Burns McClellan Mourns the Passing of Founder and CEO, Lisa Burns
04 Julio 2024 - 8:32AM
Burns McClellan, Inc., a leader in integrated communication for
life sciences companies, today announced the unexpected passing of
Lisa Burns, who founded the agency in 1988 and served as its Chief
Executive Officer. She was 67 years old.
Under the agency succession plan established by Ms. Burns, Diana
Boter, Chief Financial and Operating Officer, will assume the role
of CEO, responsible for all business and operational functions and
Lee Roth, Executive Vice President and Head of Investor Relations,
will become President, overseeing all account service and
client-facing responsibilities.
“We are deeply saddened by Lisa’s passing and extend our deepest
condolences to her family at this difficult time,” said Diana
Boter, CEO of Burns McClellan. “She was a pioneer in our field who
had a profound impact both personally and professionally on her
employees, her clients and the members of the investment community
with whom she worked. To many of these people, myself included, she
was much more than a colleague, an advisor or a mentor – she was
also a dear friend. In the 36 years since she founded Burns
McClellan, Lisa established an unparalleled reputation for
excellence rooted in a steadfast dedication to serving as trusted
partners for our clients. Lee and I share this philosophy and along
with our team, are fully committed to honoring her legacy.”
Since founding Burns McClellan in 1988, Lisa has provided
strategic financial counsel to countless early- and late-stage
companies, with a particular focus on securing access to
institutional investors through her longstanding relationships with
the leading venture capitalists and institutional investors in the
life sciences sector.
Lisa was instrumental in assisting companies with strategic
positioning and fundraising rounds from seed and private financings
through initial public offerings, reverse mergers and other
approaches to entering the public markets, as well as numerous
follow-on public financings. In the communications area, Lisa was
an expert in investor and media relations, corporate development
and strategic consulting, new product launches, and crisis
management including both clinical and regulatory matters. Lisa
worked on product development and issues management in such areas
as women's healthcare, neurology, oncology, hematology, cardiology
and obesity/metabolic disorders. She served as a member of the
Board of Directors of Genesis Pharmaceuticals, Sapient Health
Network (currently a division of Web MD/Healtheon) and the
Irvington Institute. She was also a founding member of the Society
for the Advancement of Women's Health Research (SAWHR), and the
founder of its corporate advisory council. Prior to founding Burns
McClellan, Lisa served ten years as a member of senior management
at several leading public relations firms, including
Fleishman-Hillard International Communications, Edelman Public
Relations Worldwide and Burson-Marsteller.
About Burns McClellan
Since its inception, Burns McClellan has represented more than
400 of the industry's pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
through all phases of clinical and organizational development and
commercialization. Pharmaceutical companies Baxter, Bayer,
Bristol-Myers Squibb, Hoffmann-La Roche, Novartis, Rhône-Poulenc
Rorer, Syntex Corporation, Teva Pharmaceutical, Wyeth-Ayerst, and
life sciences companies Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Alkermes, Cephalon,
ChemoCentryx, COR Therapeutics, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Gilead
Sciences, Horizon Therapeutics, Human Genome Sciences, Kite Pharma,
OSI Pharmaceuticals and SUGEN are among the industry's leaders that
have partnered with Burns McClellan in its history.
About Diana Boter
Since joining Burns McClellan in 2009, Diana has provided
exceptional leadership as Chief Financial Officer and Chief
Operating Officer. During her tenure at Burns McClellan, Diana has
been highly results-driven and has demonstrated an expertise in
strategic planning of all aspects of the business including
financial oversight, management and growth of the company. She is
responsible for key business development and operational activities
including financial planning, human resources, client sourcing,
contract negotiations and long-term strategy.
Diana worked side by side with Lisa Burns to grow and solidify
Burns McClellan as one of the longest tenured premier life sciences
investor relations and public relations firms. Diana earned a
Bachelor of Science from New York University’s Stern School of
Business.
About Lee Roth
Lee joined Burns McClellan in May 2019 to lead the firm’s IR
practice. He specializes in investor relations and communications
for both public and private companies in a wide variety of
therapeutic areas and stages of clinical and corporate development,
including commercialization. He has more than 25 years of
experience developing and executing strategic communications
programs and has spent over a decade focused exclusively on life
sciences.
Lee joined Burns McClellan from The Ruth Group, where he was
Executive Vice President and head of investor relations, leading
strategic IR programs on behalf of a range of clinical and
commercial-stage companies spanning therapeutics, devices,
diagnostics and Health IT. Prior to joining The Ruth Group in 2013,
Lee was a Vice President at The Piacente Group, where he managed IR
activities for domestic and international companies. He began his
career at KCSA Strategic Communications, a New York-based public
and investor relations agency.
For additional information, please contactLee Roth / Robert
Flamm, PhD646-382-3403 / 914-689-8434lroth@burnsmc.com /
rflamm@burnsmc.com