Category Archives: Spotlight Interviews

Bruce L. Braaten, Regional Manager, Market Access, Covance

Bruce Braaten photoBruce currently serves as the Field Access and Reimbursement Director in the West Region. Mr. Braaten has over 20 years of experience in the biotech/device industry. Most recently he held positions with Roche serving in various leadership roles within the organization. Bruce brings experience as the Area Business Manager for the national Channel team for the purpose of building overall relationships, contract negotiations, securing coverage and reimbursement, and streamlining steps for smoother claims processing. He also held roles in leading field based teams, contracting with Managed Care Companies, sales leadership, project management and developing presentations for field use.

Bruce has a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and has studied in areas of Healthcare administration, Healthcare policy, and Organizational Communication.

1. Why did you decide to do a webinar with Business Review Webinars?

This is an important opportunity to present and discuss our Market Access directives which support and improve Patient Health.

2. What are you looking forward to explaining to the audience?

Access is a challenging and a changing environment; however with the experience and overall knowledge of the market patients can receive the therapy their Health team prescribes they need.

3. How did you get into the industry and what do you most enjoy about your role?

My first experience in supporting patient access was on the medical device side for pain management. This confirmed in me how vital this type of role is and how strategy is crucial in care and coverage. My career has grown from Managed Care contracting; Distribution; patient support and sales leadership. My purpose in my work comes from the numerous successes of giving life back to individuals that are in great need and giving hope for a more fulfilling life.

4. What do you enjoy most about your role?

Currently my responsibilities include leading a team of Access Specialists in the West. This allows me the privilege of developing each individual with a greater skillset, to position our strategy for the purpose of patient care, and ultimately drive this ship in one direction.

5. Where is your favourite place in the world and why?

Today it is Arizona where my Wife and Children are. Spending time with them recharges me. If it was a particular place; it would have to be Northern Minnesota on the lake.

Register now for our webinar with Bruce and his colleagues from Covance, “The Yesterday and Today of Market Access: Field strategy evolution“.

Roshani Poudel, National Field Director, Market Access, Covance

Roshani Poudel_ PhotoRoshani Poudel has over 9 years of reimbursement and market access experience at Covance as well as with other Biotech/Pharmaceutical companies. During these 9 years, Roshani has developed reimbursement strategies during different phases of product life cycle that encompassed successful launch of multiple In-house/Contracted Hubs, Patient Assistance Programs , Field Reimbursement Teams and Marketing initiatives. Roshani has also led multiple Market Access efforts to remove significant coverage barriers with Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial Payers for various “Buy and Bill” products.

As Director, Field Market Access at CMA, Roshani is responsible for developing and managing a group of Field Managers who oversee teams that conduct field-based site visits and customer training to remove any access barriers. Roshani also serves as a strategic partner for clients to implement new initiatives and ensures that they are aligned with the clients’ vision.

Roshani has a B. S. in Business Administration from Alliant International University, San Diego, CA.

1. Why did you decide to do a webinar with Business Review Webinars?

This is a great opportunity to discuss how Market Access strategy is crucial in providing patients access to the therapy they need.

2. What are you looking forward to explaining to the audience?

I look forward to sharing some real-life cases of access challenges that were presented to Covance Market Access and how we were able to provide solutions to those challenges.

3. How did you get into the industry and what do you most enjoy about your role?  

My first experience in the industry was with Covance 9 years ago when I was hired as a program specialist. My primary responsibility was working with patients that required financial assistance and helping them access their medications through several patient assistance and referral programs. It was an eye-opening experience to see the number of patients that needed financial support and yet had very limited knowledge of all the available resources for them. It was very rewarding to work with patients directly and being able to walk them through the process which ultimately allowed them to obtain their much needed medications. Some patients even took time to send personal thank you notes with their stories and how the medications had help change their lives positively, which was a satisfying aspect of the role in a personal level.

4. What do you enjoy most about your role?

I mostly enjoy the diversity of responsibilities in my current role that allows me to wear different hats on a daily basis. While I represent Covance and follow our own ideals, I am also learning and adapting to each of my client’s strategies and values which keeps me engaged. I also enjoy team development and talent management.

