Len Blackstone
ONAMI High-Tech Extension Director
CEO, Blackstone, Inc.
Management & Marketing Consulting
Len Blackstone assists Oregon’s signature research universities to connect with industry and to help businesses develop and introduce new products, acquire new customers, increase sales, and expand into new markets.
Len has helped companies grow for over 30 years – working with organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to entrepreneurial startups; for-profits and non-profits. He is a master marketer whose work has gained national media attention such as on 60 Minutes, been a college instructor, and is a recurring guest lecturer at major universities.
Len is an expert at exploring and assessing new market opportunities, identifying effective marketing strategies, and developing go-to-market tactics. Prior to starting his consulting firm in 2001, Len worked in the advertising agency and sales promotion business, leading numerous national and international marketing campaigns.
Len has expertise in several industries, including technology, life sciences, biotech, healthcare, medical devices, and many different types of consumer package goods.
Len can be reached by phone at 541-942-3870 or by email at len.blackstone@onami.us.
August Sick
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Augie Sick operates a private consulting practice focused on start-up or early stage biotechnology companies that have a need for experienced operations management and deal expertise; providing advisory and coaching services for founders, executives and leadership teams. He is a co-founder and managing director of Cascade Prodrug, Inc. a development stage company engaged in anti-cancer therapeutics. Mr. Sick currently serves as a director of Active Motif, Inc., Floragenex, Inc., Yecuris Corporation, the Sacred Heart Medical Center Foundation and the External Advisory Committee for the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (OCTRI). Previously, Mr. Sick was a senior executive for Invitrogen Corporation, a career that started as the 20th employee and covered more than 18 years. In November 2008, Invitrogen and Applied Biosystems merged to form a new entity, Life Technologies, having over 9500 employees and revenues greater than $3.5B. With the change-in-control Mr. Sick retired from Life Technologies in January 2009. In 2006, he was made General Manager of Invitrogen’s $150M annual revenue Cellular Analysis Business where he grew its revenues to about $225 within 2 years. In addition to its primary research supply market, the Cellular Analysis Business provided several hundred Class I IVD products for the diagnosis of cancer and was the first business within Invitrogen to receive a Pre-Market Approval (“PMA”) from the FDA for a Class III IVD. From 2003 to 2006, Mr. Sick was the President of Molecular Probes, Inc. after being acquired for $365M by Invitrogen in August 2003. Previously, he held positions as Vice President Corporate Development and Strategy and Vice President Business Development. During his tenure at Invitrogen, he orchestrated the acquisition of 18 companies and was responsible for over 100 licensing deals. Mr. Sick began his biotechnology career in 1986 as a research associate for Mycogen Corporation, a San Diego startup where he developed many novel molecular biology methods. He is the key inventor on 34 issued US Patents. Mr. Sick received a B.A. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from the University of California San Diego.
Augie can be reached by phone at 541-521-8834 and by email at asick@onami.us.
Michael Tippie
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Michael Tippie is a life science executive with six previous early stage company operational experiences. He has worked in therapeutics (Tacora, Stressgen), diagnostics (Syva, Flash Sensor Tech), life science tools (LifeSpan BioSciences), heath care services (CN Response) and medical devices (Medical Innovation Partners). In these companies he was a key player in an acquisition by a public company, two initial public offerings as well as numerous venture financings. He has cut strategic alliances with most of the world’s major pharmaceutical companies, in total raising more than $100 MM in current cash. Michael has also been a life science venture capitalist with four different venture capital firms (Norwest, Medical Innovation Partners, Milk Street Ventures, Reference Capital). Michael has degrees in Chemistry from Reed College and the University of Washington, as well as an MBA from the Sloan School at MIT.
Michael can be reached by phone at 425-830-5805 and by email at mtippie@onami.us.
John Brewer, Jr.
