The leadership team at RMTI is impressive with the specific bio industry experience needed to guide this company to optimization of its advancements for the millions of people affected by anemia.
Review here: https://www.rockwellmed.com/our-company/management-team/
RUSSELL H. ELLISON, M.D., M.Sc.
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Dr. Ellison has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer since April 2020 and as a Director on our Board since January 2020.
Dr. Ellison’s broad experience and leadership positions include Chief Executive Officer of the privately held biotechnology company, Promedior, Inc. (acquired by Roche); President and Chief Executive Officer of Bond Biosciences, Inc., a biotech start-up developing a drug addressing the toxic impact of iron overload in the body; Executive Director of Torreya Advisors, LLC, a life sciences investment banking firm; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Assembly Biosciences, Inc. (formerly Ventrus Biosciences, Inc.); Executive Vice President of Paramount Biosciences LLC, a global drug development and healthcare investment firm; Vice President of Clinical Development of FibroGen, Inc., where he played a key role in the early phase development of roxadustat in anemia for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients; Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer of Sanofi-Synthelabo US, Inc.; and Vice President, Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer of Hoffman La Roche, Inc. in the United States.
Dr. Ellison previously served as an Independent Board Director for several private and public companies, including Cougar Biotechnology Inc.; ProSanos Corporation; Cormedix Inc., a cardio-renal clinical stage company; and Mt. Cook, a urology-focused company.
Dr. Ellison received a Master of Science degree from the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and an M.D. from the University of British Columbia.
RUSSELL L. SKIBSTED
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER
Russell L. Skibsted has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer since September 2020.
Mr. Skibsted is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of experience in finance, global business development, capital raising, investor relations, and operations. He has worked with a variety of both public and private life sciences companies, from commercial stage, development stage and start up. Prior to joining Rockwell, he served as CFO of AgeX Therapeutics (NYSE American: AGE), a biotechnology company focused on cell therapy targeting the diseases of aging that was spun out of BioTime, Inc. (currently Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American and TASE: LCTX)). Previously, Mr. Skibsted served as CFO of BioTime, Inc., a publicly-traded biotechnology company which he joined in 2015, where he simultaneously, from time to time, performed the role of Chief Financial Officer for several of BioTime’s public and private subsidiaries, including Agex Therapeutics, OncoCyte Corporation (NYSE American: OCX), a developer of novel, non-invasive tests for the early detection of cancer (November 2015 through November 2017) and Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering the field of regenerative medicine with clinical programs in spinal cord injury and oncology immunotherapy(March 2016 through November 2016). Prior to BioTime, Mr. Skibsted served as CFO or Chief Business Officer for several public and private life science companies, including Proove Biosciences, Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals and Hana Biosciences. From time to time, he also acted as a consulting CFO to various life science companies as Managing Director of RSL Ventures. Earlier in his career, Mr. Skibsted held roles as Portfolio Management Partner and CFO at Asset Management Company, one of the oldest and most respected venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, and Vice President for GE Capital Services Structured Finance Group. Mr. Skibsted holds a B.A. in Economics from Claremont McKenna College and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
MARC HOFFMAN, M.D.
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
Dr. Hoffman has served as our Chief Medical Officer since November 2019. He has extensive experience in global drug development, medical affairs, pharmacovigilance and regulatory affairs, and has a proven track record in building, managing and globalizing medical teams for pharmaceutical companies; through both in-house roles at companies such as Baxter and Hospira and in senior leadership positions at various global contract research organizations (CROs), including Covance and, Parexel. Prior to joining Rockwell, Dr. Hoffman served as Chief Medical Officer at Celerion, Inc, a leader in early phase development and Patient iP, providing clinical leadership around Patient iP’s innovative platform, customer programs, and related medical affairs activities. Dr. Hoffman has also held the roles of Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President & General Manager over the Biopharmaceutical Business Unit at Theorem Clinical Research, leading the development of drugs and biologics.
Throughout his distinguished 30-year career, Dr. Hoffman has established medical capabilities in order to harness the data needed to develop and commercialize pharmaceutical products worldwide.
Dr Hoffman received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Emory University and his MD from American University of the Caribbean. He went on to complete the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine (DipPharmMed) organized jointly by BrAPP (British Association of Pharmaceutical Physicians) and Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University.
RAY PRATT, M.D.
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Raymond D. Pratt, M.D., has served as our Chief Development Officer since November 2019 and previously served as Chief Medical Officer since April 2012.
From 2003 to 2010, Dr. Pratt worked at Shire, where he served in various roles including Vice President of R&D, Scientific Leader of Emerging Business and Renal Business Units, Vice President of Global Clinical Medicine and Global Clinical Affairs and Head of U.S. Clinical Development. While at Shire, Dr. Pratt was instrumental in the FDA approval of Fosrenol ESRD indication and CKD non-dialysis indication in the European Union and United States. He has managed 10 different drugs through all stages of global development for renal and other indications and has extensive experience appearing before the FDA.