5. Where is your favourite place in the world and why?

Although I admire all historic cities around the world, Florence has to be on top on my list. From the narrow stone pavements that Da Vinci and Michelangelo once walked through to the distinctive architecture throughout the city, there is a reason why Florence is known as the “cradle of the Renaissance”.

Discuss “The Yesterday and Today of Market Access: Field strategy evolution” with Roshani in our webinar with Covance. Register now! 

William M. Fahey, National Field Director, Market Access, Covance

William Fahey_ PhotoWilliam works directly with the Field Managers and Field Reimbursement Specialists to ensure program
execution and strategic follow through based on client needs. In addition, he works as a strategic partner with the client to overcome hurdles and anticipate future opportunity specific to field team actions. He has directed teams within multiple therapeutic areas and lifecycle stages. 


Prior to joining Covance, Mr. Fahey has Over 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry in various leadership roles within Sales, Sales Operations/Field Force Effectiveness, Marketing and Market Access. 

William has a BA in Philosophy/Political Science from the University of Arkansas.

1. Why did you decide to do a webinar with Business Review Webinars?

I believe it is important to connect as an industry in order to address complicated issues that impact the ability for patients to access appropriate therapies.

2. What are you looking forward to explaining to the audience?

I look forward to sharing opportunities that will address the above issues.  As access to therapies becomes more difficult, it is important to assess appropriate levers and partnerships that will potentially alleviate some of these market conditions and pressures for those involved.

3. How did you get into the industry and what do you most enjoy about your role?  

I spent several years both in sales and marketing within the tobacco industry.  This is what brought me into the healthcare sector.  Working on a daily basis and as a career on thoughts, processes and services that contribute to a person’s well-being is more rewarding than its polar opposite.

4. What do you enjoy most about your role?

Working with some of the top minds in the industry.  Learning and working on key issues that impact the industry on a daily basis provides a never-ending complexity that keeps a smile on my face.

5. Where is your favourite place in the world and why?

While I enjoy the comradery and engagement on a daily basis, I very much enjoy the solitude of the desert environment regardless of location.  I will typically take an annual motorcycle trip to various locations in which I get the chance to reflect and decompress from everything.

Join William in the upcoming Covance webinar “The Yesterday and Today of Market Access: Field strategy evolution“. Register now!

Martin Schroter, Senior Manager of Business Development, Dürr Systems, Inc.

rkV1PTm4Martin Schroter holds both a master’s degree and PhD in chemical engineering from the Technical University of Clausthal in Germany, where he began his professional career in the chemical industry. For the following 15 years, he was an environmental catalyst product specialist in the power industry throughout Europe and the United States. Today Martin is developing products and business opportunities for Dürr Systems, Inc. out of Plymouth, Michigan.

1. How did you get into the industry?

I have been interested in chemistry since my introduction to the science in high school. I chose to become a chemical engineer and discovered my love for fundamental understanding. Going behind the scenes and into detail had always fascinated me. However, you need the right tools at hand to create fundamental understanding and my engineering education gave me that. I started as a process engineer for a German petrochemical company analyzing and optimizing their chemical processes. Backed by a team of experienced scientists and engineers, I took part in the design of single process units as well as a complete factory. We were led by a progressive management team with an understanding of the importance of intellectual properties, but moreover the confidence in our expertise of process fundamentals.

In the late 90’s I moved into the air pollution control business and engaged with a Danish catalyst supplier with a strong emphasis on scientific fundamentals and process understanding. From my different roles in sales, project execution and product management I learned that designing a NOx abatement solution for a utility customer requires different expertise than for a customer in a refinery. Facing customers in different industries however, also creates an understanding of the customer’s business situation as a very strong motive for investment decisions. Today, I am the Senior Manager of Business Development for Dürr Systems, Inc., a system integrator in the field of air pollution control technologies. In business development I can integrate my complete skill set, cultivated in different phases of my business career and best of all is that the company’s management is a strong supporter of my work.

2. What are you looking forward to explaining to the audience?

We understand that different players in an industry like the power sector have different motives when listening to this presentation. With this in mind, the audience can expect a basic introduction to Dürr’s catalytic hot gas filtration technology. The presentation will show how Dürr is creating added value by utilizing synergetic effects through integrating a combination of different process steps with the already existing equipment. Finally, the audience will learn that installation of the Dürr technology is creating a ROI and encourages coal fired power plant operators to invest in air pollution technology independent of emission limitation that may or may not be required.

