Alliance for Building Better Medicine’s Post

Robert Ward has been named Activation Capital’s interim president and chief executive officer! We are excited to work with Robert on our mission to create a reliable supply of safe, high-quality, and affordable medicines for all. Robert brings over 25 years of experience leading organizations, driving strategy and innovation, developing high performing teams and executing complex transactions. And he has served as Virginia’s chief transformation officer where he supported agency secretaries with technologies to improve their operations. Prior to that, Robert was senior adviser to Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Robert has also served previously as the president and CEO for Skanska Commercial Development U.S., where he set the strategic direction of the company while driving continuous improvement through operational effectiveness, efficiency, and innovation. Learn more about Robert and his role as Activation Capital’s interim president and chief executive officer here: https://lnkd.in/dKbJaK_f

"Petersburg Empower Hour - Unlocking Business Opportunities" is tonight from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM EDT at the City Point Innovation Resource Center in the City of Petersburg, VA. This evening's event will feature Vanessa Womack, Inclusive Community Development Coordinator consultant at Activation Capital and the Alliance for Building Better Medicine. Empower Hour will include a thought-provoking workshop on "Why Inclusive Community Development is Critical to Grow the APM and Biotech Ecosystem in Region 4." Hosted by The Metropolitan Business League, this monthly event series provides an opportunity for business leaders, decision makers, and community builders to share partnership opportunities, explore potential collaborations, and to celebrate collective milestones together. Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/gHwspQ9f

The great City of Petersburg, VA, one the founding members of the Alliance for Building Better Medicine, created this inspiring overview of the region’s collaboration and unwavering dedication to making affordable, high-quality medicine come to life! https://lnkd.in/eW9GBhnh

More great coverage of yesterday's celebration at Phlow's new Metric Ton-Scale cGMP facility in the City of Petersburg, VA as our many of our Alliance members gathered to mark another pivotal moment for our shared mission to define a new era in R&D, advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing, workforce development, and supply chain development. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/erDtGVpS

Thank you WTVR-TV for sharing news of today’s event celebrating Campus for Advanced Manufacturing of Pharmaceuticals in the United States (CAMPUS), Phlow, and our many multi-jurisdictional public and private sector stakeholders working together in the Richmond-Petersburg region to define a new era in R&D, advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing, workforce development, and supply chain development! https://lnkd.in/endjkxwQ

Today, the Commonwealth celebrated Glenn Youngkin’s announcement that Virginia has been ranked “America’s Top State for Business” by CNBC. The annual ranking measures all 50 states on 128 different metrics in 10 key categories of competitiveness. Governor Youngkin and Secretary Caren Merrick shared this breaking news alongside many of our founding members of the Alliance for Building Better Medicine at a special event hosted at Phlow’s new Metric Ton-Scale cGMP facility in the City of Petersburg, VA. Also included in today's event, Eric Edwards, MD, PhD and Dr. Frank Gupton shared how Phlow set out four years ago to re-imagine and re-shore domestic production of critical ingredients and finished drug products needed to sustain life and conquer disease. With their partners, Civica Rx, VCU’s Medicines for All Institute, and AMPAC Fine Chemicals, Phlow chose Petersburg to build its state-of-the-art infrastructure to create a reliable supply of safe, high-quality, and affordable medicines for all. At warp speed, public and private stakeholders have worked together to build next-generation facilities in Petersburg, as well as in Richmond, capable of creating domestic supply chain resiliency and reliability for life-changing medicines. The shared successes and milestones achieved in the region have since led to other leaders in life sciences and pharmaceutical manufacturing seeking out Richmond-Petersburg to expand their own facilities. In celebration of the bold thinking and tenacity of the industry leaders building better medicine in Petersburg, Governor Youngkin, Secretary Merrick, and Mayor Samuel Parham, with the help of students from Virginia State University, unveiled a new brand for the area – called Campus for Advanced Manufacturing of Pharmaceuticals in the United States (CAMPUS). The unveiling of the new CAMPUS brand is a way to honor the thriving ecosystem that has emerged in Petersburg and to give it an official name as Petersburg continues to attract other pharmaceutical leaders to our region.

This week, the Inclusive Community Development Committee hosted its inaugural meeting designed to ensure that under-represented suppliers and other key stakeholders are aware of the growing opportunities as the biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturing sector flourishes in the region. Engaging conversations included our equity plan, ways to push our Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing cluster forward, how to build on our region’s thriving innovation ecosystem, plans for the new Innovation Center, workforce development opportunities, jobs, supply chain diversity, and building awareness about our collective efforts by engaging other community organizations. Thank you to all of the stakeholders who participated!