David Hartnett, Vice President of Economic Development, Bioscience - Health IT Industry Development for the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) and David Perryman Chief Operating Officer of DRIVE LLC, are the recipients of the 2014 Georgia Bio Industry Growth Awards.

The Industry Growth Awards are the highest honors bestowed each year by Georgia Bio (GaBio). They recognize individuals in the public and private sectors who have made extraordinary contributions to the growth of Georgia's life sciences industry. David Hartnett is the recipient from the public sector, David Perryman from the private sector.

David Hartnett is being honored for his leadership of the bioscience and health IT arm of the Metro Atlanta Chamber's economic development division and for being instrumental in recruiting and advancing the bioscience and medtech industries in the Georgia.

Prior to joining the Chamber, Hartnett served as the president and CEO of Maco Pharma a privately held medical device company headquartered in Lille, France. Prior to Maco Pharma, Hartnett was president and CEO of SteriFx Corporation, a specialty chemical company, contracted by U.S. Department of Defense (DARPA). Prior to SteriFx, he was the executive vice president of the North American headquarters of Given Imaging. Under his leadership the company commercialized the "PillCam" a platform disposable video capsule. Hartnett helped to raise close to $30 million in a private placement for corporate infrastructure development and product commercialization prior to the company going public in 2001 (GIVN-NASDAQ).

In addition, his leadership and support of numerous organizations including the Innovation Crescent TM Regional Partnership, Technology Association of Georgia, Southeastern Medical Device Association, Venture Atlanta®, the Atlanta Science Festival TM and Georgia Bio have helped to create a stronger economic development front and enhance collaboration throughout Georgia.

David Perryman is being honored as a successful entrepreneur, attorney and leader of Georgia's bioscience community. He is currently COO of Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE), an innovative not-for profit biotechnology company that seeks to change the model for the development of university based therapeutics.

Prior to DRIVE, David was the CEO and a founder of Zirus, Inc., a biotech company focused on the host genetics of infectious diseases. Prior to Zirus, he was head of the biotechnology patent group at the intellectual property firm, Needle & Rosenberg, as it grew to national prominence. Mr. Perryman has co-managed the strategy of several successful multi-million dollar biotech patent litigations, was a co-founder and an advisor for Georgia Venture Partners, Inc., and was a founder and a board member of Maxia Pharmaceuticals, as well as several other biotechnology companies. His contributions have made a transformative difference within Georgia's life science industry.

Mr. Hartnett and Mr. Perryman will be honored at the Georgia Bio Annual Awards Dinner, January 23, 6 pm to 9 pm, at the Atlanta Fox Theater. Learn more and register at www.gabio.org/awards.

Other leading companies, executives, researchers and dedicated individuals will receive Georgia Bio Awards for the following categories (listed alphabetically by award title):

  • Community Awards - Richard diMonda, BEE, MSBME, MBA; Judy M. Gantt M.Ed., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Joseph M. Patti, Ph.D., Biota Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Todd Sherer, PhD, CLP, Emory University
  • Deals of the Year Awards - Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC.; Clearside Biomedical Inc.; CorMatrix Cardiovascular, Inc.; EndoChoice, Inc.; Royal Philips & Georgia Regents Health System
  • Emerging Leader of the Year - Dana Fallaize, Emory University
  • Innovation Awards - Amy Baxter, MD, CEO, MMJ Labs; Ami Klin, Ph.D., Director, Marcus Autism Center
  • Legislator of the Year Award - Representative Ben Watson (R-166)
  • Phoenix Award - Merial LTD & the University of Georgia
  • Teacher of the Year - Julie A. Johnson, RN, MSN/MBA, Ed.S., Social Circle High School

For a list of past Georgia Bio Industry Growth Award recipients, click here.

Georgia Bio (www.gabio.org) is the private, non-profit association whose members include pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, medical centers, universities and research institutes, government groups and other business organizations involved in the development of life sciences related products and services.

Note to Editors: Credentialed members of the news media are invited to attend. Registration is complimentary. Please contact Maria Thacker (404-920-2042; maria.thacker@gabio.org).

Georgia Bio
Maria Thacker Goethe, 404-920-2042
maria.thacker@gabio.org