3.  What do you most enjoy about your role?

I very much enjoy the education aspect of my role in business development. The dialog with customers from different industries is a continuous learning process for all involved and inspires a ‘thinking outside the box’ environment. Suddenly, you can discover that someone in a different industry has already gained experience in a comparable situation. The most enjoyable aspect of my role is the support from Dürr, which takes pride in the idea of our clients becoming “customer for life”.

4. What motivates you?

My greatest motivation is satisfaction, whether that is the satisfaction of an external or internal customer or partner, as well as the contentment earned after a physical workout, a nice dinner or a holiday with the family.

5. What has been your best holiday and where would you recommend visiting?

My best holidays have been on a small island off the Northern German coast where my entire family, including kids and grandparents, all stayed under one roof. We had such a great time that the family repeatedly met on the same island for 10 years in a row while the kids were small.

Join Martin in the Dürr Systems, Inc. webinar ‘Making Air Pollution Control Profitable‘. Register now!

 

Steve Lee, Technical Service Manager, CapsCanada Corporation

Steve Lee

Steve Lee is head of Technical Service at CapsCanada® and has been involved in capsule filling for over two decades. Steve gained foundational experience as a filling machine operator and as an equipment mechanic. For the last eleven years, he has worked as a technician representing empty capsule suppliers, assisting companies in resolving problems related to equipment,

formulations, capsules, and other factors. In addition to his industry experience, Steve has a Bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Redlands (Redlands, CA) and also earned a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt through Villanova University. For six years, Steve has been a member of the Technical Advisory Board for Tablets and Capsules magazine.

 

  1. Why did you decide to do a webinar with Business Review Webinars?

Our objective with the Business Review Webinar is to provide an educational  experience where participants may further their knowledge of capsule filling and understand the resources available from CapsCanada Corporation®, an industry leading supplier of two-piece hard shell capsules.

  1. How did you get into the industry?

As a young college guy in 1994 I went to work for Alpine Health Products in Utah as a capsule filling machine operator. Alpine Health was a contract manufacturer producing solid dose and liquid products for the dietary supplement industry. While working there as capsule filling machine operator, I went to school in the evenings, working on a Business Management degree, never imagining that the education I received as an operator and equipment mechanic would be equally as valuable as the professional degree I was earning. After working at Alpine for ten years, I was recruited to be a technical service representative for an empty capsule company, and have been doing this ever since. The twenty plus years have gone by very quickly and I feel very fortunate to have found a home in this growing industry.

  1. What do you most enjoy about your role?

Much of my time is spent working at customer locations providing complimentary training and support. I appreciate developing relationships with these customers and exchanging learning. As of late, I have become more involved with continuous improvement programs such as Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing and enjoy working to employ these tools in our business.

  1. What has been your best holiday and where would you recommend visiting?

I am the kind of guy who thinks about the last cookie he ate as the best one ever. Last year my wife, two kids and I visited all of the New England states during the fall season. It was incredible to see the bright foliage in Vermont, the rocky coast and light houses in Maine and Rhode Island, and the great historic sites of the American Revolution in Massachusetts.

  1. What motivates you?

What motivates me most is the ability to effect change within an organization. There is great satisfaction in identifying an area which needs improvement, and taking the steps necessary to make it better. There are some company cultures which are not open to new ideas, or where there are too many obstacles which stand in the way of change; I am fortunate to be working with the team at CapsCanada® where improvements are welcome and where as a company we work together to make life better for our customers.

Don’t forget to join the upcoming CapsCanada webinar titled ‘Preventing Defects in Two-Piece Hard Shell Capsules‘ on February 4th. Register here.

Joe Haligowski, Product Director for Water Filtration, Filtra-Systems

JoeJoe Haligowski is the Product Director for Water Filtration at Filtra-Systems Industrial Water Division. (Farmington Hills, MI, USA). Has worked to expand Filtra Systems water filtration, and chemical/mineral dewatering product lines. Joe started his career developing oil/water filtration solutions in SAGD (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage) Applications, for the oil and gas industry, and presently is working to develop water filtration solutions, across all markets.

