MANUFACTURERS
Biogen Idec announced that Peter Kellogg, EVP finance and CFO will leave the organization to become CFO at Merck. Kellogg will leave Biogen Idec on August 10.
Wyeth has appointed Greg Norden CFO. Norden has been with Wyeth since 1989, and CFO of the company’s pharmaceutical division since 2000. Norden replaces former CFO Kenneth Martin.
AGENCIES
AXIS Healthcare Communications announced the following new hires and promotions across the AXIS group of companies. Jamie Gonzales has joined Helix Medical Communications as VP, strategic development in the company’s San Diego office location. Gonzales has an in-depth understanding of client needs from her experience working in medical product management and agency marketing communications. Over the past 14 years she has successfully launched and supported pharmaceutical and medical device products on a global basis. Before joining Helix, Gonzales was most recently an independent consultant servicing medical industry clients in the area of medical marketing – from initial product market positioning to advertising planning and development. ApotheCom Associates in Yardley, Pennsylvania welcomed Norma Padilla, PhD, as a senior medical director. Padilla was previously a medical director with Symbiotix in Florham Park, NJ. She has a wealth of experience in medical research and clinical studies and she earned a PhD in molecular biology as well as a master’s degree in biology from New York University. ApotheCom also welcomed Alejandro Bernal, PhD as an associate medical director in its Yardley, Pennsylvania office. Bernal joins to ApotheCom from Acumentis, the CME arm of HealthAnswers Education LLC, a subsidiary of Sudler & Hennessey, where he was a medical director. Bernal earned a PhD in immunology and oncology from Weill Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences of Cornell University in New York. ApotheCom’s San Francisco office has announced the promotion of Beth McMahon-Wise to the role of VP, scientific services. Formerly in the role of senior director, scientific services, McMahon-Wise has been with ApotheCom for more than three years. The newest agency under the AXIS umbrella, evoke | healthcare interaction, has added Mehmet Bereket as director of production. Bereket will be managing interactive production planning and execution for all interactive deliverables for evoke. Bereket comes to evoke from Glow Worm, a division of Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Communications in New York where he was director of interactive production. Bereket has significant experience in the interactive space and had responsibility for Web components of project launches for Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi-Aventis. Curatio CME Institute, an independent, fire-walled member of the AXIS group of companies, has announced the promotion of Barbara Landers to VP, medical education programs. Landers has been with AXIS for over six years and is a member of the executive management team at Curatio.
Centron has announced the following additions its staff: Vivek Kaliraman, MBBS, PhD has been hired as a VP, senior scientific director. Prior to Centron, Kaliraman was a senior scientific director at Embryon. Steve Candela, PhD joins Centron as a scientific director. Previously, Candela was a senior clinical writer for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Kristen Holgerson has been hired as account supervisor from Better Health Care where she was a senior project director. Anne Bledsoe has been hired as medical editor. Prior Bledsoe was an editor at CMA Consulting. Chad Barnattan joins as VP, account group supervisor. Previously, Barnattan served as account group supervisor at DraftFCB. Lisa Kaufman has been hired as account supervisor. Previously, Kaufman was at Grey Healthcare Group. Robert Leung joins as VP, creative group supervisor from CDA, where he was associate creative director. Florante Pangilinan has been appointed VP, group financial director of Centron. Previously, Pangilinan was financial director at BESTmed. Steven DePaola joins as accounting manager from DraftFCB where he was manager of financial planning and analysis. Joan McClelland joins Centron in accounts payable. Previously, McClelland was a financial coordinator at Health Science Communication. In addition, Centron announced the following promotions: Frank Cusack to SVP, associate creative director, Philip Simmons to creative group supervisor, Janine Chianese and Jen Hannon to creative supervisor, Ryan Brown to art director, and Amanda Santise to account executive.
MEDIA
Quadrant HealthCom has announced that Randy Danielsen, PhD, PA-C, has been named physician assistant editor-in-chief of Clinician Reviews. Danielsen has served on the publication’s editorial board since 1994. He is Dean of Arizona School of Health Sciences, A.T. Still University, Mesa, and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Nova Southeastern University’s online Doctor of Health Science Program.
SUPPLIERS
David Escalante, Jr., a seasoned executive with more than 14 years experience delivering sales and marketing solutions to pharmaceutical and biotech companies, has joined SK&A Information Services, as president and CEO. SK&A also hired Manus Gallagher, a 12-year veteran selling sales, marketing and compliance solutions to the pharmaceutical industry, as vice president of sales.
