security and food security companies, currently the Managing Partner of the Millbrook Management Group LLC. He is an Emeritus Director of McKinsey & Co., where he was a founder and leader of McKinsey’s Healthcare, Technology and Private Equity Practices. He is also Venture Partner at Lux Capital and Board Member of Memorial Sloan Kettering, the W. M. Keck Foundation and a member of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine Presidents’ Circle. His research interests are in long-term relationships between innovation, regulation and capital formation. Foster is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Peter Fox
Founder and Chairman, Fox Development Corporation
Peter Fox founded Fox Development Corporation, a real estate development firm in Champaign. He serves as the Developer and Manager of Research Park at the University of Illinois, which is home to more than 90 companies. Previously, he served as the Senior Managing Director of Bear, Stearns & Companies, Inc., a global investment banking, securities trading and brokerage firm.
Robert Fraley
Former Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Monsanto
Robert Fraley oversaw Monsanto’s integrated crop and seed agribusiness technology and research as the Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. He began his career as a Senior Research Specialist in Monsanto’s Biological Sciences Program, later becoming President of Monsanto's former Ceregen business unit and Co-president of Monsanto’s Agricultural Sector. Fraley is an alumnus of the University of Illinois (PhD Microbiology, Biochemistry, 1978) and is a recipient of the World Food Prize.
Larry Gold
Professor, University of Colorado Boulder
Larry Gold is a Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is also the Founder, Chairman and CEO of SomaLogic, a protein biomarker discovery and clinical diagnostics company. In addition, he founded NeXagen, Inc., which became NeXstar Pharmaceuticals and later merged with Gilead Sciences, Inc., a research-based biopharmaceutical company. Gold is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
Catherine Kleinmuntz
Principal, Kleinmuntz Associates
Catherine Kleinmuntz is Principal at Kleinmuntz Associates, an analytics consultancy and investment firm, and is co-Executive Director of the Kleinmuntz Family Foundation, where she focuses on philanthropic endeavors. She has more than three decades of experience working in the healthcare business sector, with a primary focus on using information technology to improve financial processes in healthcare provider organizations. Kleinmuntz and her husband, Don Kleinmuntz, were cofounders of Strata Decision Technology, a leading provider of financial analytics software solutions for the healthcare industry; Kleinmuntz served as President and CEO until the company’s sale in 2011.
Don Kleinmuntz
Principal, Kleinmuntz Associates
Don Kleinmuntz is Principal at Kleinmuntz Associates, an analytics consultancy and investment firm, co-Executive Director of the Kleinmuntz Family Foundation, a philanthropic foundation, and Adjunct Professor of Information Technology, Analytics, and Operations at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business. An expert on decision analysis and business analytics, he has made significant contributions in both academia and industry. Kleinmuntz and his wife, Catherine Kleinmuntz, were cofounders of Strata Decision Technology, a leading provider of financial analytics software solutions for the healthcare industry, and he held a variety of executive positions in the company including CFO, CIO, and interim CEO.
John Landgraf
Former Executive Vice President, Abbott Nutrition
John Landgraf is the former Executive Vice President of Abbott Nutrition, where he oversaw two divisions and 16,000 employees during his 38-year career. He established an endowed fund to support students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Northern Illinois University in activities ranging from undergraduate research, study abroad, service learning, internships, and teaching or clinical experiences. Landgraf serves on the boards for the Northeast Illinois Council — Boy Scouts of America, the Mailisita Foundation and Education Center, and Crealta Pharmaceuticals LLC.
Nancy Sullivan
CEO and Managing Director, Illinois Ventures
Nancy Sullivan has more than 15 years of experience in the commercialization and entrepreneurial sector. In her role at Illinois Ventures, she promotes the development and commercialization of emerging technologies based on University of Illinois research. Sullivan serves on the boards of two Chicago based startups, Personify and Diagnostic Photonics.
Steven Thayer
Partner, Handler Thayer, LLP
Mr. Thayer is a founding partner of Handler Thayer, LLP. He currently serves as the Chairman of the firm’s Commercial Practice Group, which includes the firm’s Business & Corporate Practice, Real Estate Practice, and Sports & Entertainment Law Practice. Mr. Thayer has a diverse background and has represented individuals, businesses, and family offices in a variety of legal matters. Thayer is an alumnus of the University of Illinois (BA Economics, 1988), was awarded the 2018 Chicago Illini of the Year Award, and holds a membership in the University of Illinois Foundation’s President’s Council. He is a member of the American, Illinois State, Iowa State, and Chicago Bar Associations.
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