LOWELL, Mass., Sept. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rapid Micro Biosystems, a leading provider of automated, non-destructive, rapid microbial detection, is pleased to announce the addition of Richard Kollender as Chief Business Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Kollender will report directly to the CEO, Robert Spignesi.
Mr. Kollender has over 25 years of financial and operational experience in the healthcare industry. Most recently, as Managing Partner of Quaker Partners, a healthcare-focused venture capital and growth equity firm with $700 million under management, he led investments and served as an active Chairman or Board Member of more than a dozen private and publicly traded companies, including Rapid Micro Biosystems. Previously, he held positions in sales, marketing, global business development, and venture capital at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and its corporate venture arm, S.R. One. Mr. Kollender began his career as a Certified Public Accountant initially with KPMG, and subsequently with Rudolph, Palitz (now RSM), and his practice had a significant emphasis on the healthcare and emerging businesses sectors.
“I am delighted to have an executive of Rich’s caliber and experience join our executive management team,” said Mr. Spignesi. “He brings a wealth of financial, strategic and operational experience to the company. His thorough knowledge of our business will be instrumental in driving further success as we continue our growth.”
“I am excited to join the outstanding team already in place at Rapid Micro Biosystems,” said Mr. Kollender. “From my unique vantage point over the past seven years as Chairman and Director of the Company, I have witnessed the development, launch and growth of its innovative Growth Direct System. This is a company and team that I am convinced will become the undisputed leader in automated, rapid microbial detection.”
Mr. Kollender holds a BA in Business Administration and Accounting from Franklin and Marshall College and an MBA and Health Administration & Policy degrees with Honors from the University of Chicago. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Lehigh University and a Director of Strongbridge Biopharma.
About Rapid Micro Biosystems
Rapid Micro Biosystems delivers the Growth Direct™ System, an automated, non-destructive rapid detection and enumeration technology based on the compendial method for microbial quality control in pharmaceutical manufacturing. The system automates and accelerates detection and enumeration in the areas of sterility testing, environmental monitoring, and bioburden testing, eliminating manual steps and analysis. The detection technology, first developed and patented by Dr. Don Straus, Ph.D., uses the natural auto-fluorescence of microbes and requires no reagents. For more information about Rapid Micro Biosystems visit www.rapidmicrobio.com