Prior to Shire, Dr. Pratt was Senior Director of Clinical Research and Development and Head of Central Nervous System and Internal Medicine Clinical Development at Eisai Medical Research for 9 years. He also previously served as an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University and Cornell Medical College in the Department of Medicine and Nephrology, and as the Assistant Chief of Nephrology and Director of Dialysis Services at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Dr. Pratt received his M.D. from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and completed his nephrology fellowship at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
MICHAEL DEYOUNG
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
Michael DeYoung has served as our Vice President of Operations since December 2018. Mr. DeYoung is responsible for leading Rockwell Medical’s Operations team, where he oversees manufacturing operations, logistics and company-wide strategy deployment, specifically for the launch of Triferic® in the U.S. and globally.
Mr. DeYoung’s experience includes more than 25 years in operations and finance. Before joining Rockwell Medical, he served as Chief Financial Officer of ZDHF Holdings, and as the Group Director of Moog Medical Device Group, where he was responsible for finance, human resources and IT operations, and played a key role in the turnaround of the division.
Mr. DeYoung also worked at Gambro AB, where he led operational initiatives contributing to the successful exit and sale of the company to Baxter International and was responsible for the full integration of the Baxter and Gambro renal operations in Latin America.
Mr. DeYoung received his bachelor’s in business management, general business from Western Michigan University and his master’s in accounting from Walsh College.
TIMOTHY T. CHOLE
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKETING
Mr. Chole has served as our SVP of Sales and Marketing since February 2021 and previously served as VP of Marketing since December 2019.
Mr. Chole brings over two decades of experience in commercial leadership roles for pharmaceutical and medical device companies. He has a proven track record of success launching products and growing mature portfolios; many of which have been therapeutics or devices for treatment of renal disease. Early in his career he served as the marketing lead for the IV iron portfolio at Watson Pharmaceuticals (now Allergan), and later was the Global Marketing Director for AKI Therapy at Gambro AB (now Baxter International Inc.). Mr. Chole’s background includes global, international, and U.S. marketing leadership and market development roles. Most recently served the Director of Product Marketing and Professional Education for hearing implants at Cochlear Americas.
Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Chole has demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, product marketing excellence, new market development, KOL engagement, product launches, and commercial execution.
Mr. Chole received a Bachelor of Science degree in managerial economics from the University of California at Davis.
Review here: https://www.rockwellmed.com/our-company/management-team/
RUSSELL H. ELLISON, M.D., M.Sc.
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Dr. Ellison has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer since April 2020 and as a Director on our Board since January 2020.
Dr. Ellison’s broad experience and leadership positions include Chief Executive Officer of the privately held biotechnology company, Promedior, Inc. (acquired by Roche); President and Chief Executive Officer of Bond Biosciences, Inc., a biotech start-up developing a drug addressing the toxic impact of iron overload in the body; Executive Director of Torreya Advisors, LLC, a life sciences investment banking firm; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Assembly Biosciences, Inc. (formerly Ventrus Biosciences, Inc.); Executive Vice President of Paramount Biosciences LLC, a global drug development and healthcare investment firm; Vice President of Clinical Development of FibroGen, Inc., where he played a key role in the early phase development of roxadustat in anemia for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients; Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer of Sanofi-Synthelabo US, Inc.; and Vice President, Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer of Hoffman La Roche, Inc. in the United States.
Dr. Ellison previously served as an Independent Board Director for several private and public companies, including Cougar Biotechnology Inc.; ProSanos Corporation; Cormedix Inc., a cardio-renal clinical stage company; and Mt. Cook, a urology-focused company.
Dr. Ellison received a Master of Science degree from the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and an M.D. from the University of British Columbia.
RUSSELL L. SKIBSTED
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER
Russell L. Skibsted has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer since September 2020.
Mr. Skibsted is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of experience in finance, global business development, capital raising, investor relations, and operations. He has worked with a variety of both public and private life sciences companies, from commercial stage, development stage and start up. Prior to joining Rockwell, he served as CFO of AgeX Therapeutics (NYSE American: AGE), a biotechnology company focused on cell therapy targeting the diseases of aging that was spun out of BioTime, Inc. (currently Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American and TASE: LCTX)). Previously, Mr. Skibsted served as CFO of BioTime, Inc., a publicly-traded biotechnology company which he joined in 2015, where he simultaneously, from time to time, performed the role of Chief Financial Officer for several of BioTime’s public and private subsidiaries, including Agex Therapeutics, OncoCyte Corporation (NYSE American: OCX), a developer of novel, non-invasive tests for the early detection of cancer (November 2015 through November 2017) and Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering the field of regenerative medicine with clinical programs in spinal cord injury and oncology immunotherapy(March 2016 through November 2016). Prior to BioTime, Mr. Skibsted served as CFO or Chief Business Officer for several public and private life science companies, including Proove Biosciences, Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals and Hana Biosciences. From time to time, he also acted as a consulting CFO to various life science companies as Managing Director of RSL Ventures. Earlier in his career, Mr. Skibsted held roles as Portfolio Management Partner and CFO at Asset Management Company, one of the oldest and most respected venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, and Vice President for GE Capital Services Structured Finance Group. Mr. Skibsted holds a B.A. in Economics from Claremont McKenna College and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
MARC HOFFMAN, M.D.