 

1. What did you enjoy discussing with the audience?

I enjoyed answering the questions at the conclusion of the Webinar.  There were lots a great questions and good to know the audience wanted to know a bit more about our water filtration product.

2. If you could give one piece of advice to another presenter, what would it be?

Typically, when I give a presentation it is just to a few people, and not being recorded for “On Demand” post presentation broadcasting.  This seemed a bit foreign to me, so my advice would be to embrace that odd felling and just “roll with it”.

3. What has been the highlight of your career?

Hard to pick one event or project, so I will just say the relationships I have been able to have with co-workers and clients that have been long lasting.  Those make the job/carrier fun and fulfilling.

4. Where is your favourite place in the world and why?

There are so many wonderful places, but my two favorite places are:  1)  Any golf course, early in the morning with three people who are determined to have a fun round of golf and 2)  Mackinac Island (Northern Michigan) in August, riding our bicycles with my wife Heidi and my daughters Anna and Eloise.  Golf is a great distraction and reason to pull yourself and those you wish to spend time with away from the day to day chores, and spend four hours together to catch up and enjoy the outdoors and each other’s company.  Mackinac Island is a very unique place (state park) where no motor vehicles are allowed.   Horse carriage and bicycles are the only means of transportation and spending the day riding (or pulling) my girls around the Island is just a great way to enjoy a day.  If pressed to choose between my two favorite places, all I will say is that Santa’s Sleigh does contain golf clubs for both my young ladies.

Joe recently presented in the Filtra-Systems webinar ‘Improve water filtration efficiency with our backwashable Walnut Shell Water Polishing Filter‘. Watch now!

Mr. Matthias Grapow – Vice President, Head of Segment Oil&Gas Midstream, SBU Turbomachinery, MAN Diesel & Turbo

image002After studying mechanical engineering with specialization in turbomachinery at Technical University of Berlin, Matthias Grapow started his professional career in 1997 as a development engineer in the aerodynamic development group of Sulzer Turbo (today’s MAN Diesel & Turbo) in Zurich (Switzerland).

In 2000 Matthias joined the MAN’s sales and projects team, as a bid manager in the field of basic industries, refinery and petrochemical applications. Since 2002 his range of activity also includes the gas storage & transport business. Matthias managed the sales group for gas storage & transport and hydrocarbon processing industry applications at MAN Diesel & Turbo in Zurich from 2006 until 2013. 

Matthias Grapow has a broad know-how of all turbocompressor product types – particularly in high-speed magnetically-levitated, integrated motor-compressor units. 

In March 2013, Matthias has been appointed Vice President and is now heading the Oil & Gas Midstream segment of MAN Diesel & Turbo.

1. Why did you decide to do a webinar with Business Review Webinars?

In April 2015 we organized an event called TurboForum for our customers at MAN Diesel & Turbo Schweiz AG in Zurich. The organization was extremely labor-intensive, but all worth it, as the event turned out to be a big success. The subsequent feedback being very positive on all accounts was more than rewarding. This time we decided to focus on a new marketing tool, i.e. the BRW Webinar. The aim is to expand our horizon, develop new skills and last but not least to allow everybody a participation without the need of travelling.

2. What are you looking forward to explaining to the audience?

Patrik Meli, Vice President Engineering Zurich, and I are looking forward to explaining the considerable advantages of MAN’s MOPICO® compression systems. We will furthermore give detailed information of MAN’s pioneering in magnetically-levitated compression systems for gas transport, gas storage and finally for subsea gas transport compression. This webinar gives us a chance to continue and enlarge the dialogue with our existing and future customers and to receive a direct and active feedback.

3. What do you most enjoy about your role?

The full commitment to our products is motivating and inspiring me. As Head of Midstream Oil and Gas I enjoy a new challenge every day, and believe me, every single day is different from the other. It  is an interesting and satisfying job that I love doing. In addition, I feel a very strong team spirit and full commitment in my department and this motivates me even more.

4. What would someone be surprised to know about you?

I always cycle to the office, all year round independent of weather conditions. That is what keeps me fit physically and mentally.

