Immutrix Board of Directors
Lonnie Bookbinder, MBA, PhD, serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of 3 biotechnology companies and assists other CEOs in strategic decision making in the biopharmaceutical industry. He has a successful track record in product development and marketing as well as business development with deal making between strategic partners.
Dr. Bookbinder’s professional experience in the medical industry spans over 50 years. Lonnie has served as CEO and Chairman providing leadership in large pharmaceutical, mid-sized biotechnology, device and diagnostic companies. His expertise in corporate development, fund raising, research and development, product commercialization and executive management led to advancing curative products into clinical trials and the marketplace for the oncology product arena. Lonnie has experienced most of the regulatory, manufacturing, pre-clinical and clinical trials drug and device pathways through the FDA, as well as marketing and sales functions in drug and device categories. He has introduced instrumentation, software, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology products for the companies he served during his long career.
Lonnie’s formal training has helped him select specific strategies designed to raise the funds necessary to develop innovative products, as well as execute plans to offer investors a high ROI in a short period of time, through strategic partnering with large medical product companies. Currently he serves as Chairman of Tackle Bio, a company he formed to re-formulate an approved FDA drug to treat coronavirus; Chairman of ARIZ Precision Medicine, an anti-cancer company preparing to seek FDA approval for human clinical trials; and Chairman of Epigenetic Gene Editing, founder, trained the CEO, and assisted in partnering for the production of a gene therapy for autoimmune diseases.
Lonnie’s Published PhD Dissertation, Capital Formation and Utilization in the Biotechnology Industry: Factors Critical to Success, was preceded with multiple Market Research Reports on Monoclonal Antibodies (A First to Publish Success) at MIRC/Frost/Sullivan, Market Research Publisher and followed by published healthcare books as well as issued and provisional patents.
Stephanie Lien D’Urso, MBA, was appointed as a Director on April 1, 2020, and elected to the Board of Directors by the shareholders on March 30, 2021. Stephanie was born and raised in Rapid City, SD and is an owner of a generational family company, Pete Lien and Sons. She received a BS in Biology from Creighton University where she completed an internship with a renowned reproductive physiologist at the Henry Doorly Zoo. After graduating with a Biology degree, Stephanie studied reproductive physiology and genetics for a year in her post graduate program at Colorado State University and obtained a certificate in equine artificial insemination under Dr. Squires, the head of the CSU Equine Reproductive program. She then went on to earn an MBA in Finance from Regis University
Stephanie began her career working for South Dakota’s Senator Pressler in Washington DC. After that, she managed a private placement investment partnership, of which she was 1/9th owner. In 2006, Stephanie started her own real estate firm, VIP Properties, with the intention of raising the level of ethics and professionalism in her industry. She focused primarily on the luxury real estate market. In 2016, Stephanie sold VIP Properties after successfully growing it to a large and reputable company in Rapid City, SD.
After selling VIP Properties, Stephanie decided to focus her time on being of service to her community, her state and her country. This includes serving as a foster home for the Black Hills Humane Society, serving as an advocate for survivors of sex trafficking, recruiting and helping candidates for local and state elections, serving on the BOD of Protecting South Dakota Kids and serving as the South Dakota Chair of the Trump Victory Finance Committee. In addition to her service to her community, state and country, Stephanie has been focusing on her own equine breeding program. Stephanie is the proud mother of six children and the wife of Dr. Michael D’Urso, an Interventional Cardiologist at Monument Health.
Brad Hennrich, is the CEO of Healthy Food Ingredients; Owner of Hesco Inc.; and Owner and Operator of JBH Farms. As part of the senior management team of Hesco Inc., Brad’s role as VP of sales, has helped to transition the company into a national player in the food and petfood space, supplying healthy ingredients to major US and international CPG companies such as Kellogg’s, Procter and Gamble, Tuffy’s Pet Food, and others.
In 2007, Mr. Hennrich became owner and President of Hesco Inc., through a management buyout, and grew the business from ~$15 MM in annual revenue to $40MM in annual revenue by 2014. During that time, Hesco became one of the premier ingredient suppliers to all the major food and pet food companies in the US. In 2015, Hesco rebranded as Healthy Food Ingredients (HFI) and Brad became its CEO and significant shareholder. With new investment capital, and under Brad’s leadership, HFI soon acquired additional likeminded and similar positioned companies.
In Brad’s many roles in senior management, as shareholder, and as owner, he oversaw all aspects of the business including sales, marketing, customer service, quality, legal, procurement, sustainability, operations, human resources, IT, finance, and all forms of relationships with suppliers, banking, certifiers and most importantly, customers. As CEO, Brad was solely responsible for board presentation and communication as it related to performance, return on equity, debt management (both lead lender, sub debt and equipment leasing arrangements), cap ex investment, and budget creation.
Brad and his wife, Jami, own and operate JBH Farms, and grow row crops (corn and soy) on approximately 600 acres in Eastern SD.
Russell “Rusty” McCulloh, MD., is a professor in the College of medicine at the University of Nebraska, Medical Center. He is a board-certified internist, pediatrician, and infectious disease specialist. Dr. McCulloh has many academic appointments, including Professor of Pediatrics, Professor of Neurosciences, and Professor, Graduate College, among others. Rusty also serves as the vice president of research for Nebraska medicine, and the associate advised chancellor for clinical research for the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Rusty Dr. McCulloh is a highly experienced clinical trial list and federally funded researcher with expertise in the areas of infectious diseases, sepsis, and the development in conduct of clinical trials in partnership with industry sponsors, including pharmaceutical companies and device anufacturers.
