By RICK SMITH

Posted: Mar. 12, 2007

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – Stephanie Adams, a patent agent with the King & Spalding law firm in Atlanta since 2002, is the new executive director of the Southeast BIO.

Adams replaces Anne Wein, who held the post for the past two years. Wein, a former executive with the Council for Entrepreneurial Development, resigned as of March 9.

Adams received an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Washington and Lee University cum laude in 1996 and a PhD in molecular and systems pharmacology from Emory University in 2002.

SEBIO, which is an organization focused on growing the biotech and life science industry across the region, interviewed several candidates before picking Adams, said Becky Kaufman, the new SEBIO board chairman. Kaufman is a counsel with the King & Spalding firm and is based in Atlanta.

Adams’ role as a patent agent helped prepare her for the SEBIO role, Kaufman told WRAL Local Tech Wire.

“In that role, she has worked directly with venture capital firms, emerging companies and research institutions - SEBIO’s core constituencies,” Kaufman explained. “She has learned how to work with busy people and get things done. Stephanie also has a familiarity with the SE life sciences community through her involvement with organizations and events like SEBIO, the Georgia Biomedical Partnership and the Atlanta Biotech Network, which she helped to found. She also has a solid understanding of what it’s like to be on the prospective sponsor’s side of the table.”

Wein, who is expecting her first child, decided to resign earlier this year. Her husband has also accepted a medical residency in the Midwest. Wein is also a daughter of Raleigh lawyer Fred Hutchison.

Kaufman praised Wein for her efforts.

“Anne served for almost two years as SEBIO’s first executive director. In that role, she made significant contributions both within the greater southeastern community on our behalf, and internally,” Kaufman said. “In particular, she established the Web site, the job board, planning for SEBIO 2006 and 2007, the creation of BioPlan, and reached out to the state organizations (i.e., the state BIO affiliates) and other regional groups (such as the Southern Growth Policies Board) to establish close ties.”

BioPlan is a new program designed to foster the growth of new companies.

“Internally, [Anne] was invaluable, and her biggest accomplishment was probably pressing our large board of directors into service, organizing the board and making sure that the many newly established committees are actively working together for the good of the organization,” Kaufman added.

“We will miss her, but Stephanie is going to be great, building on the foundation that Anne has established.”

Michael Constantino of Ernst & Young in Raleigh and a former SEBIO board member, also praised Wein.

“We will definitely miss Anne,” he said.

Wein told WRAL Local Tech Wire that progress at SEBIO “couldn’t have happened with the support, leadership and hard work of our board and many volunteers.”

“Stephanie is going to be a terrific new leader for the organization. I’ve been very fortunate to work for SEBIO,” Wein added, “and I think SEBIO is well-positioned for tremendous growth in the coming years.”

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