5. What do you do in your leisure time to relax?

Being on tour with my racing bicycle over mountain passes is always challenging, but at the same time it gives me the chance to switch off,  relax and enjoy the nature. Sailing is my other hobby that I appreciate tremendously.

Join Matthias in the upcoming MAN Diesel & Turbo webinar ‘Economic and Ecological Optimization of Pipeline Compression’ at either 7am UK or 3pm UK. Register now!

Dr. David Brett, Team Leader Product and Service Management, Vetter Pharma International GmbH

Dr. David Brett studDavid Brettied Biological sciences at the University of East Anglia in the UK. He earned an MBA at the University of Bayreuth, Germany, and a PhD in Biochemistry at Imperial College in London. After postdoctoral positions at the Institute of cancer research, he trained at Bioinformatics with a focus on pharmaceutical drug target screening. In the Siemens Healthcare strategy and innovation department, he worked on a number of topics including protein target molecules for cancer & diabetes, e-health, personalized medicine, and molecular imaging. David joined Vetter in 2010 as product and service manager with a focus on innovation in injectable drug-delivery systems, clinical development and commercial manufacturing. He became Team leader of Product and Service Management in 2015, and is responsible for the development of Vetter’s service offering to optimally fit customer requirements.

1. Why did you decide to conduct a webinar with Business Review Webinars?

Webinars have become an indispensible tool for helping our company reach target audiences with key messages. Our past experience, especially with live forums, has been very positive. As such, we feel it is to our advantage to continue to participate in them. Business Review Webinars are particularly effective and the right partner to help deliver our messages to the market.

2. What will the participant gain from participating in your webinar?

The event, which will be live, will focus on the advantages of dual-chamber syringes and cartridges, including the typical project steps in Lifecycle Management when changing from vials to dual-chamber systems.  We will also discuss with participants why packaging material selection, feasibility, and lyophilization cycle development is essential in the drug development pathway.

3. What is your favorite part about presenting to a live audience?

Unlike a taped webinar, in a live forum you have the opportunity to get important feedback directly from the participants. Obviously, anyone who has taken the time to participate is well informed, genuinely interested in the topic, and is trying to find a solution to their real development project issues. That makes live forums fun and informative.

4. What was your inspiration in getting into the industry?

Thank you for asking. I have always been interested in the latest clinical therapies and the biochemistry behind them. For that reason, being in a field that features cutting edge pharmaceutical research and development was the obvious choice for me. I thoroughly enjoy my profession.

5. What one item would you take with you to a desert island?

My kindle! I only hope you can get WIFI access on the island.

Don’t forget to join the upcoming Vetter Pharma International GmbH webinar titled ‘Developing your lyophilized product in a dual chamber system’ on December 8th. This webinar will be shown at 8am London & 3pm London. 

 

Anne Sefried, Field Applications Engineer, BIOVIA

Anne Sefried2

As a Field Applications Engineer, Anne Sefried leverages her application expertise at BIOVIA to assist organizations in optimizing their chemical inventory management activities. Anne graduated from Chapman University with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems.

 

 1. What are you looking forward to discussing with the audience?

We are looking forward to showing how chemical inventory management doesn’t have to be a manual, disparate, time consuming process. In fact, it can be just the opposite! By integrating with laboratory informatics systems, such as Electronic Laboratory Notebooks, you have a comprehensive chemical inventory which improves productivity, drives down costs and reduces chemical management safety and compliance risks like FDA 21 CFR Part 11. In addition, you will be able avoid business risks arising from chemical safety incidents.

2. What are some of the key challenges with chemical inventory and data management?

Managing the materials necessary for research isn’t something the researchers want to do. They just want the materials they need at their bench when it is time to run an experiment.  So the biggest challenge is getting everyone in the lab to use a system that tracks chemical inventory by logging materials in and out of the system each and every time.  Most organizations aren’t doing this very well. They still track chemical inventory on paper, with a basic spreadsheet program, or with a legacy in-house solution.  These systems are typically inefficient, awkward to use and rarely provide real-time data so the researchers don’t use them consistently.  The result is incorrect inventory data, which not only means that the lab can’t rely on the system to ensure that materials are available but also bears compliance risks. In addition it adds error-prone and time consuming steps to the laboratory workflow reducing its efficiency and productivity and again adds compliance risk. Without accurate chemical inventory information, the organization is caught up in a vicious cycle of under- or over-ordering chemicals, which means they can’t manage chemical costs efficiently. For Life Science organizations where chemical and biological materials expenditures can be massive, particularly if expired materials are disposed before use. And the problem gets worse: without tightly controlling the chemicals inventory, health and safety risks for the lab staff can increase dramatically. So you can see why it is important to get your chemical inventory under control.

