Prior to co-founding TriStar, Dr. Jacobson was Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs at Vanderbilt University and the CEO of Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). VUMC consists of a medical school, nursing school and a healthcare system. During Dr. Jacobson’s 11+ year tenure, VUMC revenues grew from $750 million to $2.5 billion, its Federally-funded (NIH) research program moved from 24th to the top 10 in the country, it opened over $1 billion of newly constructed facilities, it was recognized as a “most-wired” hospital as well as a U. S. News and World Report honor-roll hospital, and, most recently, as a Fortune 100 top place to work.
Dr. Jacobson has been a successful investor and entrepreneur having founded or co-founded ten companies. In addition, in his role at VUMC he participated in the oversight of technology transfer operations which resulted in the creation of over 30 companies. Notable co-founded companies include Contact Software (the developer of Act!, the world’s leading contact management software), acquired by Symantec (SYMC:NASDAQ); Renal Care Group (RCG:NYSE), a leading dialysis service company, acquired recently by Fresenius (FMS:NYSE); Ambulatory Services of America (currently privately held), a diversified outpatient ancillary services provider, currently providing dialysis and radiation oncology services; CeloNova Biosciences, a medical device company with 2 CE-approved and IFDA-approved products (coronary stent and embolic microspheres). Dr. Jacobson has been both a formal and informal advisor to several venture and private equity funds. Currently he serves on the Board of Directors of Kinetic Concepts (KCI:NYSE), Ingram Industries and SpecialtyCare, Inc, as well as Device Innovation Group and Diabetes Care Group, which are two of TriStar’s portfolio companies. He was also recently named Chairman of the Board of digiChart, Inc. In 2002 he was named the Ernst and Young Southeast Entrepreneur of the Year and was recently ranked No. 35 on Modern Physician’s ranking of the 50 Most Powerful Physician Executives in Healthcare.
Dr. Laden co-founded TriStar Technology Ventures in 2009. Through his role at TriStar, he serves on the Board of Directors for VenX, Molecular Sensing, GOBA and Diagnovus. Prior to the founding of TriStar, Dr. Laden served as the Assistant Director in the Office of Technology Transfer and Enterprise Development at Vanderbilt University. That role involved leading various technology transfer functions for Vanderbilt, which included identifying, protecting, marketing and licensing promising new technologies to companies of all stages and sizes, as well as developing collaborative, sponsored R&D and material transfer relationships with industry. He also participated in the office’s venture investment and company formation activities. Since beginning as the Chancellor Fund in 2000, Vanderbilt invested a substantial amount of capital into 30 different Vanderbilt-related companies.
Before moving into technology transfer, Dr. Laden was a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt, where his work focused on structure-function studies of the cytochromes P450. He holds a doctorate in Toxicology from the University of Kentucky, a master’s degree in Environmental and Industrial Health from the University of Michigan and an undergraduate degree in biology from Penn State University.
Mr. Rand co-founded TriStar Technology Ventures in 2009. Through his role at TriStar, he serves on the Board of Directors for Pathfinder Therapeutics, MedCenterDisplay, Molecular Sensing, Nashville Technology Council, Nashville Entrepreneur Center, Nashville Capital Network, E|Spaces and Bridge Nashville. Prior to co-founding TriStar, Mr. Rand was the Manager of New Venture Development in Vanderbilt’s Office of Technology Transfer and Enterprise Development. That responsibility included licensing Vanderbilt intellectual property, assisting in the formation of new start-up companies and working with existing start-ups. Since beginning as the Chancellor’s Fund in 2000, Vanderbilt has invested a significant amount of capital into 30 different Vanderbilt-related companies. Mr. Rand was responsible for managing this portfolio and represented Vanderbilt on the boards of five of these companies.
Prior to joining Vanderbilt, Mr. Rand worked in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ valuation group, providing consulting and transaction support services. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and his MBA from Vanderbilt.
Through her role at TriStar, Lisa is responsible for investor relations and other communication activities with LPs and existing portfolio companies. She also interfaces with the State as it relates to both the TNInvestco and INCITE initiatives. Lisa assists in many aspects of the investment process, from sourcing, screening and evaluating investment opportunities, to conducting due diligence and market research for potential deals. She provides on-going operational support, including fund administration, cash management, internal transaction support, and marketing and public relations activities.
Prior to joining TriStar in May 2010, Lisa served as the Communications Coordinator in Office of Technology Transfer and Enterprise Development at Vanderbilt University where she interfaced with inventors, potential commercial partners and the community. Before joining Vanderbilt, she worked as a Marketing Coordinator at The Beach Company, a real estate and development firm in Charleston, South Carolina. Lisa received dual undergraduate degrees in Advertising and Sociology from The University of Georgia.
Mr. Saunders is Managing Partner at both Saunders Capital and Saunders Murdoch & Associates. Prior to this, he was Managing Director of Chrysalis Ventures Inc. from 1997-2009 and served as a Senior Advisor from 2009-2010. Mr. Saunders is an active “super angel” investor via Saunders Capital and Saunders Murdoch in several healthcare startup companies, including Aptamera, MedVentures, US Worldmeds, Vivorte, NX Pharmagen, IF Technologies, Summit Biosciences, Appellis, Carrot Medical, Bioscale, Med City News, Mequillibrium, Cobra Stylet, Advanced Cancer Therapeutics (ACT), Key Health and Advanced Imaging Concepts (via bCatalyst). He was the Chief Planning Officer and Managing Director for Strategic Planning and Business Development at Providian Capital Management from 1993-1997. Prior to that position, Mr. Saunders was a Business Strategy Consultant at The Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Co. from 1978-1986. He is a founding board member of MetaCyte, the University of Louisville’s life science incubator, and also serves as Chairman of the Board of the Enterprise Corp, the entrepreneurship affiliate of GLI, Louisville‘s Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Saunders holds Master’s degrees from Harvard University and the London School of Economics and an AB with Distinction from Stanford University. In addition, he was a Fulbright Scholar, as well as a Marshall Scholar.