Skip to main content

Greenville Business Magazine

SCBIO Picks Ford For First VP

Nov 21, 2017 10:27AM ● By Emily Stevenson
Erin Ford, currently director of sales at Anderson-based Poly-Med Inc. and chair of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Biotechnology Industry Organization (SCBIO), is joining the nonprofit life sciences industry organization as its inaugural vice president.

SCBIO is South Carolina’s investor-driven public/private economic development organization exclusively focused on building, advancing, and growing the life sciences industry in the state. The industry already has an $11.4 billion annual economic impact in the Palmetto State, with more than 400 firms directly involved and 15,000 professionals employed in the research, development and commercialization of innovative health care, medical device, industrial, environmental and agricultural biotech and products. The statewide nonprofit has offices in Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston, and represents companies in the advanced medicines, medical devices, equipment, diagnostics, IT, and health care outcome industries.

“Erin is an extraordinarily talented, multi-faceted executive with magnetic relationship-building skills, along with being a proven leader,” said SCBIO president and CEO, Sam Konduros. “As I was vetting and interviewing a number of extremely worthy candidates for this critical executive position, it occurred to me that our board chair was the absolute perfect fit, and I felt humbly compelled to ask Erin to consider exploring the role. To my and the Executive Committee’s great delight, she ultimately committed to bring her signature career to SCBIO on a full-time basis starting January 2nd. We are extremely fortunate to have such a knowledgeable and seasoned pro like Erin join the executive team and hit the ground running in 2018, following a year of her outstanding leadership as our board chair.”

Ford departs Poly-Med, a global innovation company that is developing absorbable polymers and constructs for the medical device industry, for her new role at SCBIO, where she will work closely with the CEO on various corporate strategies emanating from the organization’s three statewide offices.  Her comprehensive responsibilities will include serving as primary lead for SCBIO’s business operations, championing investor relations and existing industry strategies, and spearheading major integrated marketing initiatives. 

She previously served as a business recruitment officer at the Upstate SC Alliance, where she was the main point of contact for life sciences companies interested in expanding or locating in Upstate South Carolina, and gained in-depth economic development experience. While at the Upstate Alliance, Ms. Ford served as an ex-officio SCBIO board member from 2013-2015, and led a regional biosciences task force comprised of industry executives from across the region. She also has extensive television experience as a documentary producer and sportscaster, and received her B.A. in Communication from La Salle University in Philadelphia.