ABOUT
COMPANY PROFILE
KelSie Biotech, Inc (“KelSie”) is headquartered in Boulder, CO. The Company was formed to pursue the research and commercial opportunities contemplated in its Worldwide Licensing Agreement with Colorado Can, LLC (dba Sievers Biotech). This Agreement grants to KelSie, Sievers Biotech’s Technology and Intellectual Property including patent rights related to the commercial development and use of its Bubble Drying Process, Sublingual Wafer, and Dry Powder Inhalable Products. These include but are not limited to the formulation and sale of other finished products, and the right to sublicense said technology and Intellectual Property.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM
BEN KAANTA
Executive Chairperson
Ben has held multiple executive positions most recently including Chief Operations Operator for a publicly held life-sciences company. As COO, Ben was responsible for the continued development and success of the corporate strategy, with a focus on overseeing the organizational structure and workflow. He contributed to the overarching vision and led planning across the manufacturing, retail, training, and product development divisions.
Among Ben’s prior experiences, he implemented and oversaw operations across multiple states, while improving training, data collection and creating analytics software. He oversaw the construction and operations of multiple $200MM particle accelerator-based cancer therapy centers, managed product expansion for biomedical instrumentation, and conducted in-depth research and development on ion thrusters for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Ben has a B.S in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State University and is a Project Management Professional (PMP). He holds two patents related to flow cytometry and bio/environmental containment.
CAMERON F. KELUCHE
President & CEO
Cameron has provided Economic Modeling, Business Plan Development and Management Services to numerous Technology based enterprises. Prior to founding KelSie, he directed the development and implementation of a proprietary Big-Data Cloud based Platform and Management Information Systems, including Supervisory Controls and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Systems, for the management of natural resources.
In addition, he has conducted market research and provided analytical, business planning, feasibility impact studies, economic modeling and management services ranging from large scale community developments and environmental assessments to the management of commercial property portfolios.
Mr. Keluche is a graduate of the University of Denver with a B.A. Degree in Cognitive Neuroscience with course work in Business Administration at Wake Forest University, and continues his activities in the development and management of new technology based enterprises in the health care industry.
STEVEN ADDIS
Chief Marketing Officer
With more than 30 years of branding and marketing experience, Steven brings a wealth of expertise across dozens of product categories. With a passion for brands that motivate positive change, Steven has helped create or revitalize hundreds of brands including Intel, Pepsi, 24 Hour Fitness, Shutterfly, and DuPont. His agency, Addis, flourished as it embraced the shift to digital early in the life of the Internet, focusing on multi-channel brands such as Sephora, Pottery Barn, and Smith & Hawken.
In 2006, the firm doubled down on its positive change ethos and began accepting work only from brands that actively sought to improve the world. Whether it was progress through tech brands or healthy lifestyle food brands, the firm espoused a courageous point-of-view. Work included helping Kashi grow 6x, relaunching thinkThin Protein Bars, revitalizing Nutiva, launching Popchips, and creating brands from the ground-up including Somersaults and Verlasso Salmon. Today, the agency is the branding firm of record for brands like Tejava Iced Tea and indoor farming start-up, Plenty.
A graduate of the University of California-Berkeley, Steven has served 14 years on the board of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.
SHON WILLIAMS
Chief Revenue Officer
From his time as an officer in the US Air Force and in the private sector, Shon brings more than 27 years of experience in leadership, strategic planning, business development (BD), operations, program management, engineering, R&D, test & evaluation, and international affairs. He has built or overhauled many organizations from the grown up and has driven sustainable growth in each of them.
He served 20 years in the Air Force in various roles from space systems development, aircraft flight test, international policy/cooperation, and managing F-22/F-15 fighter aircraft programs to include the largest ($30B USD) international sale in US history. He also deployed to Afghanistan with NATO. After retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel, he became BD Director for Calspan Aerospace, an aerospace testing company. In 2016, Shon transitioned into the health and wellness sector leading companies from startup to multi-state and international expansion as a senior executive (CEO, Owner/Founder, COO, Chief Development Officer).
Shon graduated with honors from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering, has an MS in Astronautical Engineering, earned a second Master’s in Military Operational Art & Science, and graduated from the US Air Force Test Pilot School. He is also a 4x Ironman triathlete and has professional proficiency in Spanish.
SENIOR ADVISORS
LINDA SONNTAG, PhD
Senior Advisor
Dr. Linda Sonntag is a Senior Scientific Advisor and serves on the Board of Directors of KelSie Biotech. She has extensive experience in the research, development, financing and management of many innovative technologies based enterprises in the Life Sciences and Health Care industries. She is also currently serving on the Board of Directors of DeepDyve whose mission is to empower professionals worldwide in scientific, technology and medical research by providing over 30 million articles on-line from thousands of authoritative journals spanning the Life Sciences.
