Pete Molinaro
Chairman and CEO
Chairman and CEO Pete Molinaro has spent the past 30 years as a senior executive and entrepreneur for a number of medical technology start-ups and small companies focused on growth and value appreciation.
In 1999, Mr. Molinaro was recruited by the Marmon Group to serve as President of Surgical Specialties Corporation in Reading, PA. Over the succeeding seven years, Mr. Molinaro and his team nearly tripled sales and EBITDA. In 2006, the business was sold to Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: “ANPI”) in a transaction that valued Surgical Specialties at nearly 20 times EBITDA.
Prior to his years as President of Surgical Specialties, Mr. Molinaro held equity-based senior operating roles with two Florida-based physician practice management companies.
In 1986, Mr. Molinaro and two associates formed IntraOptics, Inc., an intraocular lens company. In just five years, they grew the business to $50 million in annual sales before selling to Chiron Corp. Molinaro continued at the company for another three years as Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, helping to double annual revenues during that time. IntraOptics and other add-ons eventually became the surgical products division for Bausch & Lomb (NYDSE: “BOL”).
In 1977, after working for a local life support equipment distributor, Mr. Molinaro joined the start-up management team at CILCO, Inc. Over the next decade, they grew the company into a $100 million ophthalmic surgical device business before selling to Rorer Group, Inc. (Ft. Washington, PA). CILCO was later sold to CooperVision, Inc. before becoming the ophthalmic surgical division for Alcon. Inc (NYSE: “ACL”).
In addition to his role as Adhezion Biomedical’s CEO and Chairman, Mr. Molinaro also serves as a Director of Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Aspen Biomedical Research, LLC and Berks County Economic Partnership.
Richard G. Jones
Senior Vice President, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs, and Quality Assurance
For more than 35 years, Senior Vice President, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs, and Quality Assurance, Richard G. Jones has represented the regulatory interests of the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, among others.
He has worked for both large and small medical device companies, acquiring vast experience in FDA regulation compliance, new product approval submissions, international experience for ISO Certification, CE Certification, and Canada Marketing Approvals. His clients have included Glaxo Smith Kline; Johnson & Johnson, Surgikos; Teleflex, Pilling Weck; Surgical Laser Technologies (Photomedex); American Medical Products; and Surgical Specialties Corporation.
His experience, along with his formal training in biology, microbiology and pharmacology, equips him to identify the direction and new product investigations to obtain FDA approvals in bench testing, animal testing, shelf life studies, sterilization and clinical studies. He has represented wide range of products, including hemodialysis/intraperitoneal dialysis devices, hydrocephalus shunts, cardiovascular catheters, surgical drapes and gowns, vascular grafts, absorbable hemostatic sponges, I.V. infusion pumps, electro-stimulation devices, surgical instruments (reusable/disposable), contact lasers, microsurgical sutures, and ophthalmic devices.
Mr. Jones’ philosophical approach is based on collaboration with the regulatory agencies to establish the scientific requirements for new product approvals in minimal time in the most cost-effective program.
Sheng Zhang
Chief Scientist
Chief Scientist Sheng Zhang has more than 15 years of experience in Chemistry, and is responsible for Adhezion's Research and Development. Since he joined Adhezion Biomedical in 2006, Dr. Zhang has directed research design, product and technology development, and supported the validation processes for Adhezion's products. Together with his colleagues, he has developed several of Adhezion's products and processes, and has written and submitted a series of US and international product patent applications.
Prior to joining Adhezion, Dr. Zhang conducted chemistry research at North Carolina State University and Clemson University for several years. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Peking University in China, after which he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Louis Pasteur in France. Dr. Zhang has published 35 peer-reviewed scientific papers in prestigious journals.
Rafael Ruiz, Sr.
General Manager
General Manager Rafael Ruiz oversees the R&D, Manufacturing, Distribution and Quality functions at Adhezion’s Hudson, North Carolina, facility. He has more than 30 years of experience with cyanoacrylate technology.
Shortly after joining the Company in 2004, he completely overhauled manufacturing processes, improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness without sacrificing safety or customer service. In the following years, he expanded the Company’s capabilities and assembled a dedicated management team. He also launched an organization-wide safety improvement program that places greater emphasis on system safety for customers and employees through increased accountability and creates a safer work environment with fewer work-related injuries for employees. Since March 2008, Mr. Ruiz has focused his efforts on increasing Adhezion’s product and distribution potential in both domestic and foreign markets.
John Prelaz Senior Director of Business Development
For over 25 years, John Prelaz has developed and managed new business opportunities for a variety of healthcare companies in the Ophthalmology, Aesthetics and Wound Closure area.
Christian Flowers National Sales Manager
Christian Flowers joined Adhezion in early 2011 as a Regional Sales Director. Prior to joining Adhezion, Christian worked for Gyrus Medical as well as Fortune 100 Company's Medtronic and Covidien over his 11-year record of success in medical sales.
He has received multiple honors for his sales achievements, including the Presidents Club Award, the Circle of Excellence Award and the Golden Eagle Award. He educates doctors, residents, and nurses on multiple types of medical technologies in the operating room while executing the complex sale process involving various levels of the hospital decision makers (Materials Management, Biomedical Engineers, Value Analysis Committee's and C-Level management).
Christian's belief in and understanding of forecasting, business planning, goal establishment and business acumen have all contributed to his ongoing success.
Rachel Moatz
Marketing Services Manager
Rachel Moatz joined Adhezion in 2009 and has served as an Associate Marketing Manager before becoming Marketing Services Manager in July of 2011. Rachel has direct responsibility for all marketing and customer service activities for the company, as well as GPO contract development and various other activities related to sales management.
She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in International Business/Marketing from Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania.