Retired President and CEO, Global Diagnostic Imaging and Americas Region, GE Healthcare

John W. Manzetti (Non Voting Member)
President/CEO of Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse

Michael M. Matesic (Non Voting Member)

President/CEO of Idea Foundry, Inc.

Jim Pietropaolo (Non Voting Member)
Director of Business Development, Ben Franklin CNP
 

Greg Ross (Non Voting Member)
President of D3 Radiation Planning
 

Dr. Frost has had a long history in molecular and biomarker imaging starting from his early work as a MD-PhD student at Washington University where he completed his PhD degree in nuclear and radiochemistry and his post-graduate training for diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine at Johns Hopkins. At Hopkins he was Professor of Radiology, Neuroscience and Environmental Health. He was a member of a team that accomplished the first PET receptor imaging (brain receptors) and he led the team that imaged the brain opioid receptor in the early 1980's. Dr. Frost remained at Johns Hopkins for 26 years where he practiced clinical nuclear medicine and radiology and led a molecular imaging research laboratory supported by numerous major NIH grants. Dr. Frost conducted molecular imaging research in the across many indications, including neurological and psychiatric disorders, oncology and cardiology. He was active in peer-reviewed publishing, investigational new drug applications, and mentoring trainees. Dr. Frost was also a member of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine IRB for 15 years, chaired the Clinical Radiation Research and Radioactive Drug Research Committees and completed an M.B.A program in 2001.

In 2004 Dr. Frost was recruited to Yale to design, build and direct a new PET Center created in collaboration with Pfizer as part of a strategic alliance that he co-managed. At Yale he was Professor of Radiology, Director of the PET Center and Section Chief for Nuclear Medicine. In addition to designing the PET Center facility, he was responsible for selecting the imaging equipment, cyclotron, hot cells and radiochemistry equipment, bringing the equipment and Center to operational status and developing a strategic plan for the Yale and Pfizer research portfolios. Dr. Frost also worked with several other large pharmaceutical client companies who were attracted to the state-of-the-art facility and the focus on industry-academic alliances.

In 2007 Dr. Frost founded Biomarker and Molecular Imaging Solutions, LLC (now BioMarker Imaging, LLC) in order to further pursue private sector molecular imaging and to advance new drug discovery and development through imaging. He provides consultancy services to the bio pharmaceutical industry, imaging CRO's, and academic institutions. Additionally, he has expertise and experience in early stage biopharma, medical device, and health care IT biotechnology through his work with angel and venture capital investors as an advisor, executive in residence and investor. Dr. Frost is a member of the Innovalyst Intellectual Capital Advisory Network. In addition to AppCompTech he has served as a board member of DiaKine Therapeutics, a biotech company developing new disease modifying treatments for diabetes.

Dr. Frost is an experienced clinical trials reader across indications and modalities. He is a member of the extended PhRMA Imaging Group and of the Uniform Protocols for Imaging in Clinical Trials (UPICT) Group. Jim is Editor-in-Chief of a new Springer Publishing multi-volume book series entitled "In Vivo Molecular and Cellular Imaging: Disease Mechanisms, Drug Development and Molecular Medicine".

^ top

Paul J. Mirabella

In December 2006, John W. Manzetti was named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, after serving as the Chief Operating Officer and Executive-in-Residence, helping start-up companies get their ideas and products from "concept to commercialization." Previously, Mr. Manzetti was President and Chief Executive Officer of M2 Partners, a management services firm providing advisory services to start-ups in the life-sciences and high-technology industries in the Pittsburgh region.
Prior to heading M2 Partners, Mr. Manzetti was CEO at NOMOS Corporation, a leader in the field of radiation therapy treatment solutions for cancer patients. After NOMOS’ successful merger with North American Scientific, a public company (NASI on NASDAQ), Mr. Manzetti assumed the role of President of the NOMOS Division, a wholly owned subsidiary of NASI, and he also served on North American Scientific’s Board of Directors.
Prior to joining NOMOS, Mr. Manzetti served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at Carnegie Group, Inc., a public company that was acquired in November 1998 by Logica PLC, a UK-based firm.
Before working at Carnegie Group, Mr. Manzetti served in various financial management positions of increasing responsibility at Babcock & Wilcox Company, a leader in the design and delivery of power generation systems and industrial equipment to industry. His last position there was Group Controller of the $600M Industrial Products and Services Group.
Mr. Manzetti holds the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Geneva College and the MBA degree from the University of Akron.

^ top

Mr. Pietropaolo brings 25-years of industry experience to his position at Ben Franklin. He has held executive sales, marketing and business development positions in world-class corporations including Johnson & Johnson, Japan Radio Corporation and GE/Lunar, and has worked both domestically and internationally with a focus on strategic planning, new market development, new product introduction, direct sales and distribution channel management.

One particular milestone in his career was serving as VP of Sales and Executive Officer of Lunar Corporation (a medical device company). At Lunar, Mr. Pietropaolo helped to grow annual sales to over $100 million and helped to facilitate the successful sale of the company to GE Medical Systems.

For the past several years Mr. Pietropaolo has been working with medical device start-up companies funded by Ben Franklin CNP. His experience and firsthand knowledge of the unique business challenges facing early-stage companies are a significant benefit to the portfolio companies he serves. Mr. Pietropaolo has been very successful at using his experience to help Pennsylvania entrepreneurs build viable companies and create new jobs in Pennsylvania.

^ top

Mr. Ross has over twenty years experience in the Radiation Oncology market. He currently serves as the President of D3 Radiation Planning, the industry leader in the provision of IMRT Treatment Planning, Training, and Continuing Education. Prior to assuming his leadership role at D3 Radiation Planning in June 2007, Mr. Ross served as operations Director for UPMC Cancer Centers, where he led the expansion and daily operations of the UPMC Cancer Centers Radiation Oncology network. During his six year tenure, UPMC Cancer Centers established a Hub and Spoke model of 21 cancer centers spanning Western PA, with an eventual expansion into the international market in Ireland, and has become an internationally recognized Cancer program both in terms of clinical excellence and operational performance. Mr. Ross began his career as a Radiation Therapist involved in the daily treatment of cancer patients at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, before progressing into roles as a chief therapist at Wheeling Hospital and Radiation Oncology Manager at Pittsburgh Mercy Hospital. 
 

Mr. Ross holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Bachelors Degree in Health Science from Carlow University, and an Associates Degree in Radiation Therapy Technology.

^ top