Board of Directors
Richard Offerdahl - Chairman of the Board and COO
Mr. Offerdahl was granted a BSEE in 1965. Until 1981, he worked in the computer industry. In 1981, he co-founded Zycad Corporation serving as its President until 1986. Zycad's 1984 IPO raised $30 million. While he was President of Zycad, sales rose to $25 million per year. In 1987, he purchased majority interest in Digi International (DGII), a maker of computer serial cards and ports for connecting peripherals to networks, and became its first outside Director. While Mr. Offerdahl was associated with DGII, sales rose from $3 million to $160 million per year. He is also a Director of several private companies. Mr. Offerdahl serves without compensation.
Pierluigi Zappacosta - President and CEO
Mr. Zappacosta was granted an MS in Computer Science from Stanford in 1978. In 1981, he co-founded Logitech, the leading maker of mice and other personal interface products that enable people to work, play and communicate in the digital world, and over a period of 17 years filled various roles including President and CEO. He was instrumental in taking the company public in Switzerland in 1988 and on NASDAQ in 1997 - raising a total of $60 million. By the time Mr. Zappacosta left in 1998, sales of Logitech had risen to over $400 million per year. He is also a Director of a number of private companies. Mr. Zappacosta also serves without compensation.
Bill Andrews, Ph.D. - Founder and Vice President Research & Development
Dr. Andrews leads the genetic research and development function of Sierra Sciences, Inc. Under Dr. Andrews' direction, Sierra Sciences has discovered and filed patent applications on many previously unknown, key elements of the regulation of telomerase. Dr. Andrews' team at Sierra Sciences is now pursuing direct molecular approaches to temporarily activate telomerase expression, and is preparing for external high-throughput screening and medicine discovery efforts based on this work.
- While Director of Molecular Biology at Geron Corporation, Dr. Andrews was one of the principal discoverers of the telomerase gene.
- Awarded 2nd place as "National Inventor of the Year" in 1997 for this work, with his name appearing on numerous related patents and publications.
- Dr. Andrews earned his Ph.D. in Molecular and Population Genetics at the University of Georgia in 1981. He was a Senior Scientist at Armos Corporation and Codon Corporation, Director of Molecular Biology at Codon and at Geron Corporation, and Director of Technology Development at EOS Biosciences.
- Dr. Andrews' name appears on 10 issued patents specifically related to telomerase, as well as 10 other patents in molecular biology. He has more than 25 refereed publications and abstracts. At SSI he has been responsible for all aspects of research, all of SSI's patent applications, and many R&D facility and equipment matters.
- Dr. Andrews is extremely effective "hands-on" in the lab and also highly effective at creating and leading teams of researchers who accomplish far more than typical laboratory groups in either academic or private settings. He sets an example of round-the-clock work at high productivity, very rigorous science, and constant re-evaluation of "what is most important to do next, given what we have learned so far". He has hired and/or trained scores of research staff members at Sierra Sciences and previous biotechnology companies.