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
John’s 28 years in the wireless industry extend across the disciplines of engineering, marketing and executive management. He is currently a Managing Director with Vincio, a business development and advisory services firm working with private technology companies to increase industry awareness in preparation for trade sale or strategic investment. John finished five years as Vice President, Corporate and Business Development and Vice President, Marketing with SiGe Semiconductor in June 2011, where he helped lead the company’s IPO filing and eventual sale to Skyworks Solutions. He has either founded or been a key early participant in seven tech startups, including two university spinouts, since 1986. John holds the bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Santa Clara University.
John can be reached by phone at 503-453-2765 and by email at jbrewer@onami.us.
Board of Director Disclosures
As required by Oregon law, current director disclosure forms are provided below. They can be downloaded in PDF format.
Ronald Adams’ Disclosure
Kimberly Andrews Espy’s Disclosure
Ed Baker’s Disclosure
John Hartzell’s Disclosure
Annette Kolodzie’s Disclosure
Scott Nelson’s Disclosure
Michael O’Halloran’s Disclosure
Chockalingam Palaniappan’s Disclosure
Adrien Roberts’ Disclosure
Timothy Stout’s Disclosure
Renjeng Su’s Disclosure
Gil Vandentop’s Disclosure
Tim Weber’s Disclosure
Jay Lindquist
Technology Business Development LLC
ONAMI Commercialization Manager
Dr. Lindquist brings to ONAMI 20 years of experience in development of nanotechnology based businesses across industries ranging from capital equipment, to aerospace, to advanced materials. Jay is President of Technology Business Development, a consulting firm specializing in valuation expansion of nano- and microtechnology companies.
Jay holds a Ph.D. In Physical Chemistry from the University of California, Irvine, B.Sc. From the University of Puget Sound, and Executive MBA from Stanford University. His work managing the ONAMI Commercialization Program and Gap Fund has helped young Oregon companies raise over $70M to date from less than $4M of grants from the Fund.
Cindy Dahl
Vice President, Operations, ONAMI
Cindy Dahl joined ONAMI in 2006 as the Vice President of Operations. She is a licensed professional engineer with a BS in Civil Engineering and a MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois. Prior to joining ONAMI, Ms. Dahl had a 25 year career as a consulting engineer to industrial and governmental clients throughout the country. Her areas of expertise include Superfund site remediation, regulatory strategy, and negotiation.
Ms. Dahl spent 18 years with CH2M HILL in Corvallis, Oregon, including 6 years as the Area Manager. In that role, she worked with other business and govenmental entities to plan and promote economic development in Oregon.
Robert D. “Skip” Rung
President and Executive Director, ONAMI
Skip Rung is a senior high technology R&D executive with over 25 years of engineering and management experience in CMOS process technology,integrated circuit desig & packaging, MEMS, microfluidics, and inkjet printing.
Prior to establishing an innovation consulting practice in 2001 and founding ONAMI in 2003, Mr. Rung was the director of Research and Development at Hewlett-Packard’s Corvallis facility, which is both the headquarters for HP’s world-leading thermal inkjet printing technology and the company’s most advanced technology R&D and manufacturing site. Mr. Rung holds BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University.
Visit ONAMI’s Nanotechnology Now Blog
Conflict of interest Policy
CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY
The effectiveness of the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute, an Oregon nonprofit corporation (“ONAMI”), depends upon its credibility and reputation for objectivity and fairness. The purpose of this conflict of interest policy is to protect the interests of ONAMI when it enters into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of a director, officer or employee of ONAMI. This policy is intended to supplement, but not replace, any applicable state and federal laws governing conflicts of interest that are applicable to nonprofit organizations.
I. Definitions
A. Interested Person. An “Interested Person” is a director, officer, or employee of ONAMI. An “Interested Person” shall also include a person who is a spouse, sibling, parent or child of a person defined above.
B. Financial Interest. An Interested Person has a financial interest if the Interested Person has, directly or indirectly, through business, investment or family: (i) an ownership or investment interest in any entity with which ONAMI has a transaction or arrangement; (ii) a compensation arrangement with ONAMI or with any entity or individual with which ONAMI has a transaction or arrangement; or (iii) a potential ownership or investment interest in, or compensation arrangement with, any entity or individual with which ONAMI is negotiating a transaction or arrangement. Compensation includes direct and indirect remuneration as well as gifts or favors that are not insubstantial.
