Chris’ career in biotechnology has spanned 20 years, including 16 years with biotechnology pioneer Amgen where he held roles in research, human resources, product licensing and corporate development. During his tenure in human resources, Chris led the company’s recruitment activities during some of the company’s most dramatic periods of growth as it evolved from a biotechnology research and development organization into a fully-integrated pharmaceutical company. As a result, his recruitment responsibilities spanned the spectrum of the company’s operations including research, clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization. As a business development executive with Amgen, Chris played a leadership role in the evaluation and negotiation of multiple corporate collaborations and partnerships focusing on both product and technology opportunities. Following Amgen and prior to Bench, he held executive management positions with two privately held biotechnology companies, where he played a leadership role in business development and financing activities. Chris holds a B.S. degree in microbiology from the University of Oklahoma, and an M.S. degree from the University of California, Riverside.