Executive Chairman of Finistere Partners

Often referred to as the "father of agricultural biotechnology," Dr. Jerry Caulder is the executive chairman of Finistere Partners, LLC. Dr. Caulder has an unparalleled record of success in the life science industry. His career began at Monsanto, where for 15 years he held a number of management positions including responsibility for Monsanto’s early venture investment activity and worldwide responsibility for commercial development and introduction of all new agricultural products. In 1983, Dr. Caulder came to San Diego and became the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mycogen, Inc., then a start-up plant biotech company.

Under Dr. Caulder’s direction, Mycogen became a highly successful agbio company until acquired by Dow Agro Sciences in 1998. At the time of its acquisition, Mycogen’s market capitalization exceeded US$1.2B. Since then, Dr. Caulder has held similar positions in a number of high profile biotech business—Myelos Pharmaceutical, a therapeutic drug discovery company and Akkadix, a plant discovery and gene regulation company. Dr. Caulder is currently Executive Chairman of Chlorogen, Inc., a venture backed therapeutic plant company based in St Louis; Athenix Corporation, a venture backed plant sciences company based in Research Triangle, North Carolina; and PhytaGro, Inc., a plant sciences company based in California and New Zealand. Dr. Caulder is also director of Catharos, Inc., an early stage Bay Area medical devices company.

Until June 2005, Dr. Caulder was Executive Chairman of Advanced Stent Technologies, Inc., a cardiac intervention medical devices company based in Northridge, California. He also serves on the board of advisors to both of Burrill & Co’s agbio venture funds and was involved in the founding of many local, state and national biotech industry groups and initiatives. Dr. Caulder is internationally well recognized and is a frequent speaker at industry forums.