The Board of Directors of the Institute for Industrial and Applied Life Sciences has named Ronan Molloy as the institute’s new president. Molloy began his duties Aug. 5. The IIALS is a public-private partnership to enhance life sciences training in the Midwest. It manages the Christopher S. “Kit” Bond Science and Technology Incubator on behalf of its owner, Missouri Western State University.
“I am grateful to the IIALS Board of Directors for giving me this opportunity,” said Molloy. “I’m excited to aggressively go into the marketplace and look for new start-ups to bring the incubator to the next stage of development.”
Molloy comes to IIALS from Zoetis/Pfizer Animal Health in Kansas City, where he was group director for global diagnostic marketing. Previously, he was vice president of sales and marketing at Synbiotics Corporation in Kansas City, chief operating officer of Phylogenetix Laboratories in Overland Park, Kan., and held several marketing positions at Primus Corporation in Kansas City, including vice president of international sales and marketing. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Kansas, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.
“Ronan’s experience in global marketing and sales, in the life sciences industry, and in negotiating complex business transactions will serve IIALS well as we seek to help life sciences grow in the region,” said Kevin Speltz, president of Clipper Distributing in St. Joseph and chairman of the IIALS Board of Directors.
The goal of the Bond Incubator operated by IIALS is to provide facilities and assistance for start-up companies, with a focus on animal health businesses. The incubator houses laboratories, conference rooms and tenant spaces while providing access to Missouri Western faculty, students and staff.
“I’m pleased the IIALS was able to find someone with Ronan’s depth of experience, and I look forward to working with him to solidify and expand the incubator’s role in the region’s economy,” said Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president.
In addition to IIALS, the Bond Incubator currently houses five tenants: Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, DT Search & Designs, New Functional Polymers, Sopharmia and the United States Animal Health Association. The incubator also provides services to 17 “virtual clients” – businesses that aren’t physically located in the incubator but utilize IIALS services, including patent assistance, laboratory analysis, business plan development and others.
IIALS will also participate in operating the BioTechnology Mobile Laboratory, or BioBus, that visits schools, fairs and science events to give students the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities using an array of scientific equipment not available in most schools.
About IIALS: The Institute for Industrial and Applied Life Sciences, a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation, is a joint public/private cooperative effort to enhance life sciences training in the Midwest region. The IIALS mission is focused on workforce development, economic development, and improving the knowledge, understanding and training in the field of life sciences. The IIALS is a Missouri Innovation Center.
About Missouri Western: Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.