Management

Targeted Growth, Inc. is led by a team of individuals bringing depth and breadth in biotechnology, agriculture, and business.


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Thomas Todaro

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CEO
Mr. Todaro co-founded Targeted Growth in 1999, based on novel cell cycle regulator technologies. Mr. Todaro has worked in agribusiness since 1992 directing investments in dairy processing and timber plantations. He is the former General Manager of Alamar Farms Ltd., a Canadian dairy processor located in Vancouver, B.C., and sits on the Board of Directors of BonLac Dairies in Panama City, Panama. Prior to rejoining TGI, Mr. Todaro served as Senior Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions at PayPal. Mr. Todaro was responsible for all aspects of M&A, both national and International. He was also involved in raising over $200 Million in equity capital and the IPO of PayPal (PYPL) for $1.2 Billion in 2002. He holds a Bachelor's degree from The Colorado College and a Master's in Economics from Stanford University.

Jay De Rocher, Ph.D.

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With more than 20 years experience in plant molecular biology and biochemistry, and over 15 years of research experience with transgenic plants, Dr. De Rocher joined Targeted Growth in 2003. Previously, he worked as a Senior Scientist with EDEN Bioscience Corporation and was a postdoctoral associate at the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory at Michigan State University. Dr. De Rocher received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Washington and his Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Arizona.

 

 

Margaret McCormick, Ph.D.

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General Manager, Bio-Based Materials

Dr. McCormick has served as General Manager of Bio-Based Materials for TGI since 2008.  Prior to joining TGI, Dr. McCormick was a partner with Integra Ventures where she led Integra's biotechnology investment strategy, including its investment in TGI.  Prior to joining Integra, she was the founding president and COO of Sapphire Therapeutics (formerly Rejuvenon Corp.). Earlier in her career she was a consultant with McKinsey & Company. Dr. McCormick earned a Ph.D. in Biology (with a focus on metabolic engineering) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BS degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

 

 

Larry Williams, Ph.D.

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Senior Vice President, Renewable Energy

Dr. Williams is has served as TGI's senior vice president of renewable energy since January 2008.  Prior to joining TGI, Dr. Williams served as technical executive at the Electric Power Research Institute, a nonprofit utility industry research and development organization, from 1981 to 2007.  From 1978 to 1980, Dr. Williams served as visiting scholar in the Economics Department at Stanford University.  From 1976 to 1977, Dr. Williams served as national fellow at the Hoover Institution, a public policy think-tank at Stanford University.  Dr. Williams holds a bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from St. Thomas University, a master's degree in economics from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. in physics from Iowa State University.

 

 

Michael Weitz

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Chief Financial Officer

Michael Weitz became Targeted Growth's Chief Financial Officer in May 2009. He has 25 years of experience in the financial management of growing companies. Prior to Targeted Growth, he held several senior financial positions at venture capital financed companies including CFO of Free & Clear, a health services provider, CFO and Vice President of Operations at Sageport, Inc., an internet  services company, and CFO and Vice President of Call Center Operations at CareWise, Inc., a health information services company. Prior to his work at CareWise, he was Vice President of Finance at Hillhaven Corporation, one of the nation's largest publicly traded senior care providers. Michael began his career with the predecessors of the CPA firms Deloitte & Touche and Ernst & Young. Michael is a CPA in the State of Washington, and a member of the American Institute of CPAs.

Jim Roberts, Ph.D.

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Chief Science Officer

Jim Roberts obtained his bachelors degree from Amherst College and his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University. He has been a Member on the faculty of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center since 1986, where he was a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator from 1997-2006. He is currently Director of Basic Sciences at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, an affiliate Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Washington, and Chief Science Officer at Targeted Growth. Dr. Roberts is the discoverer of the KRP genes and a co-founder of Targeted Growth.

 

 

 

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