Rusty has published over 100 articles in scholarly journals, such as Biomarkers in Sepsis and Severe Infection: Where Immunology Meets Diagnostics.; Acute Overdose: Suicide Attempt; Hemopexin and haptoglobin: allies against heme toxicity from hemoglobin not contenders; Treatment of Tracheitis and Antimicrobial Stewardship Interventions. Open Forum Infectious Diseases; and many others. Dr. McCulloh has authored 39 chapters in books and provided over 100 posters and platform presentations on differing topics, such as, “Appropriateness of Testing for Serious Bacterial Infection in Children Hospitalized with Bronchiolitis”; and “Unusual presentation of post cardiac injury syndrome with bilateral large pleural effusions leading to respiratory failure improving after chest thoracostomy.” Finally, Rusty has mentored 37 students and residents, assisting them with creating posters, writing papers, submitting grants, and providing presentations.
Richard T. Otto, CFP, is involved in various boards and leadership positions in his job, community, church, and alma mater. He currently serves on the Creighton University Board of Regents, Holy Rosary Finance Committee, and Holy Rosary Parish Council. He has previously served on the Box Butte General Hospital Foundation Board, Creighton University Parent and Leadership Board, St. Agnes Academy School Board, and the Alliance Historic Main Street Board, and he was an Elks Exalted Ruler, among others.
Mr. Otto is a Financial Advisor and leader who is frequently looked to for his knowledge and advice. Besides being a Financial Advisor, Rich is a former Regional Leader and Principal of his financial firm. He was chosen to be a Regional Leader because he is a highly successful, well-respected veteran Financial Advisor committed to advancing his region’s overall health and growth. After eight years in the role, he recently decided to step down to have more time to spend with his family and serving clients. He remains highly involved in educating, guiding, and supporting new and veteran Financial Advisors. Through this mentorship, he continues to help identify and develop future leaders for his region’s overall success and climate. Rich is grateful for the opportunity to serve his company and peers and finds it immensely rewarding.
Rich graduated from Creighton University in 1991 and began an internship in 1992 with a company in the financial industry, where he continues to work, over thirty years later. His wife, Aimee, is a pharmacist and they have four children. As a board member, Rich is driven to make the company successful. He will listen to the concerns of the shareholders, administration, and employees and continually educate himself in all aspects of the company. He is committed to the success and reaching the full potential of ImmutriX and its subsidiaries.
Carol A Rae, is the founder of ImmutriX Therapeutics, Inc., currently serves as a Director, and previously served as the company’s President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board. She is a named inventor on many of the company’s patents and was named South Dakota’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019.
Ms. Rae served as President and CEO of Magnum Diamond Corporation, a South Dakota ophthalmic medical device start-up company. As CEO of Magnum Diamond Corporation, Carol was named South Dakota Small Business Person of the Year, Region VIII (eight-state region) Small Business Person of the Year, and Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Person of the Year, 1st Runner-up. After the sale of Magnum Diamond to Chiron Vision Corporation, she served as the Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Chiron Refractive Division, and later as Senior Vice President and Consulting Manager for Governmental Affairs. During her tenure at Chiron Vision, the refractive division completed the acquisition of three additional businesses, internationally, resulting in a combined company later acquired by Bausch and Lomb.
Carol served on the Board of Directors for Homestake Mining Company for seven years. Her experience at Homestake included serving the Finance and Audit, Environmental, Compensation and Director Affairs Committees. Homestake Mining Company was acquired by Toronto based Barrick Gold Corporation and Ms. Rae served on the merger/acquisition committee for the Board of Directors. She also served on the Board of Directors for VanKoevering Company, Fountain Pharmaceuticals, and CytoLogic, Inc., where she also served as Chief Executive Officer.
Ms. Rae served as a member of the Board of Directors of the US Chamber of Commerce for six years, as a member of the US Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council and chaired numerous committees. She was an elected delegate from South Dakota for the White House Conference on Small Business and had an active leadership role as architect of Small Business legislative initiative recommendations for the White House conference on Small Business. Working with the Medical Device Manufacturers Association, she was a co-author of the association’s “FDA Blueprint for Reform of Medical Device Regulatory Process”.
Ronald L. Shape, MBA, Ed.D., serves as the President, CEO, and CFO for ImmutriX Therapeutics, Inc. Dr. Shape began his career in 1991 at National American University’s Ellsworth Air Force Base campus in western South Dakota. Over his 30 plus year career, he has held numerous roles, including: System Assistant Director of Financial Aid, System Controller, Executive Vice President, Regional President, Chief Fiscal Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Executive Officer, and President.
In these roles, Dr. Shape managed the oversight for the policies and procedures to ensure compliance with multiple regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Defense, and multiple other state and regulatory agencies. In addition, Dr. Shape managed the fiscal operations of a multi-state, multi-location system with a domestic and international presence. He coordinated the development and execution of the policies, procedures, and processes to ensure fiscal responsibility, clean audits with no findings or deficiencies, growing revenue streams, launching new business verticals, strategic and operational planning; and leading the organization in a capital raise through a reverse merger with a SPAC to become a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ.
Dr. Shape has spent over 12 years working in the public capital markets, providing quarterly and annual shareholder meetings, presenting at numerous conferences, managing public relations, and working with several large investment firms and analysts to build the demand for the company’s stock. He is well versed in financial planning, including budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow needs; strategic planning, with a focus on building shareholder value, revenue growth, operating efficiencies, and the process of taking a company public.
Dr. Shape received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Dakota Wesleyan University, an MBA from the University of South Dakota, and a Doctor of Education degree in Adult and Higher Education Administration from the University of South Dakota.