C. Conflict of Interest. A conflict of interest arises when an Interested Person is in a position, or perceived to be in a position, to have a direct or indirect financial interest in a transaction by virtue of his or her relationship with ONAMI, and the board decides a conflict of interest exists pursuant to Section II, paragraph B.
D. Contractual Conflict of Interest. In accordance with the terms of the Grant Agreement between ONAMI and the State of Oregon, acting by and through its Business Development Department (Contract Number C2009139) executed September 28, 2009, ONAMI is prohibited from contracting with any company or organization that employs (as an employee or under contract) a Director or with which a Director of a member of his/her immediate family is affiliated if that agreement is funded in whole or in part from the proceeds of the Grant Agreement.
This restriction does not apply to an appointed Director in the performance of his/her duties on the Board as a representative of the Oregon University System (OUS), the State of Oregon, Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), or Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) or to a member of his/her immediate family. However, this restriction may apply to an appointed Director if that Director has a financial interest in a company or organization outside his/her role with the State, OUS, OHSU, or PNNL.
II. Procedures
A. Duty to Disclose. Prior to board or committee discussion on a policy, contract or transaction involving an actual or possible conflict of interest, an Interested Person shall disclose to the board or committee the actual or possible conflict of interest and all facts material. If an individual believes an Interested Person has an actual or possible conflict of interest and the Interested Person has not disclosed the actual or possible conflict, the individual perceiving the actual or possible conflict shall disclose to the board or committee the actual or possible conflict of interest as well as all material facts.
B. Determining Whether a Conflict of Interest Exists. In the event it is not clear that a conflict of interest exists, an individual or the Interested Person shall disclose the circumstances in accordance with the procedures above. The Interested Person shall then be excused from the board or committee meeting and the remaining board or committee members shall decide if a conflict of interest exists.
C. Absence. A director or committee member who plans not to attend a meeting at which he or she has reason to believe that the board or committee will act on a matter in which the director or committee member is an Interested Person shall disclose to the chair of the meeting all facts material to the conflict of interest. The chair shall report the disclosure at the meeting.
D. Addressing the Conflict. An Interested Person may make a presentation at a board or committee meeting regarding a proposed policy, contract or transaction, but shall then leave the meeting and shall not participate in or be permitted to hear the board or committee discussion and vote regarding the matter except to respond to questions. The Interested Person shall not attempt to exert his or her personal influence with respect to the matter, either at or outside the meeting.
E. Analysis of Transaction.
1. The board or committee shall, if appropriate, appoint a disinterested person or committee to investigate alternatives to the proposed transaction or arrangement.
2. After exercising due diligence, the board or committee shall determine whether ONAMI can obtain with reasonable efforts a more advantageous transaction or arrangement from a person or entity that would not give rise to a conflict of interest.
3. If a more advantageous transaction or arrangement is not reasonably possible under circumstances not producing a conflict of interest, the board or committee may approve of the conflict of interest transaction after determining that the transaction or arrangement is in ONAMI’s best interest, for its own benefit, and is fair and reasonable.
F. Quorum. An Interested Person shall not be counted in determining the presence of a quorum for purposes of a vote on a conflict of interest transaction.
G. Later Approval. In the event that a conflict of interest with respect to a transaction is disclosed after that transaction has been approved, the board or committee shall review the disclosed conflict of interest at the next meeting to determine, following the procedures outlined above, if a conflict of interest did exist and shall establish procedures to remedy the conflict, if possible.
H. Violations of Conflict of Interest Policy. If an individual has reasonable cause to believe an Interested Person has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, the individual must inform the board of the basis for such belief and the board shall afford the Interested Individual an opportunity to explain the alleged failure to disclose. If, after hearing the Interested Person’s response, and after making further investigation as warranted by the circumstances, the board or committee determines the Interested Person has failed to disclose an actual or possible conflict of interest, it must take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action.