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
Dr. Hoffman has served as our Chief Medical Officer since November 2019. He has extensive experience in global drug development, medical affairs, pharmacovigilance and regulatory affairs, and has a proven track record in building, managing and globalizing medical teams for pharmaceutical companies; through both in-house roles at companies such as Baxter and Hospira and in senior leadership positions at various global contract research organizations (CROs), including Covance and, Parexel. Prior to joining Rockwell, Dr. Hoffman served as Chief Medical Officer at Celerion, Inc, a leader in early phase development and Patient iP, providing clinical leadership around Patient iP’s innovative platform, customer programs, and related medical affairs activities. Dr. Hoffman has also held the roles of Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President & General Manager over the Biopharmaceutical Business Unit at Theorem Clinical Research, leading the development of drugs and biologics.
Throughout his distinguished 30-year career, Dr. Hoffman has established medical capabilities in order to harness the data needed to develop and commercialize pharmaceutical products worldwide.
Dr Hoffman received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Emory University and his MD from American University of the Caribbean. He went on to complete the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine (DipPharmMed) organized jointly by BrAPP (British Association of Pharmaceutical Physicians) and Cardiff School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University.
RAY PRATT, M.D.
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Raymond D. Pratt, M.D., has served as our Chief Development Officer since November 2019 and previously served as Chief Medical Officer since April 2012.
From 2003 to 2010, Dr. Pratt worked at Shire, where he served in various roles including Vice President of R&D, Scientific Leader of Emerging Business and Renal Business Units, Vice President of Global Clinical Medicine and Global Clinical Affairs and Head of U.S. Clinical Development. While at Shire, Dr. Pratt was instrumental in the FDA approval of Fosrenol ESRD indication and CKD non-dialysis indication in the European Union and United States. He has managed 10 different drugs through all stages of global development for renal and other indications and has extensive experience appearing before the FDA.
Prior to Shire, Dr. Pratt was Senior Director of Clinical Research and Development and Head of Central Nervous System and Internal Medicine Clinical Development at Eisai Medical Research for 9 years. He also previously served as an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University and Cornell Medical College in the Department of Medicine and Nephrology, and as the Assistant Chief of Nephrology and Director of Dialysis Services at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Dr. Pratt received his M.D. from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and completed his nephrology fellowship at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
MICHAEL DEYOUNG
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
Michael DeYoung has served as our Vice President of Operations since December 2018. Mr. DeYoung is responsible for leading Rockwell Medical’s Operations team, where he oversees manufacturing operations, logistics and company-wide strategy deployment, specifically for the launch of Triferic® in the U.S. and globally.
Mr. DeYoung’s experience includes more than 25 years in operations and finance. Before joining Rockwell Medical, he served as Chief Financial Officer of ZDHF Holdings, and as the Group Director of Moog Medical Device Group, where he was responsible for finance, human resources and IT operations, and played a key role in the turnaround of the division.
Mr. DeYoung also worked at Gambro AB, where he led operational initiatives contributing to the successful exit and sale of the company to Baxter International and was responsible for the full integration of the Baxter and Gambro renal operations in Latin America.
Mr. DeYoung received his bachelor’s in business management, general business from Western Michigan University and his master’s in accounting from Walsh College.
TIMOTHY T. CHOLE
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKETING
Mr. Chole has served as our SVP of Sales and Marketing since February 2021 and previously served as VP of Marketing since December 2019.
Mr. Chole brings over two decades of experience in commercial leadership roles for pharmaceutical and medical device companies. He has a proven track record of success launching products and growing mature portfolios; many of which have been therapeutics or devices for treatment of renal disease. Early in his career he served as the marketing lead for the IV iron portfolio at Watson Pharmaceuticals (now Allergan), and later was the Global Marketing Director for AKI Therapy at Gambro AB (now Baxter International Inc.). Mr. Chole’s background includes global, international, and U.S. marketing leadership and market development roles. Most recently served the Director of Product Marketing and Professional Education for hearing implants at Cochlear Americas.
Throughout his distinguished career, Mr. Chole has demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, product marketing excellence, new market development, KOL engagement, product launches, and commercial execution.
Mr. Chole received a Bachelor of Science degree in managerial economics from the University of California at Davis.
