Lawrie Named Manager of BioBusiness Center
Jonathan Lawrie, BioBusiness Center Manager
Jonathan Lawrie, Ph.D has been named manager of the BioBusiness Center at A-B Tech. He has spent the past 20 years commercializing emerging technology in successful venture capital backed biotechnology companies and established biomedical corporations.
Lawrie was most recently founding president of StemCo Biomedical in Durham, which has developed cellular therapies for cardiovascular and other medical applications. Before that, he was director of Business Development at BD Technologies, which provided biotechnology incubation services to several companies in Research Triangle Park.
He also taught Biotechnology as an adjunct at Fayetteville Technical Community College. "I wanted to make the transition into the community college system," Lawrie said. "I really enjoy teaching and sharing what I know about the excitement surrounding biotechnology. Both teaching and mentoring companies allow me to personally be involved in spreading Biotechnology from Research Triangle Park to throughout Western North Carolina."
Lawrie was also president of Cardiovascular Diagnostics in Durham, which manufactured rapid point-of-care tests for hospitals. Before relocating to North Carolina in 1992, he was with Roche Diagnostic Systems, Gene-Trak Systems, and co-founded Codon, a successful biotechnology company that developed human diagnostic and therapeutic products.
"I am a startup guy," he said. "I have ridden the biotechnology wave since the beginning from California to Boston to North Carolina over the past two decades. As soon as a company started routine operations, I wanted to find something else. I now find it more satisfying to show 10 people how to run a company rather than run another company myself."
Lawrie holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of California, Irvine and a M.S. and Ph.D in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Washington. He performed postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco with Dr. Herbert Boyer, a biotechnology pioneer and founder of Genentech.
The BioBusiness Center provides business development and incubation services to small North Carolina based biotechnology companies. Lawrie's goals include providing direct support to entrepreneurial and biotechnology companies in the areas surrounding A-B Tech, and to educate people about biotechnology.
A-B Tech Teams Bowl For A Good Cause
A-B Tech Bowl for Kids' Sake team members were first row, from left, Kay Manley, Adult Basic Skills/HRD executive director; Asako Ochiai, an exchange student hosted by Manley; Donna Smith, Adult Basic Education/GED instructor. Second row, Jason Hill, Jennifer Yowell's fiancé: Jennifer Yowell, English as a Second Language Coordinator; Bob Smith, Donna's husband; and Michelle Day, ESL instructor.
A-B Tech Bowl for Kids' Sake team members were Shelley White, HRD Coordinator; Lani Anderson, chief GED examiner; second row, Lee White, Shelley's husband; Alma Fisher, Job Developer instructor; Kay Manley, Adult Basic Skills/HRD executive director: Max Queen, Continuing Education vice president.
Two teams from A-B Tech braved snowy weather to support Big Brothers Big Sisters Feb. 18 during the annual Bowl for Kids' Sake.
The team members raised a total of $925 in preparation for the event, and once they got to the bowling center it was time to share a couple of hours of strikes, gutter balls and laughs.
The A-B Tech teams raised enough money to serve two children who could benefit from having a caring, adult mentor. It costs an average of $500 to make and support one "match"‹a Big Brother/Sister and Little Brother/Sister. This covers the cost of volunteer background checks and training, parent and child interviews, and providing support for everyone involved in the match.
Welcome New Employees
The College welcomes 11 full-time employees who have accepted staff and faculty positions over the past months.
Deborah J. Bakken, Nursing instructor, earned her A.S. in Nursing from George C. Wallace State Community College in Dothan, Ala.; her B.S. in nursing from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and her M.S. in nursing from Touro University, Cypress, Calif. She has served as a staff nurse for United States Naval Hospitals in Florida and California and was a charge nurse at the Naval Ambulatory Care Center in Point Mugu, Calif.
Lori J. Berman, employment specialist, received her A.A. in Liberal Arts from Nassau Community College in Garden City, N.J.; her B.A. in English from State University of New York in Oneonta; and her M.A. in human resources development from Webster University in Albuquerque, N.M. She served as the director of Student Services at Wolford College in Naples, Fla., and was an import product manager for Source Interlink Co., in Bonita Springs, Fla.
Anita E. Chambers, Security Officer, earned her GED from A-B Tech and did further study in business at Cecil's Business College. She has had various positions with Mountain Mobility for more than nine years as driver, dispatcher, CPR/First Aid instructor and trainer. She has also worked as a courier guard for Pony Express Courier Corp.
Kristen H. Franklin, secretary for Human Resources, received her A.A. through the transfer program at A-B Tech. She had been the office manager at Wilson, Coman and Taylor for the past two years and has served as an administrative assistant and senior desk supervisor at the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa.
Kenneth L. Kendrick, custodian, earned his high school diploma from Central High School in Helena, Ariz. He has been a custodian for Capital Fitness in Asheville and a roll handler for Anvil Knitwear. He has also been a handler for Columbia Forest Products in Old Fort and a custodian for Sparkle Cleaning Associates in Farmington, Mass.
Jonathan M. Lawrie, BioNetwork BioBusiness Center manager, earned his B.S. in Biology from the University of California in Irvine, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Microbiology from University of Washington, Seattle. He has been the president of Stemco Biomedical in Durham for the past four years and was the director of B.D. Technologies in Research Triangle Park. He was also the resident, managing director Europe for Pharmanetics in Cary and the vice president of Research and Development for Amoco Corp/Gene Track Systems in Framingham, Mass.
Rhonda R. Owenby, Nursing instructor, received her ADN from McDowell Technical Community College and BSN from Western Carolina University with a projected MSN/FNP from WCU in August. She was a Continuing Education specialist for UNC-Chapel Hill and a clinical Instructor for A-B Tech. She was a regional supervisor for Tender Touch Home Care in Marion and was a clinical Registered Nurse for the McDowell County Health Department for 11 years.