Board Member Bios
Allan May, Chairman, Founder
Allan has been a founder, board member and/or CEO of a number of early stage companies in medical device and biotechnology including Athenagen (an LSA company), MAST Immunosystems, Intella Interventional Systems, Quanam Medical, ImmuneTech, NuGEN Technologies, AngstroVision, IntegriGen, Imetrx, and Vascular Architects. Previously, Mr. May was Senior Vice President of Diasonics, Inc., a NYSE-listed medical imaging company manufacturing and distributing MRI, ultrasound, fluoroscopic and therapeutic devices, and President and COO of Fortune Systems Corporation, a NASDAQ-traded developer of microprocessor based file servers utilizing the Unix operating system. He also has extensive experience in negotiating and consummating mergers and acquisitions, having been involved in over 100 transactions.
Mr. May was named Biotech Angel Of The Year for 2001 by the International Association of Angels, and was a director for the Cardiac BioInterventions course held in San Francisco in 2002. He lectures frequently on trends and developments affecting biotech and life science investing, including the Windhover Magazine Start-Up Symposium, the Paine Webber Health Conference, the American Health Consultants Conference for Medical Device Executives, the Health Internet Congress, the Wilson Sonsini Medical Device Update Conference, the BioMEMS Nanotechnology Conference, Emerging Technologies in Cardiovascular Disease, and the First Annual Biotechnology Industry Organization BioVentureForum.
Greg Scott, President, Founder
Greg Scott is the founder of Centient Consulting, Inc. (www.centient.com), a consulting firm providing business strategy and negotiation services to emerging and established life science companies. He is also the executive editor and lead analyst of The Centient Biotech Investor™ (www.BiotechInvestor.com), an online publication covering private and public biotech and device companies. He has also served as a board member or adivor to several life science companies. He previously founded three high technology startups and held senior executive positions with MCI, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Capgemini. In his spare time, Greg races vintage formula cars (www.plpracing.com).
Casey McGlynn, Secretary, Founder, Founding Sponsor (WSGR)
Casey McGlynn is Chairman of the Life Sciences Group at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati (www.wsgr.com) and a nationally recognized leader in the representation of startup and emerging growth companies in the life sciences field. The Life Sciences Group at WSGR offers focused resources and capabilities to meet the most critical needs of startup and emerging growth companies including private and venture capital financings; public offerings; university licensing, strategic collaborations and strategic patent counseling. Mr. McGlynn is a frequent speaker and contributor to magazines and newsletters on issues relating to the life sciences industry.
Steve Bengston, Founding Sponsor (PWC)
Steve is Managing Director of Emerging Company Services (ECS) at PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwc.com). ECS acts as “mentor capitalists” for young, high potential companies. ECS works closely with the leading opinion leaders/influencers in the Bay Area, including venture capitalists, attorneys, bankers and other service providers that have made Silicon Valley the leading high tech center in the world.
Before joining PwC, Steve had 20 years of experience in a variety of marketing, business development and general management roles at several high tech companies in the Bay Area. Most recently, he was Pres/CEO of ynot.com, a leading international emarketing and greeting card company. Previously, he was VP Marketing & Business Development at Worldview Systems, an Internet travel pioneer. At Worldview, Steve helped launch and market Travelocity with Sabre Interactive.
Steve has a BA in Economics and MBA from Stanford University. He works closely or sits on the Advisory Board at SVASE, SDForum, Financing Partners, and the Stanford/MIT Venture Lab, has taught classes on funding/running start ups at UC Berkeley, Santa Clara Law School, Hastings Law School, and Stanford, and is active in a variety of other organizations in the Bay Area targeting entrepreneurs and investors. He is a frequent moderator/panelist at both university and industry sponsored events.
Mercy Forde, SVB
Mercy Forde is a senior relationship manager at SVB Silicon Valley Bank, based in Palo Alto, California (www.svb.com). Forde joined SVB Silicon Valley Bank in 1994, providing diversified financial services to middle market companies and non-venture-backed startups. She has worked with life science companies for more than eight years and currently manages a team responsible for working with life science companies ranging from pre-revenue venture-backed companies to public companies. Prior to her current role, she managed a team of technology lenders.
Forde worked in the telecom and government defense industries before joining SVB. She earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from San Diego State University and MBA from Golden Gate University.