III. Records of Proceedings
The minutes of the board or a committee addressing conflict issues shall contain:
A. The names of the Interested Persons who disclosed or otherwise were found to have an actual or possible conflict of interest, the nature of the interest, any action taken to determine whether a conflict of interest was present, and the board or committee decision as to whether a conflict of interest in fact existed.
B. The names of the persons who were present for discussions and votes relating to proposed conflict of interest transaction, the content of the discussion, including any alternatives to the proposed transaction, and a record of any votes taken in connection with the proceedings.
IV. Periodic Review of Policy
A. Each director, officer, and employee of ONAMI shall annually review a copy of this policy sign a statement which affirms the such individual: (i) has received a copy of the conflicts of interest policy; (ii) has read and understands the policy; and (iii) has agreed to abide by the policy.
B. To ensure ONAMI does not engage in activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status, periodic reviews must be conducted. The periodic reviews must, at a minimum, include the following subjects:
1. Whether compensation arrangement and benefits are reasonable, based on competent survey information, and the result of arm’s length bargaining.
2. Whether partnerships, joint ventures, and arrangements with management organizations conform to ONAMI’s written policies, are properly recorded, reflect reasonable investment or payments for goods and services, further charitable purposes and do not result in inurement, impermissible private benefit or in an excess benefit transaction.
C. When conducting reviews of this policy, the board may, but shall not be required to, use outside advisors. If outside advisors are used, the use shall not relieve the directors of the responsibility for ensuring periodic reviews of the policy.
This Conflict of Interest Policy was adopted by the board of directors of Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute on November 20, 2009.
__________________________________
Cindy L. Dahl, Secretary
CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
I certify that I have received a copy of the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute Conflict of Interest Policy dated November 20, 2009 (the “Policy”). I have read and understand the Policy, and agree to abide by the Policy.
_______________________________________
(SIGNATURE)
_______________________________________
(PRINT NAME)
_______________________________________
(DATE)
The ONAMI Model
ONAMI’s operating model, under continuous development since 2002, recognizes that, just as in the business world since the early 1980s, no single institution has all the human and infrastructure resources to sustain both technically competitiveness and the ability to respond in real time to emerging opportunities. This is particularly true in small or geographically sparse states and regions, and presents a severe challenge to future prosperity when combined with accelerating shift toward innovation-dependent traded sector industries and the high-wage job opportunities that everyone wants.
The answer to this conundrum is to combine the usual three-part technology-based economic development (TBED) investment formula (research, business and capital formation and workforce development) with newer and more effective models for collaboration among multiple institutions, business and industry, early stage investors, and both state and federal government agencies.
ONAMI invests state economic development funds (administered by the Oregon Innovation Council in four ways:
- Growth in research capacity and competitiveness. We provide (via competitive application) matching funds for federal and private collaborative research proposals led by ONAMI member PIs. These funds both augment funded projects and enable capacity investments to grow the most promising research groups and capabilities. In all of this, we actively work at building competitive collaborative teams for both discovery-based science and commercialization activities.
- The ONAMI “high tech extension” service connects the NWNanoNet™ collection of shared/open user facilities to industry—now over 150 companies of all sizes – on a user friendly fee-for-service basis. We do this in close partnership with Business Oregon -our award winning state business development department. These university-based facilities are a critical resource for access to advanced and unique fabrication, measurement and characterization tools that are essential to, but outside the purchase reach of, all but the largest companies. In selected cases, our facilities provide leased tenant space to collaborating companies.
- ONAMI’s commercialization gap fund provides critical support to early stage technologies and companies arising from ONAMI members’ research and NWNanoNet™ user companies. In our experience ($70M in leveraged company funding as of 2010), the “valley of death” contains not one, but two gaps: between research result and manufacturable product, and between technology push and market pull. We accordingly provide both project funding and business development services.
