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New Leadership at Pasadena’s Collaborative

Photo by Shel Segal / OUTLOOK Former Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard (left) is joined by Bruce Blomstrom and Robert “Bud” Bishop, the incoming president of the Pasadena Bio Collaborative Incubator.
Photo by Shel Segal / OUTLOOK
Former Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard (left) is joined by Bruce Blomstrom and Robert “Bud” Bishop, the incoming president of the Pasadena Bio Collaborative Incubator.

As the new president of the Pasadena Bio Collaborative Incubator, Robert “Bud” Bishop will have some pretty big shoes to fill.
Recently named the new top executive at a ceremony at the organization’s headquarters on Foothill Boulevard in Pasadena, Bishop will be taking over from longtime chief Bruce Blomstrom.
Pasadena Bio Collaborative Incubator was established in 2004 by the city of Pasadena, Pasadena City College and Cal State Los Angeles to work collaboratively with Pasadena’s higher education institutions, entrepreneurs, investors and other stakeholders to nurture high-tech bioscience start-ups.
Bishop said he has some immediate goals for the organization. “I look to increase the number of tenants we have here,” he said. “We now have 20. We have the room to expand another 20-25%. I’m looking forward to trying to fill that space and increase our capabilities to support these people by increasing the amount of shared-use equipment and the things that will be attractive.”
Bishop joined the organization’s board of directors in 2015 as vice president and became the chief operating officer in January. He is a veteran of the health care industry, having led companies in the pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostic sectors.
Bishop earned his doctorate in biochemistry from USC and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Miami. His prior employment includes chairman and CEO of AutoImmune Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that develops products for the treatment of autoimmune and cell-mediated inflammatory diseases and conditions, and as division president for Allergan Pharmaceuticals, a global pharmaceutical company.
Bishop says he thinks it is a wise idea for the local economy to have an organization such as the Pasadena Bio Collaborative Incubator succeed.
“I think it’s very important,” he said. “Companies that start somewhere wind up staying somewhere close to where they started. This is part of Pasadena’s economic development program and I think it’s a very successful part.”
Bishop succeeds Blomstrom, who is retiring after more than 10 years with the organization. During Blomstrom’s tenure, a statement said the company fostered more than 40 companies and achieved a highly respected standing in the field, helping put Pasadena on the map with a national reputation as a center for innovation in science, technology, engineering and entrepreneurship.
Blomstrom has now been appointed the organization’s president emeritus and he will continue to serve on the company to help in the transition. He said he is most proud of the growth he saw at the incubator during his tenure as president.
“We have the opportunity to grow many companies here,” he said. Blomstrom added there are some aspects of the job that he is going to miss: “Working with all the companies and the key players,” he said.
Bishop is well aware of how the strong foundation at the organization is because of Blomstrom.
“I’m proud of PBC’s many accomplishments during Mr. Blomstrom’s tenure as president,” Bishop said. “He has hired an exceptional staff and over the last year has prepared me to make a seamless transition. With this strong foundation, I look forward to continuing in his successful footsteps.”

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