Bridge’s advisory board provides the Fund with broad range of medical, business and investment expertise. Current advisory board members include Dr. Steven Girouard, Kevin McGinty, Dr. Jeffrey Ponsky, Bill Schecter and Baiju Shah.
Dr. Steven Girouard
Dr. Steven Girouard is the President and CEO of the Securus Medical Group. Previous, Steve was the Vice President, Emerging Technologies for the Corporate Office of Science and Technology at Johnson & Johnson. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Steve is responsible for identifying emerging health care technologies and business opportunities in the Midwest. In this role, he works with faculty, researchers, entrepreneurs, technology incubators and early-stage investors to identify innovative products and business opportunities that may provide future growth across the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. Steve earned an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University and his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University.
Steve started his career at Guidant Corporation in the Cardiac Rhythm Management division where he held various technology management positions. As Director of Basic Research at Guidant his responsibilities included the development of breakthrough cardiovascular technologies through a combination of internal and external research and development programs. Steve was recruited to the Cleveland Clinic to serve as the founding Executive Director of the Atrial Fibrillation Innovation Center, a center created for the development of novel technologies for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Steve was previously a partner with Omega Funds and Oakwood Medical Investors where he focused on cardiovascular opportunities and medical devices. He holds over twenty patents and has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in the fields of cardiology and electrophysiology.
Kevin McGinty
Kevin McGinty was a founder and Managing Director of Peppertree Capital Management, Inc. and Peppertree Partners (an affiliated fund-of-funds manager). Mr. McGinty was also a founding partner of Buckeye Capital Partners, the manager for the Ohio Capital Fund. Prior to forming Peppertree, he spent 10 years as a Managing Director with Primus Venture Partners where he focused on Media, Telecommunications, Business Services and Financial Services investing. Previously, Mr. McGinty was an Executive Vice President of Society National Bank (now KeyBank, N.A.) where he was responsible for all corporate banking, credit policy, investment banking, venture capital activities and a member of the bank management committee. Mr. McGinty has been involved with such companies as: MetroPCS, Inc., Marlin Business Services Corporation, DecisionQuest, Inc., Western United Insurance Corp., Midland Financial Services Corp., Larimer Bancorp, Superior Communications Group, Inc and TMW Systems, Inc. Mr. McGinty earned his BA from Ohio Wesleyan University and his MBA from Cleveland State University.
Dr. Jeffrey Ponsky
Dr. Jeffrey Ponsky is in the Department of General Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. Previously, he was the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at University Hospitals of Cleveland. He was named Chairman of the American Board of Surgery for 2005-2006. In addition to receiving his medical degree from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1971, Dr. Ponsky also earned his executive MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University in 1990. He received the distinguished Kaiser Teaching Excellence Award at the School of Medicine in 1993; the Distinguished Service Award for 2000 by the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons in April 2000, and, in 2002, he received the ASGE Rudolf Schindler Award, the highest recognition award for excellence in endoscopic research, teaching and service. Dr. Ponsky has held several leadership positions including president of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), president of the Ohio Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, president of the Cleveland Surgical Society, and president of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).
Bill Schecter
Bill Schecter is the Chairman Emeritus of PNC Erieview Capital, the $1 billion private equity firm of PNC. Mr. Schecter has 30 years experience in various banking, finance, investment and management positions. He earned a B.S. in finance from The Ohio State University. He serves on the board of directors of numerous public and private companies, as well as several buyout and venture capital funds.
Baiju Shah
Baiju R. Shah is the CEO of BioMotiv, a mission-driven, for-profit accelerator that accelerates breakthrough discoveries into medicines.Previously, Shah was the President and CEO and a Founder of BioEnterprise. Prior to BioEnterprise, Shah was with McKinsey & Company, where he played a leading role in the Growth and Business Building practice. Shah received a J.D. from Harvard and his B.A. from Yale.
Dr. Steven Girouard
Dr. Steven Girouard is the President and CEO of the Securus Medical Group. Previous, Steve was the Vice President, Emerging Technologies for the Corporate Office of Science and Technology at Johnson & Johnson. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Steve is responsible for identifying emerging health care technologies and business opportunities in the Midwest. In this role, he works with faculty, researchers, entrepreneurs, technology incubators and early-stage investors to identify innovative products and business opportunities that may provide future growth across the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. Steve earned an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University and his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University.
Steve started his career at Guidant Corporation in the Cardiac Rhythm Management division where he held various technology management positions. As Director of Basic Research at Guidant his responsibilities included the development of breakthrough cardiovascular technologies through a combination of internal and external research and development programs. Steve was recruited to the Cleveland Clinic to serve as the founding Executive Director of the Atrial Fibrillation Innovation Center, a center created for the development of novel technologies for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Steve was previously a partner with Omega Funds and Oakwood Medical Investors where he focused on cardiovascular opportunities and medical devices. He holds over twenty patents and has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in the fields of cardiology and electrophysiology.
Kevin McGinty
Kevin McGinty was a founder and Managing Director of Peppertree Capital Management, Inc. and Peppertree Partners (an affiliated fund-of-funds manager). Mr. McGinty was also a founding partner of Buckeye Capital Partners, the manager for the Ohio Capital Fund. Prior to forming Peppertree, he spent 10 years as a Managing Director with Primus Venture Partners where he focused on Media, Telecommunications, Business Services and Financial Services investing. Previously, Mr. McGinty was an Executive Vice President of Society National Bank (now KeyBank, N.A.) where he was responsible for all corporate banking, credit policy, investment banking, venture capital activities and a member of the bank management committee. Mr. McGinty has been involved with such companies as: MetroPCS, Inc., Marlin Business Services Corporation, DecisionQuest, Inc., Western United Insurance Corp., Midland Financial Services Corp., Larimer Bancorp, Superior Communications Group, Inc and TMW Systems, Inc. Mr. McGinty earned his BA from Ohio Wesleyan University and his MBA from Cleveland State University.
Dr. Jeffrey Ponsky
Dr. Jeffrey Ponsky is in the Department of General Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. Previously, he was the Chairman of the Department of Surgery at University Hospitals of Cleveland. He was named Chairman of the American Board of Surgery for 2005-2006. In addition to receiving his medical degree from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1971, Dr. Ponsky also earned his executive MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University in 1990. He received the distinguished Kaiser Teaching Excellence Award at the School of Medicine in 1993; the Distinguished Service Award for 2000 by the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons in April 2000, and, in 2002, he received the ASGE Rudolf Schindler Award, the highest recognition award for excellence in endoscopic research, teaching and service. Dr. Ponsky has held several leadership positions including president of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), president of the Ohio Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, president of the Cleveland Surgical Society, and president of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).
Bill Schecter
Bill Schecter is the Chairman Emeritus of PNC Erieview Capital, the $1 billion private equity firm of PNC. Mr. Schecter has 30 years experience in various banking, finance, investment and management positions. He earned a B.S. in finance from The Ohio State University. He serves on the board of directors of numerous public and private companies, as well as several buyout and venture capital funds.
Baiju Shah
Baiju R. Shah is the CEO of BioMotiv, a mission-driven, for-profit accelerator that accelerates breakthrough discoveries into medicines.Previously, Shah was the President and CEO and a Founder of BioEnterprise. Prior to BioEnterprise, Shah was with McKinsey & Company, where he played a leading role in the Growth and Business Building practice. Shah received a J.D. from Harvard and his B.A. from Yale.