- Although we are not an events organization, we do hold periodic conferences and seminars in support of the above activities. Most notable is our Greener Nano conference series, produced annually by our Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Initiative. We also sponsor and participate in selected local, state, national and international events related to nanoscience research, technology based economic development and early stage company investing.
Why Oregon
Oregon has long been known for its physical beauty and quality of life, as well as its natural resource-based industries. Oregon also has a long history of manufacturing intensity in primary and fabricated metals, transportation equipment, and electronic measurement instrumentation, with a “high-tech” sector going back to the 1940s - having roots in forest radio communications, military shipbuilding and precision forest products manufacturing.
Oregon’s “Silicon Forest” grew from being a great location for manufacturing expansion out of Silicon Valley in the 1970s to become the home of the world’s most advanced “small tech” (nanoelectronics, MEMS, microfluidics) industrial research and development sites by the middle of the 1990s.
It therefore made perfect sense that Oregon’s first Signature Research Center would be in the field of nanoscience and microtechnologies, and that a vibrant partnership would form between Oregon’s research universities and the nearby Pacific Northwest National Laboratory—the largest research institution north of San Francisco and west of Chicago.
These world-class technology assets, a spirit of pioneer collaboration and can-do pragmatism, in a positive, affordable business climate are making Oregon the location of choice for leading technology firms, innovative startup companies, and investors.
The ONAMI community stands at the nexus of fundamental research, the latest industrial manufacturing technology, and a focused approach to innovation-based economic development. We invite you to take a closer look at one of the nation’s deepest talent pools and collaborative communities.
Oregon is home to:
- Two Nobel science laureates Linus Pauling, Carl Wieman—with three prizes between them
- The world’s first 32nm semiconductor production and leading 22nm development facility Intel Corporation, Hillsboro
- The world’s best selling consumer and business inkjet printing technologies Hewlett-Packard Co, Corvallis; Xerox Corporation, Wilsonville
- The world’s first sub-angstrom electron microscope development FEI Company, Hillsboro
- The world’s leading selection particles-based products (quantum dots, microspheres) for life science and other applications Life Technologies/Invitrogen, Eugene
- The world’s most advanced laser micromachining equipment and solutions ESI, Portland
- North America’s larges photovoltaics production facility Solarworld, Hillsboro
- The 2010 National Cleantech Open Grand Prize winner Puralytics, Beaverton
About
ONAMI is Oregon’s first “signature research center” (SRC)—an academic, business and government collaboration to grow research volume and commercialization in the broad area of nano- and micro-scale science and engineering. First established in 2003 as a pilot for the SRC concept developed by the Oregon Council for Knowledge and Economic Development, ONAMI is now an initiative of the Oregon Innovation Council and operates under an administrative services contract with the Oregon Business Development Department.
Since 2003, we have received a cumulative state investment of $42M, which has been used for strategic investments in facilities and equipment at partner universities in the Oregon University System, supplemental matching funds for R&D projects undertaken by our 250 member researchers, and “gap” grants to startup companies with high growth potential working with our member researchers and affiliated user facilities.
Our belief, increasingly borne out in public data (patents, per capita industry R&D, small business intensity) is that Oregon’s past, present and future economic welfare, like that of the entire U.S., is dependent on pioneering innovation in energy, medicine, information technology, and other high-value sectors enabled by materials science and advanced components.
- “The major differentiator for the ONAMI family is the “can do” or “just do it” attitude. I have never encountered anything like this before in academia in 35 years of work in R&D management.” Dr. J.T. Adrian Roberts, Battelle Memorial Institute.
