Bio-1 Spotlight on Debbie Hart, President, BioNJ

My work on WIRED Bio-1 is a natural extension of my role as President of BioNJ.  I was approached by bioscience company CEOs in 1993 about starting an industry trade association, and we incorporated in 1994.  It has been a fun and wild run since then.

Just 18 months ago when David Finegold, Dean of the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers, and I were encouraged by NJDLWD Commissioner David Socolow to apply for the WIRED grant, it didn’t seem likely that New Jersey, which had already received two WIRED grants, would receive a third.  When we did, and New Jersey became “the most WIRED state in the U.S.,” I was incredibly proud of the strength of our bioscience community and excited by the opportunity to move our workforce development efforts forward.

WIRED Bio-1’s mandate - to develop workforce training and a world class bioscience talent development system – has never been more important than it is in today’s challenging economy. As difficult as the environment is, we at BioNJ are focused on doing our best to help our member companies survive and thrive. We continue to build relationships and foster the collaboration and networking that are such a vital part of the bioscience industry. It’s like putting the pieces of a puzzle together, and it’s what I love most about what I do.
 
Asked to describe a typical day, typically they are not typical.  They frequently begin with a 6:30 a.m. run, and I’m at work on emails by 8:00 a.m.  Daily activities may include talking with the press to promote the industry, helping members connect to venture capital companies or others, and working on public policy and economic development initiatives.

A main focus right now is working on BioNJ’s “Troubled Times Tool Kit,” our virtual guide to strategies for New Jersey bioscience companies to weather the current economic crisis. We launched the Troubled Times Tool Kit in early December with a CFO forum that presented ideas, resources, people and programs – a microcosm of the Tool Kit.

We’ve received a tremendous response to the program and the Tool Kit, and we are incorporating the feedback into the site, which is being updated regularly.

I look forward to continuing our important work at BioNJ and with WIRED Bio-1 in the coming year to support the industry. Through their work to excite students about science, to provide connections to New Jersey’s educational institutions at all levels, and to connect workers with new opportunities, we are building a talented, well-trained workforce that is essential to success. Our efforts in New Jersey are marked by a strong cooperation among government, academia, and industry, and we will continue to work together to make New Jersey strong!

Click here for a summary of the CFO Forum.

Visit BioNJ’s website at www.BioNJ.org to learn more about the “Troubled Times Tool Kit.”