3. What can be done to tackle some of those challenges and make processes more streamlined and efficient?

Simply knowing what chemical inventory is on hand and where it is, eliminates a lot of management headaches and regulatory risk.  This can be accomplished with a centralized and integrated chemical inventory management system, like BIOVIA CISPro. Supported by barcode technology, it provides accurate, real-time chemical container data that is integrated with Safety Data Sheet (SDS) management and addresses regulatory requirements for chemical management from authorities like the FDA, EMA and EPA. The tight integration with other lab informatics solutions further drives out error-prone and non-value added steps from the overall process.

4. What attributes should you look for when choosing a chemical inventory system for your lab?

There are three important attributes or operational modes to look for when evaluating a chemical inventory system.  The first is the ability to track material level information that identifies physical hazards and structures.  The second is barcoding.  The barcodes should track the container by owner, location, expiration date, etc. and provide an audit trail to support regulatory compliance. Thus, you’ll be looking for a system that streamlines chemical inventory workflows from receipt to disposal, and the most effective way to do this is with a barcode system that logs all incoming materials at the container level. And the third is the integration capabilities with the laboratory by interfacing with a Lab informatics systems like ELN (Electronic Lab Notebook), LES (Laboratory Execution System) or LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) for automated transfer of information related to the chemical inventory.

Join us for our complimentary webinar on December 10 titled: 4 Reasons to Integrate Chemical Inventory Management into Your Lab, hosted by Business Review, where we will discuss the above in more detail, with much more. Register here.

Craig Jones, VP Enterprise Sales Engineering, PRISYM ID

Craig

Craig Jones is the Vice President of Enterprise Sales Engineering for PRISYM ID with responsibility for understanding customer needs and industry challenges to drive solutions to improve efficiency, minimise risk, address regulatory requirements and provide new approaches to business systems and processes. Craig has 14 years of experience delivering validated label lifecycle management solutions to life science and healthcare industries including medical device, pharmaceutical and clinical trial organisations. His experience includes roles as an industry consultant, in IT management and as a senior manager for global technical support and professional services.

1. Why did you decide to do a webinar with Business Review Webinars?

As a company we have worked with Business Review Webinars before and have found them to be very professional and helpful in promoting our webinar to companies within our industry.

It is the perfect platform for PRISYM ID to interact and engage with its audience and show a snapshot of our capabilities with our latest-technology global label lifecycle management software.

With this being a live event, it gives the audience the opportunity to ask on the spot questions which we can answer there and then.  It saves time and money for all those involved with a watch-back session provided afterwards.

2. What are you looking forward to explaining to the audience?

I’m looking forward to introducing the audience to the output of the PACT project (Project Authoring For Clinical Trials) and how it addresses the common industry labelling requirements for language management, regulatory content management, ‘just in time’ labelling and label postponement.

3. What do you most enjoy about your role?

I enjoy working with our customers to overcome industry challenges that are presented, and to make real and measurable improvements to current systems and processes. This is only achievable by working closely with a highly-experienced team who really understand these challenges and how to overcome the problems.

4. What would someone be surprised to know about you?

One of the things that many customers would not know is that I’ve worked on the majority of PRISYM ID’s software implementations.  Before moving to head up Pre-Sales in 2013, I headed up the technical support Helpdesk and Professional Services teams for 6 years.

5. What do you do in your leisure time to relax?

My favourite pastime is spending time with my family.  When I manage to get some time off, I love to jump on the road bike or head up to the local kick boxing club.  Although with a 2 year old child, there really isn’t much time to relax!

Join Craig as he discusses ‘Local Language Labeling Delivered on a Global Scale‘ by registering here.