Leadership Team
Conflict of Interest Policy
John Carruthers
Distinguished Professor of Physics
Portland State University
View John Carruthers’s Profile Page
Cindy Dahl
Vice President, Operations
ONAMI
View Cindy L. Dahl’s Profile Page
James Hutchison
Professor of Chemistry
University of Oregon
View James Hutchison’s Profile Page
David Johnson
Professor of Chemistry
University of Oregon
View David Johnson’s Profile Page
Doug Keszler
Professor of Chemistry
Oregon State University
View Doug Keszler’s Profile Page
Robert D. ‘Skip’ Rung
President and Executive Director, ONAMI
View Robert D. Rung’s Profile Page
Ward TeGrotenhuis
Chief Engineer, Energy & Efficiency Division
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
View Ward TeGrotenhuis’ Profile Page
Tania Vu
Assistant Professor
Oregon Health and Science University
View Tania Vu’s Profile Page
Recent Publications
Please select a file to view/download
- Skip Rung/Presentation to the 2012 Oregon Leadership Summit, “How States and Federal Agencies Can Partner Commercialize Research and Create Jobs via Startups”
- Skip Rung/Presentation to the 2012 National SBIR Conference, “From Technology Push to Market Pull: Commercializing Research via Startups and Spinouts”
- Skip Rung/Presentation for 2012 Governor’s Trade Mission to Asia
- Skip Rung/Commercialization program overview for community and local investors
- Skip Rung/ONAMI commercialization presentation to the 2012 Nanomanufacturing Summit
- ACS Green Chemistry Institute in partnership with the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute, a white paper addressing the critical challenges to advancing greener nanotechnology: “Green Nanotechnology Challenges And Opportunities”
- Skip Rung/ONAMI invited presentation to the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices Conference “States and Innovation: Setting the Stage for Job Creation”
- Skip Rung/ONAMI plenary presentation to NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Grantees Conference “Regional Innovation in Nanotechnology: Nanohubs”
- Skip Rung presentation to the 2010 Greener Nano Conference “Introduction to Nanotechnology and its Critical Importance to the Pacific Northwest and National Economies”
- Skip Rung/ONAMI presentation to the NSF Nanomanufacturing Summit “The Business of Nanomanufacturing: State/Regional Partnerships, Commercialized Research and Entrepreneurial Startups”
Partner Institutions
Our major partner research institutions are Oregon Health and Science University, Oregon State University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Portland State University , and the University of Oregon.
All outstanding in their respective core capabilities, these leading research institutions are also superb in their collaboration, resource sharing, and contribution to scientific and economic progress in Oregon, the Pacific Northwest and the world.
|
|
|
|
|
Staff
Conflict of Interest Policy
Robert D. Rung
President and Executive Director
View Robert D. ‘Skip’ Rung’s Profile Page
Cindy L. Dahl
Vice President, Operations
View Cindy L. Dahl’s Profile Page
Len Blackstone
High Tech Extension Director
View Len Blackstone’s Profile Page
John Brewer, Jr.
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
View John Brewer Jr’s Profile Page
Danielle Z. Clair
Program Assistant and Webmaster
Jay M. Lindquist, PhD
Technology Business Development LLC
Commercialization Gap Fund Manager
View Jay Lindquist’s Profile Page
August Sick
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
View August Sick’s Profile Page
Michael Tippie
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
View Michael Tippie’s Profile Page
Board of Directors
Conflict of Interest Policy
Director Disclosures
J.T. Adrian Roberts, Chair
Consultant
Battelle Memorial Institute
Ron Adams
Executive Associate VP for Research
Oregon State University
Ed Baker
Director, Energy and Efficiency Division
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
View Ed Baker’s Researcher Page
Kimberly Andrews Espy
VP for Research and Graduate Studies
University of Oregon
John Hartzell
Senior Director
Materials and Device Applications Lab
Sharp Laboratories of America
Annette Kolodzie
Strategic Programs Director
FEI Company
Scott Nelson
Jobs and Economy Policy Advisor to Oregon Gov. Kitzhaber
Governor’s Office
Michael O’Halloran
Director of Technology
CH2M HILL
Chockalingam “Palani” Palaniappan
VP, Research and Development
Cellular Analysis, Life Technologies
Timothy Stout
Vice President, Commercialization Strategies
Oregon Health and Science University
Renjeng Su
Dean, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Portland State University
Gilroy Vandentop
Novel Materials Group Leader
Intel
Tim Weber
Director, Research and Development
Hewlett-Packard Company
