It’s about leadership. When the Flinn Foundation Board of Directors chose to commit all of the Foundation’s health care resources to help Arizona become a national leader in the biosciences, we knew that Flinn could not achieve this goal on its own.
Only by pooling ideas and resources with others who share this vision could we collectively hope to identify and sustain mutual goals — and even so, it would be a challenge. The formation of TGen and the recruitment of the International Genomics Consortium provided an early and shared agenda. More recently it has involved working with other partners to form the C-Path Institute in Tucson, to develop an innovative focus to the expansion of the Phoenix Program of the University of Arizona College of Medicine, and to strengthen the professional direction of the Arizona BioIndustry Association.
Sustaining the momentum of the collaborative process that made possible our shared goals — now five years distant — remains a challenge. The Board appreciates the suggestions and demonstrated leadership of hundreds of business, academic, community, and government leaders who have joined us in this effort. I especially want to thank two members of the Foundation’s Board — Robert A. Brooks, M.D., and E.V. “Ted” O’Malley — whose terms ended this year. Their embrace of the biosciences vision and the difficult process to make it happen remains an inspiration.
Our two newest Board members — Linda Blessing, Ph.D., former executive director of the Arizona Board of Regents, and Drew Brown, managing partner and CEO of DMB Associates — have demonstrated commitment to the interactive, collaborative process that has moved Arizona closer to its goal. This affirms the Foundation’s continued devotion to forge the essential partnerships to get the job done.
David J. Gullen, M.D.
Chair, Board of Directors