Roderick de Greef retirement planned for January 2023 with appointment to BioLife Board of Directors
Geraint Phillips to assume responsibilities in January 2023 as newly promoted Senior Vice President, Global Operations
BOTHELL, Wash., Oct. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BioLife Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLFS), a leading supplier of class-defining bioproduction tools and services for the cell and gene therapy ("CGT") and broader biopharma markets, today announced changes to its Board of Directors and executive management team, all to be effective as of January 3, 2023.
Roderick de Greef, BioLife President and Chief Operating Officer, will retire from management and will re-join the Board of Directors, increasing the number of Directors to seven. de Greef has served BioLife for 22 years as a board member then and as an executive officer since 2016. de Greef served as Chief Financial Officer from 2016 to 2021 and postponed his previously announced retirement of December 2021 to assume the role of COO, with a focus on completing key operational improvement initiatives related to the Company's acquisition of Global Cooling, Inc. (Stirling UltraCold).
de Greef commented, "Our entire operations team worked tirelessly alongside their colleagues in engineering and quality to improve the performance of our ULT freezer product line. I'm pleased to report the product line is now stable, with orders shipping from current inventory and record-high overall product quality. Our supply chain team continues to successfully source critical components in this challenging global industrial climate and our global field service team is on track to complete the field upgrade of our pre-2022 installed base of ULT freezers."
de Greef commented further, "It is with full confidence now that I re-announce my retirement and our plan to hand my global operations responsibilities to Geraint Phillips, current Vice President of Freezer Operations in January 2023. Having worked closely with Geraint over the last year, I have complete faith in his ability to assume a broader role within BioLife by utilizing his decades long operations management experience."
Mike Rice, Chairman and CEO, remarked, "Our entire team and Board are extremely grateful to Rod for his contributions to the success of BioLife over the past two decades. He was instrumental in building and financing the business in our early years, and as a seasoned operator he later contributed greatly as we scaled up the business through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. We particularly appreciate his delayed retirement to pilot us through a challenging integration process. While we celebrate his well-deserved retirement, we are grateful that Rod will remain with BioLife as a Director, bringing his extensive knowledge of the Company and our industry to support us in our next leg of growth."
"I share Rod's confidence in Geraint and am comforted to know that our global operations will be in the hands of such a highly competent professional," he added.
Phillips joined BioLife as Vice President, ULT Freezer Product Line upon the closing of the acquisition of Global Cooling, where he held the position of Chief Operating Officer. Since joining BioLife, Phillips was promoted to Vice President of Freezer Operations with responsibility for overseeing the Company's liquid nitrogen storage freezer product lines. His career spans more than 20 years of operational executive leadership positions that include Brooks Automation (now Azenta Life Sciences) and PerkinElmer, where he held global responsibilities for a number of divisions. Phillips has a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Cardiff University and an MBA from the University of South Wales.
About BioLife Solutions
BioLife Solutions is a leading supplier of class-defining bioproduction tools and services for the cell and gene therapy and broader biopharma markets. Our tools portfolio includes our proprietary CryoStor® and HypoThermosol® biopreservation media for shipping and storage, the ThawSTAR® family of automated, water-free thawing products, evo® cold chain management system, high capacity cryogenic storage freezers, Stirling Ultracold mechanical freezers, SciSafe biologic storage services, and Sexton Biotechnologies cell processing tools. For more information, please visit www.biolifesolutions.com, www.scisafe.com, www.stirlingultracold.com, or www.sextonbio.com and follow BioLife on Twitter.
Contact Information:
At the Company
Troy Wichterman
Chief Financial Officer
(425) 402-1400
twichterman@biolifesolutions.com
Investors
LHA Investor Relations
Jody Cain
(310) 691-7100
jcain@lhai.com
SOURCE BioLife Solutions, Inc.
We believe the promise of cell and gene therapies starts with the integrity of a single cell
Advancing the future of cell and gene therapy
The human body can heal itself. Cell and gene therapies are designed to augment the patient’s ability to fight disease but only if the living cells behind those therapies remain viable and functional throughout the production processes. At BioLife Solutions, our mission is to protect the integrity of cells and provide trusted tools, services, and expertise that can enable our customers to advance the development and delivery of cell and gene therapies. We believe the future of cell and gene therapies hinges on the integrity of every single cell and we are here to protect that promise.
We understand the technical demands of bioprocessing in this field, and our advanced biopreservation expertise, cell culture optimization products, innovative storage systems, and closed-system manufacturing solutions are designed to enhance process efficiency, maintain cellular viability, and ensure reproducibility at every stage. Whether scaling up from R&D, navigating clinical trials or optimizing cryopreservation protocols for commercial production, we provide the tools and experience to streamline your workflow and safeguard your therapies.
Streamline workflows and safeguard therapies
GMP-COMPATIBLE
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GMP-COMPATIBLE
Our biopreservation media and storage solutions are engineered to maintain cell integrity and functionality. With GMP-compatible, validated formulations, we help you reduce variability and improve post-thaw recovery, ensuring robust and reproducible outcomes.
CELL VIABILITY
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CELL VIABILITY
With deep industry experience, regulatory support, and a commitment to innovation, BioLife Solutions is dedicated to supporting bioprocess engineers in overcoming complex manufacturing challenges. Whether optimizing cryopreservation protocols or ensuring the seamless transition from lab to clinic, we are dedicated to your success.
QUALITY & COMPLIANCE
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QUALITY & COMPLIANCE
Enhance efficiency and consistency in your cell processing workflow with our closed-system tools for fluid management and cell processing that are automation ready. Reduce manual handling errors, improve throughput, and achieve higher standards of quality and compliance as you scale towards commercialization.
REGULATORY SUPPORT
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REGULATORY SUPPORT
BioLife Solutions delivers specialized tools and expertise to help bioprocess engineers streamline and strengthen biopreservation processes across the cell therapy workflow. From selecting the right biopreservation media to minimizing cell loss during freezing, storage, and transports, our solutions are designed to improve consistency, reduce risk, and support a successful transition from development to clinical application.
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Collaborative and comprehensive CDMO support
At BioLife Solutions, we partner with leading contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) to enhance their biopreservation and cell processing capabilities. By providing advanced tools, regulatory support, and process optimization strategies, we empower CDMOs to better serve therapy developers, ensuring quality, consistency, and scalability in cell therapy manufacturing.
Regulatory
readiness
Navigating the complex regulatory landscape of cell and gene therapy requires a proactive approach. BioLife Solutions offers experienced regulatory support to help prepare your biopreservation and cell processing methods to meet global standards. From IND and BLA submissions to compliance with GMP, FDA, and EMA guidelines, our solutions help streamline approval pathways.
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Alleviate CGT container challenges like fracture risk, bag burping or high rates of particulates
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Stay ahead with our comprehensive Evidence Library, a curated collection of scientific publications, white papers, and case studies demonstrating the efficacy of BioLife Solutions’ technologies. Access peer-reviewed research, real-world application data, and expert insights to support your bioprocessing and regulatory strategies.