She began her business career as Director of Agricultural and Biotechnology Research for Agrigenetics Incorporated, which was the first firm to genetically engineer new agricultural crops with improved yield, disease and drought resistance, and improved nutritional value. Later in her career, Dr. Sonntag joined the nation’s first stem cell company, SyStemix, Inc. as its President and CEO. Within 6 months of developing a Strategic Plan and reorganizing its research program, SyStemix was credited with discovering the Human Hematopoietic Stem Cell (“HSC”) and patenting their composition of matter.
She earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, and studied at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, and Executive Development programs at the Harvard Business School and MIT’s Sloan School of Management. She performed post-graduate work with Dr. Herb Boyer, the founder of Genentech at UCSF. Dr. Sonntag is a member of many scientific and professional organizations.
GENE KELUCHE
Senior Advisor
Mr. Keluche has extensive experience in the financing, management and direction of technology-based enterprises. He has formed and directed many such enterprises, one of which applied the principals of behavioral science to the design of self-instructional education and training systems (Basic Systems, Inc.); and Agrigenetics, Inc., the nation’s first company which genetically modified plant varieties with improved drought and disease resistance, enhanced nutritional value and higher yields.
He has also formed and managed several enterprises concerned with Natural Resources and the Environment, including one of the first companies to use Digital Globe’s high resolution satellite imagery in the assessment of timber, agricultural and water resources before Google Earth licensed its imagery. He was a director of Radiometrics Inc. which is the nation’s leader in the continuous measurement and monitoring of the thermodynamic energy build-up in the Boundary Layer of the earth’s atmosphere which precedes by several hours the propagation of virtually all catastrophic weather events.
He is a founding Director of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Foundation. UCAR is a consortium of over 100 Universities, which manages the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), a federal laboratory located in Boulder, Colorado.
Mr. Keluche earned a B.S. in Applied Engineering Science from California State University, Chico, and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. He served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy with primary duties as a Naval Aviator; and is a member of numerous professional and service organizations.
CHARLES DEAN CONNOR
Senior Advisor
Charles Dean Connor has extensive experience in the management and direction of large voluntary health-centric associations, including senior positions with the American Lung Association and the American Red Cross.
Mr. Connor was most recently President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Lung Association National Headquarters in Washington, DC. In this role, he led the nation’s oldest voluntary health association, as it continues to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. Beginning its second century, the American Lung Association is Fighting For Air through education, advocacy and research.
Prior to being named President and CEO, Mr. Connor served as the Lung Association’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In this position, he oversaw all corporate functions including Development, Advocacy, Policy, Research, Program Services, Communication, Marketing and Field Support.
Before joining the American Lung Association, he was Senior Vice President for Communication & Marketing for the American Red Cross. During his tenure with the Red Cross, he participated in several catastrophic events including Hurricane Katrina, the Tsunami and the overhaul of the organization’s governance structure. In 2005, he was recognized as Public Relations Professional of the Year by the Public Relations Society of America, and in 2005, his department was named PR Team of the Year by PR Week magazine.
Prior to joining the Red Cross, Mr. Connor was Principal for Client Strategy with The Dilenschneider Group in Chicago where he specialized in communications strategy development, litigation support, crisis control, issues management and media relations. Before joining The Dilenschneider Group, Mr. Connor served in Washington, DC as the first director of public affairs for the Federal Judiciary. He built a comprehensive and aggressive national communications program for the federal courts and implemented several innovative programs for the “third branch” of the federal government. Mr. Connor served as the senior advisor to many prominent federal judges around the nation on a wide range of the most sensitive internal matters, including the management of news media interest in high-profile federal court cases.
Before joining the federal judiciary, Mr. Connor served for 25 years as a United States Navy public affairs officer, leaving the service with the rank of Captain. He was the personal communications advisor to the Secretary of the Navy, the CEO of an organization of more than a million employees and $100 billion annual budget. He advised the Secretary on a wide range of national and international communications matters during a period of great organizational change and turmoil due to post-Cold War downsizing and the Tailhook scandal. Prior to this, Mr. Connor served as the COO for the Navy’s global communications program, responsible for planning and coordinating Navy public affairs efforts worldwide.
Mr. Connor also served in London as the senior Navy public relations official in Europe, handling media matters throughout the continent as well as many crises spanning international boundaries. He conceived and managed the Navy’s aspects of the 50th anniversary of D-Day, including the participation by the President and Cabinet, as well as international media coverage of the event. Earlier, Mr. Connor managed communications efforts at U. S. Space Command/NORAD during the Gulf War. Prior to that, he served with the Commander of the United States Third Fleet handling major international crises as well as a successful Alaska public affairs effort that resulted in vital federal legislation. Mr. Connor has also directed national advertising for the Navy’s recruiting program and run the Midwest media relations program for the Navy.
A native of Chicago, Mr. Connor graduated from Loyola University of Chicago Law School and is a member of the bar of both Illinois and the District of Columbia. He holds a B. A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois and attended Portland State University for graduate study in marketing and communications. Mr. Connor is a past member of the board of directors of the American Marketing Association Foundation, the American Judicature Society and the Stars & Stripes newspaper. He has testified before Congressional committees and addressed such distinguished groups as the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, the Dallas Rotary Club, the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas and the Aspen Institute.