At CFO (Boardroom Media) we track over 1,000,000 startups and over 5,000,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top Austin, Texas based CFO’ operating in the Biotechnology space. If you think a CFO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on [email protected].
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Dave Lowrance
Chief Financial Officer of Savara Pharmaceuticals
David Lowrance has served as Savara’s Chief Financial Officer since November 2016. From September 2014 to October 2016, Mr. Lowrance served as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Edgemont Pharmaceuticals, a fully-integrated specialty pharmaceutical company with multiple marketed products in the CNS space. From April 2011 to September 2014, Mr. Lowrance served as the Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Acucela Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company that specializes in ophthalmic therapeutics, where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of Acucela’s day-to-day operations, business development and growth endeavors, investor relations and corporate communications. While at Acucela, Mr. Lowrance helped lead a $162 million international IPO, with a listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. From March 2003 to April 2011, Mr. Lowrance was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on commercializing branded prescription products, where he oversaw all aspects of finance and accounting, business and growth strategy and product development. Mr. Lowrance, a CPA, holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Georgia.
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About Savara Pharmaceuticals: Savara Pharmaceuticals develops an inhaled antibiotic for MRSA infection in cystic fibrosis.
Jason Brandt
Chief Financial Officer & Chief Compliance Officer of Sante Ventures
Jason was hired by Santé in 2017 to manage the financial and compliance activities and to ensure the firm meets all regulatory requirements. Previously, Jason served as the Regional Head of Fund Services for the Americas for Maples Fund Services where he focused on growing the NA business through expansion of administration, middle-office and risk services to investment managers, institutional investors and family offices. Prior to that, Jason served as Director of Client Services for Alternative Fund Services with Deutsche Bank in London, managing all client service relationships with hedge funds, fund of funds, private equity and real estate funds across EMEA and Asia. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Jason served as Managing Director / COO of Hedgeworks, and positions at Capital Guardian Trust Company, Ernst & Young and Coopers & Lybrand. Jason holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Loyola Marymount University, is a current member of the CFA Institute, and Certified Public Accountant.
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About Sante Ventures: Santé Ventures is a life sciences venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies developing innovative medical technologies.
Bob McNamara
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of LDR Holding
Bob McNamara is Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. He has over twenty years experience within technology environments including medical device and software. His experience includes managing two IPO’s including Accuray Inc. ($330 million) and Somnus ($50 million). He also served as a board member post IPO for Northstar Neurosciences. During his CFO career, Bob managed six acquisitions or mergers including the acquisition of InDefense, Inc. by Microsoft Corp., the acquisition of Recourse Technologies by Symantec, and was part of the team that negotiated the $1.1B acquisition of Target Therapeutics by Boston Scientific. He holds an MBA from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and a BS from University of San Francisco. Bob is a Certified Public Accountant (non-practicing) and the former Mayor of Menlo Park, California.
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About LDR Holding: LDR Global Home develops and commercializes systems and instrumentation used in spine treatments and surgeries.
Charles Garner
Chief Financial Officer of Lung Therapeutics
Chuck Garner joined Lung Therapeutics in 2018 as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Garner brings over 20 years of investment banking, corporate finance, business development and financial operational experience to Lung Therapeutics. Most recently, Mr. Garner was a life sciences industry consultant to private and public life sciences companies, providing financial and advisory services. Prior to this, Mr. Garner was Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer for Recro Pharma, Inc., successfully leading the company’s initial public offering and acquisition of select assets from Alkermes, plc. Mr. Garner began his professional career as a certified public accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers and, while an investment banker for Deutsche Bank AG, raised or advised on over $8 billion of financial and advisory transactions for healthcare clients. Mr. Garner received his Bachelors of Business Administration, high distinction, with a concentration in accounting and finance from the University of Michigan.
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About Lung Therapeutics: Lung Therapeutics provides innovative treatments for underserved, life-threatening lung conditions.
Ryan Confer
Chief Financial Officer of Genprex
Ryan M. Confer was Business Manager of the Company. From December 2013 through September 2016, he served as our Chief Operating and Financial Officer, and from June 2011 to December 2013 as our business Manager. Mr. Confer has served us in a variety of strategic, operations, and finance capacities since our inception in 2009 both as a consultant through his own firm, Confer Capital, Inc., and as an employee. Mr. Confer has over 10 years of entrepreneurial and executive experience in planning, launching, developing, and growing emerging technology companies. He has served in c-level and vice president roles for non-profit and for-profit entities since 2008. Most notably, Mr. Confer served as VP of Customer Experience and then later as VP of Strategy for KaiNexus Inc., an emerging technology company that develops continuous improvement software. Prior to his entrepreneurial experience, Mr. Confer served as a business development consultant for the University of Texas at Austin’s IC2 Institute, an international think tank and incubator, where he focused on evaluating the commercialization potential of nascent technologies in emerging growth markets. Mr. Confer holds a BS in finance and legal studies from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and an MS in technology commercialization from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.
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About Confer Capital, Genprex, Gurnade, Inc.: Genprex is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing revolutionary immunogene therapies for cancer.
Brad Van Schouwen
CFO of EQO
Van Schouwen has always been intertwined with the startup community. The ever changing and challenging world of startups has always interested Van Schouwen who loves the diversity of experiences that are inherent in the startup community. After 15 years of helping other organizations find the right footing in the world of business and finance, Schouwen decided it was time for him to make his journey. So when Schwarz Taylor, an old friend of his, began to get involved with EQO, Van Schouwen saw the opportunity to fill a need the company soon had. As EQO’s financial expert, Van Schouwen works hard to direct the company’s ability to fund their long term investment; an investment that attracted Van Schouwen to EQO. The bigger and broader goal that EQO has makes it stand out from other entrepreneurs he has worked with in the past and he wouldn’t change any part of his time working with the team.
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About EQO, Signet: Environmental Quality Operations(EQO) was founded to bring the modern molecular biology laboratory to the field of environmental management.
Jay Goswami
CFO of MicroRio
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About MicroRio: MicroRio utilizes bacteria to produce PHA plastic from methane.