Dr. Stephen Kron - Chair, Science Advisory Board

Stephen J. Kron M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology and an Investigator in the Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research at the University of Chicago. Trained in bioengineering, medicine and cell and molecular biology, Dr. Kron directs an interdisciplinary research group using diverse approaches to dissect signaling pathways for cell proliferation and DNA damage response.Click here to learn more about Dr. Kron.

Neil M. Hirsch - Chair, Foundation Advisory Board

Prior to becoming the head of group purchasing for IHRSA, The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, Neil Hirsch graduated with honors from Tulane University with a major in Economics and later from New York University with an MBA, where he graduated first in his class. Neil’s mastery of business has lead him down many paths including positions at Pro Shop Marketing, Affinity Marketing as well as the Vice President of Women’s Clothing Operations for Hirsch Clothing. Currently Neil serves as a speaker on merchandising at MITA meetings and for special classes at Michigan State University and Northwestern University. Neil is the chair of the Judy Hirsch Fund for Lung Cancer Research at Partnership for Cures, a fund set up in memory of his wife Judy, who lost her battle a few years ago. Neil will lend PFC his no-nonsense marketing expertise and his passion to find treatments for those suffering from lung cancers.

Peter Kupferberg - Co-Chair, Foundation Advisory Board

Peter B. Kupferberg is a principal of Gofen and Glossberg and has been with the firm since 1992. He received a B.A. degree from Grinnell College and a Master’s of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago. Mr. Kupferberg has served on boards of several non-profit organizations, including the Council for Jewish Elderly, Hillel/CAYS, the Mary Meyer School and the Standard Club. He currently serves on the board of the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs and is chairman of the financial division of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Kevin R. Krantz - Member, Foundation Advisory Board

Kevin R. Krantz concentrates his practice in advising businesses and their shareholders, directors and officers in a broad range of legal issues, including litigation matters. Mr. Krantz serves as general corporate counsel to numerous corporations in the printing, distribution, manufacturing, medical equipment, and real estate industries. Additionally, Mr. Krantz represents lenders in secured financing transactions.

Kevin has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, financing, business turn-around, employment issues, real estate transactions, advising family owned businesses and business litigation and appeals.

Robert Miller - Member, Foundation Advisory Board

Robert Miller founded Millco Investments in 1999. He is involved in all aspects of the company including, brokerage, investments, client relations, financing and property management. From 1994-1998 he was Vice President of David Kaufman & Company, a national real estate brokerage and auction firm. In 2004, Mr. Miller was named Retail Real Estate Investment Sales Broker of the Year by the Chicago Commercial Real Estate Council. He was also named among the top 10 producing real estate brokers in the greater Chicago area by CoStar. Bobby has completed in excess of $580 million in real estate transactions during his more than 11 years of experience in the real estate brokerage and investment marketplace.

Bobby Miller is a licensed real estate broker in the State of Illinois. He received his BA from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1990. In addition to his work with Partnership for Cures, Mr. Miller supports Juvenile Diabetes, JUF, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Fouundation and The Gastro-intestinal Research Foundation.

Kathleen Drennan - Chair, Clinical Research Advisory Committee

Kathleen Drennan is currently President & CEO at TrialAdvance. TrialAdvance provides study sponsors with proven, creative, study-specific solutions to difficult clinical trial problems. Kathleen also serves as Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary Trials. She has authored of over 40 articles and scientific studies, published in industry journals, and was named one of PharmaVoice's Top 100 "Change Agents" in 2008.

In 1987 Kathleen co-founded the first for-profit clinical trial site operation in the U.S. at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. Under her leadership, CCCR grew into one of the largest study centers in the nation, conducting hundreds of clinical trials and managing thousands of patient study participants annually.

Later in 2001, Kathleen Drennan concepted, built, and managed IRIS, an innovative company specializing in clinical research communications and patient recruitment tactics. Kathleen developed successful relationships with large pharma clients such as Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Alcon Laboratories and grew IRIS into a multi-million dollar agency during her tenure. She was inducted into the University of Illinois' Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 1995.

