Senior Executive Officers

Sierra's management includes Richard Offerdahl, Chairman, co-founder of Zycad Corporation which raised $30 million in its IPO and Pierluigi Zappacosta, CEO and Acting President, co-founder of Logitech, where he served in various positions including President and CEO. Scientific leadership is provided by Dr. Bill Andrews, Vice President Research, who is one of the principal discoverers of the genes of both components of telomerase, led the Geron teams that discovered the genes for telomerase. Terry McAfee, Vice President Finance, is a financial professional with 20+ years in financial leadership positions with national and multinational corporations.

Richard Offerdahl - Chairman of the Board & 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.

Pierluigi Zappacosta - President & 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.

Bill Andrews, Ph.D. - Founder and Vice President Research & Development


Dr. Andrews leads the scientific research and development function of Sierra Sciences. 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 performing high-throughput screening and drug discovery efforts.

 

    • While Director of Molecular Biology at Geron Corporation, Dr. Andrews was one of the principal discoverers of the telomerase genes.
    • 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.
    • As of April 2006, Dr. Andrews name appears on 23+ issued US patents specifically related to telomerase, as well as 10 other patents in molecular biology. He has more than 25 refereed publications and abstracts. At Sierra he has been responsible for all aspects of research, all of Sierra's patent applications, and all R&D facility and equipment matters.

Terry K. McAfee, CPA - Vice President Finance


Mr. McAfee leads the finance and administrative functions of Sierra Sciences. He is responsible for financial and government reporting, financial planning and budgeting, and human resources.

Mr. McAfee is a financial and business planning professional who has held financial leadership roles with Porsche Cars North America, Bank of America and Swift Newspapers. He has also advised a diverse array of clients in manufacturing, e-commerce and services.

Mr. McAfee is a Nevada Certified Public Accountant and an active board member of the Reno Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants.

 

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