Last week, during the 2022 edition of Southeast Life Science’s flagship event and AdvanSE investor conference, Board Co-Chairs Lee Burnes and Scott McCarty formally introduced incoming CEO Sam Konduros. The organization initially announced Sam’s acceptance of the role, succeeding Executive Director Jason Rupp, earlier in May.
A few notes on vision, mission, the ecosystem and a challenge from Sam
In addition to thanking Lee, Scott and the talented Southeast Life Sciences Board of Directors for the inspiring opportunity to serve as CEO, I’d like to recognize the visionary, dedicated work Jason Rupp, along with former board chairs Tina McKeon and Machelle Shields accomplished to create a single, powerful entity through the marriage of SE BIO and the Southeast Medical Device Association in 2019.
This is legacy leadership of the highest caliber. Thank you for your dedication and extraordinary service to the ecosystem and its positive impact in innumerable ways.
My promise to that ecosystem is that we will passionately push the envelope, guided always by the vision and mission: to build a world-class ecosystem for life sciences in the southeast, and to cultivate, convene and connect that ecosystem.
As the nation’s fastest growing region, the Southeast is rich in innovators and a fertile business climate positioned to advance technologies, support the creation and growth of new firms, and aggressively support strategies to on-shore life sciences companies and address global supply chain vulnerabilities laid bare by the Covid-19 pandemic. We are building our lives, careers and businesses in a 8-state region gratefully loaded with natural resources, iconic universities, innovative companies, robust healthcare systems, dynamic cities, and hospitable people with incredible diversity to celebrate, leverage and grow.
The region also has a strong culture and history of public-private partnerships that understand the power of real collaboration and working together. While it’s a place that is certainly not perfect, it constantly pushes for continuous improvement – and the American dream remains alive and well here.
We will celebrate and amplify diversity, equity and inclusion as a hallmark of our strength and culture, continually striving to set an example of excellence for the nation.
Southeast Life Sciences has also developed and cultivated a powerful brand. I chose to accept this opportunity because my laser-focused objective is to take a strong and fresh brand, fueled by a powerful and worthy value proposition and mission, to make Southeast Life Sciences an irresistible movement… A movement that will help catalyze the advancement and transformation of our industry – and healthcare – which needs continued reinvention in this country through the solutions our ecosystem can uniquely provide. Our most novel ideas and promising companies will directly catalyze and contribute to the continued growth of our economy while enhancing the quality of life for all that call the region home.
My challenge to our partners, be they industry, government, academic institutions or affiliated life science organizations is this: If you are already engaged and supporting this movement, thank you! There are more opportunities to seize which will require more investment to unearth, foster and harvest. Bring your friends and colleagues to the party because we are stronger together. And if you’re on the edge, please reach out to us with your interests and needs if we don’t find you first.
Thank you to all of our partners, exhibitors, attendees, PitchRounds companies and “recruiters”, judges, mentors, and program contributors, as well as logistics and production, A/V and onsite volunteers and staff without which AdvanSE 2022 would not have been possible. The team heard from a multitude of attendees that the quality of the PitchRounds companies was exceptional in this year’s edition. Stay tuned for a post highlighting the impressive finalists and winners.
Become part of this movement.
To start the conversation, email Director of Marketing and Investor Relations Jared Hartzell: jhartzell@southeastlifesciences.org.
We are now ONE Southeast Life Sciences, and by the grace of God, the future is ours to seize.
Let’s go!
Sam