Dr. Susan Sherman - Co-Chair, Clinical Research Advisory Committee

Susie Sherman graduated from Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine in 1995 and is currently a practicing veterinarian that specializes in the care of dogs and cats. In addition to serving on the Partnership for Cures board, Dr. Sherman serves on the boards of the Lincoln Park Zoo, the National Council Board of World Wildlife Fund, and Am Shalom Synagogue. Susie lives in Glencoe Illinois with her husband and children.

Jerry Paris - Chair, Rockford Advisory Board

Jerry Paris began his career with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in the early 1970's. In 1976 Mr. Paris relocated to Rockford, Illinois to open several Midas Auto Repair Centers in several states including Illinois, Wisconsin, California, and Tennessee. Jerry is currently President of MW Automotive Enterprises, Inc. He is also the Chairman of the Rockford Illinois Chapter of Partnership for Cures.

Mr. Paris graduated from the University of Illinois in 1968 with a B.S. in Economics and went on to graduate study at DePaul University in Chicago. He retired from the U.S. Army Reserves as a Lieutenant after eight years of service and is active in numerous civic and charitable organizations. Jerry is married and has two grown children.

Thomas C. Furst - Co-Chair, Rockford Advisory Board

Thomas Furst is founder and president of The Furst Group, Inc., a Rockford, Illinois based national executive recruiting firm with a focused practice in the industrial and manufacturing markets. He has spent thirty-seven years in the recruiting and search business guiding the company to serve a national customer base and enjoys a reputation for excellence in management search. His personal recruiting efforts include chief executive officer/executive management, board of directors, manufacturing, and human resources executives.

Mr. Furst serves on six corporation Boards of Directors. He is active in the community serving as Chairman of the Board of the Rosecrance Health Network. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Rockford Art Museum and the Anderson Gardens Foundation. He has previously served on the Boards of the Rockford YMCA, Rockford Symphony, New American Theater, Chamber of Commerce, Rockford Local Development Corporation, a major hospital system and a major financial institution. Tom is married and has two adult children.
 

Edward Walker - Chair, Action Advisory Board

Edward Walker is responsible for client development and the ensuing administration of risk and insurance services at Marsh and McLennan. Edward’s technology expertise allows him to identify relevant risk exposures while utilizing Marsh’s benchmarking capabilities in order to bring companies a more personalized risk consulting process.  Edward earned his BA in Economics and Psychology from the University of Michigan, is a member of Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and Financial Executives International, and loves to play hockey in his free time.  Prior to joining Marsh in 2010, Edward gained valuable insurance experience working in the personal insurance space for two years.

Edward is the Chair of the Partnership for Cures Action Board, compromised of young professionals that actively engage in supporting and raising awareness and funding for Rediscovery Research.

Laura Gillespie - Chair, Finance Advisory Board

Laura Gillespie has over five years of experience specializing in the areas of real estate investments and tax-exempt organizations. Her exempt client base includes community-based hospitals, specialized health care organizations, and arts organizations. She is well versed in the new version Form 990 (released in 2008) including knowledge in the areas of organization governance, compensation disclosures, conflict of interest disclosures, and endowments.

John Bisinger - Chair, Marketing Advisory Board

John Bisinger has over 30 years of expertise in marketing communication, business development, branding, and strategic planning with national professional services and healthcare organizations that include the architectural/engineering firms of Dewberry and RTKL; ClearLearning, a tech-incubator associated with the University of Chicago & Argonne National Laboratories; Brim Healthcare, a hospital management company with 60 hospitals nationwide; and the American Hospital Association. Bisinger is a specialist in developing marketing strategy, building marketing operations, teamwork and implementing initiatives through detecting and capitalizing on opportunities for growth.

Bisinger’s background includes Six Sigma Green Belt training, an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, and MS and BS degrees from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Marketing Communications and Cinema. He is a member of the Kroehler YMCA Board in Naperville (Board Development, Facilities and Marketing Committees) and a volunteer at the Community Career Center, and resides in Naperville with his wife.