Executive Vice President for Research and Chief Scientific Officer

Versiti, in partnership with Korn Ferry, invites nominations and expressions of interest for the position of Executive Vice President for Research and Chief Scientific Officer.

Versiti is a national leader in innovative blood health solutions, enhancing lives through discovery, diagnosis, and treatment. As a fusion of donors, scientific curiosity, and precision medicine, Versiti expands the frontiers of patient health and prides itself as a world-class blood health organization with a drive to improve the health of patients and to serve as a beacon of hope, care, and innovation in the communities they call home (Milwaukee, Wisconsin; with affiliates in Chicago, Illinois; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas). Major service lines include Blood Services, Organ and Tissue Procurement, Clinical Trial Services, Pharmaceutical Products, Therapeutic Apheresis, a specialized Diagnostic Laboratory Division, Clinical Care in Hematology, Transfusion Medicine, Transplantation, and World-class, Blood-related Academic Research.

The crown jewel of Versiti, the Versiti Blood Research Institute (VBRI), is dedicated to hematology in all its facets, spanning basic, translational, and clinical research, all with one goal: to make people’s lives better. Most research activities are housed at the VBRI, a state-of-the-art facility that gives investigators access to cutting-edge research equipment and related specialized services, located on the vibrant and growing campus of the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center (MRMC), along with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), Froedtert Hospital, and Children’s Wisconsin – all of which have close working relationships with the VBRI. The VBRI itself houses teams of physicians, scientists, and physician-scientists focused on performing innovative cutting-edge basic, translational, and clinical research that encompasses all aspects of the blood and vascular system, with well-established existing Programs in (1) Thrombosis and Hemostasis, (2) Vascular Biology, Transfusion Medicine, and Cellular Therapies, (3) Hematopoiesis and Immunology, and (4) Translational Hematology. And just last year, the VBRI broke ground on a state-of-the-art 79,000 square-foot expansion that will nearly double VBRI’s research capacity, further enhancing and growing the scientific synergies on campus.

It is a critical juncture for Versiti and the VBRI, a pivotal time in blood, cancer, and immune diseases research and biomedical discovery, and a national search is underway to identify the next Executive Vice President for Research (EVP) and Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) to build upon the VBRI’s accomplishments, ensure ongoing scientific excellence, and maintain Versiti’s leadership role as providers of blood, transfusion medicine, and hematology services.

The EVP and CSO will provide leadership and oversight for the administrative and scientific activities of Versiti and the VBRI; develop and implement short- and long-term plans for all scientific programs; facilitate productive collaborations between the VBRI and other local and regional research institutions, including the Medical College of Wisconsin, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Hospital, UW-Madison, the Marshfield Clinic, Marquette University, and the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee; and will be responsible for the recruitment, development, mentorship, and retention of outstanding scientific investigators.

Reporting to the President and Chief Executive Officer, Chris Miskel, and working closely with the Executive Leadership Team, Board of Directors, and Scientific Advisory Board, the EVP and CSO will be a key player in catalyzing the discovery and progress in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of blood disorders, cancer, and immune diseases, and in maintaining the core identity of the VBRI as an academic research institute. Ultimately, they will be a nationally recognized scholar and leader, one who is passionate about the mission, vision, and values of Versiti and the VBRI, and is prepared to manage the scientific, cultural, strategic, and operational changes necessary to continue its success.

Candidates will have earned an MD, MD/PhD, PhD, or equivalent; have a strong sense of the clinically relevant mission of the VBRI and Versiti; be preeminent in their field of research, preferably related to one of VBRI’s four scientific programs; and will have maintained a strong, extramurally funded research program over the course of their career. The EVP and CSO will also be eligible for appointment to the MCW faculty at the level of Professor in a department appropriate to their background and interests. Clinically active candidates must be board certified and eligible for licensure in the state of Wisconsin.

Korn Ferry is assisting Versiti with this important recruitment. Applications should include a detailed curriculum vitae and a letter of interest that highlights the applicant’s personal vision and relevant leadership experience. To ensure full consideration, inquiries, nominations, and applications should be submitted electronically, in confidence, to tara.vittese@kornferry.com