Board of Directors
Mr. Louis Lacasse has been President of GeneChem Management inc. since 1997 and Managing Partner of AgeChem Financial Inc. since 2006. GeneChem and AgeChem are managing three life sciences venture capital funds which have invested in more than forty (40) companies in Canada, USA and Europe. Prior to joining GeneChem, Mr Lacasse worked at the Caisse de dépôt et de placement du Québec, where he held several positions between 1987 and 1997, including vice-president of Sofinov, a private placement subsidiary of the Caisse which focussed on biotechnology, information technology and industrial technology. Before joining the Caisse, Mr Lacasse worked as a financial analyst with the National Bank of Canada, as account manager at the Bank of Montreal and as project manager at the Centre de Développement Technologique. He has also owned a small retail company. Mr. Lacasse has been appointed to the boards of directors of many private and public companies. Among these we find BioChem Pharma Inc., Axcan Pharma Inc., Targeted Genetics Inc., Methylgene Inc. and Idun Pharmaceuticals Inc. He is currently on the board of four publicly traded companies, Chairman of two audit committee and Chairman of one compensation committee. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the École des Hautes Études Commerciales and an MBA from McGill University.
Mr. Aki Georgacacos, Managing Partner, Avrio Ventures. Aki has over 10 years of venture capital and corporate finance experience, most recently as Managing Director of FCC Ventures. At FCC Ventures, Aki led the majority of the fund's investments with a focus on industrial life sciences companies where he played an active role in the strategic growth of all portfolio companies. Before he became a venture capitalist, Aki was a Vice-President at Deloitte Corporate Finance in Calgary. He advised Canadian companies on public and private placements, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, and strategies for maximization of shareholder value. At Deloitte, Aki led several assignments in the biotechnology, agri-food, distribution, and health care sectors. Previous investments include Agribiotics (Acquired by Merck), Origin Biomed Inc., Ascenta Health Care, Ensyn Technologies, and MCN Bioproducts. Aki is a Chartered Accountant, CFA charterholder and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan.
Mr. Michael Stangel has a professional experience of more than 25 years in the cosmetic, cosmeceutical and nutraceutical industries. Prior to joining the Corporation, Mr. Stangel has served as a senior advisor to private equity firms in targeting consumer products sectors for M&A opportunities from 2006 until his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation in November 2009, participated in the reorganization of a packaging company as General Manager between 2004 and 2005 and spent several years at Alberto Culver Company from 1987 to 2003 where he started as Director of Sales for the Professional Division and ended successively President of the Canadian and South American subsidiaries. Before 1987, he held various management positions in sales and marketing at companies such as Beiersdorf, Purex Corporation, McNeil Laboratories and Kraft Foods.
Mr. Pierre Labbé is Vice-President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Plexmar Resources since May 2007. Mr. Labbé has close to twenty years of experience in administration and finance. Before joining Plexmar Resources, Mr. Labbé was Vice-President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Medicago Inc. from July 2004 to May 2007, Vice-President of Finance and Secretary of Séquoia Minerals Inc. from December 2003 to June 2004 and of Mazarin Inc. from March 2000 to December 2003, while both companies were listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Prior to March 2000, he held management positions in accounting and finance with Agrinove, an agri-food cooperative and Coopers & Lybrand, now PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP where he was involved in many acquisitions and public financing projects. Mr. Labbé holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and an accounting license from Université Laval, (Québec, Canada), and he is a member of the Ordre des comptables agréés du Québec and of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Mr. Ronald Gordon is currently a principal of the RB Gordon Group, Inc., which provides management consulting for established and start-up companies. Mr. Gordon has over 40 experience managing businesses in consumer goods industries. From 2002 to 2004, Mr. Gordon was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Nice-Pak Products, Inc., a leading worldwide supplier of wet wipes to the consumer and medical markets. From 1997 to 2001 he was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Beiersdorf North America, where he successfully restructured their North American operations. Prior to that, Mr. Gordon was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Goody Products Inc., the leading manufacturer of hair accessories in North America. Mr. Gordon started his career at Procter & Gamble and later moved to International Playtex, Inc. where he headed the Playtex Family Products Division as Executive Vice-President. Mr. Gordon is currently on the Board of Directors of Nice-Pak Products, Inc, PDII, Inc. and Ebeanstalk, Inc. He was previously on the Board of Directors of Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc., Playtex Products, Inc., and Oil-Dri Corporation of America (NYSE companies), and LaDove, Inc. Mr. Gordon holds a BS degree in finance from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School and an MBA from Columbia University.