Mr. Verhagen has more than 15 years of business development experience in the pharmaceutical and diagnostics industries, including his experience working with small cap biotechnology companies and large multi-national corporations. He has had particular success in the completion of product-licensing agreements and strategic alliances.
Management
Paul Walker, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.S.C
Director, President & Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Walker joined Spectral as President and CEO in April 2001. Previously, he held the position of COO of the Toronto General Hospital, and was Surgeon in Chief and Vice President of the Surgical Directorate of the University Hospital Network. Dr. Walker was an active Vascular Surgeon and the Director of the Intensive Care Program, and Professor of Medicine and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Toronto.
A pioneer in the area of endotoxin and its role in sepsis, and the co-inventor of the Endotoxin Activity Assay (EAA™), Dr. Walker is a frequent participant at leading sepsis and critical care conferences, has been a keynote speaker at symposiums focusing on the role of endotoxin in sepsis, and is the author of over 100 scientific publications. He received his M.D. from the University of Western Ontario, his Ph.D. from the Salgrenska University of Göteborg, Sweden, and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program from Harvard School of Business.
Tony Businskas, B.A., C.A.
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Businskas leads Spectral’s financial operations. A Chartered Accountant with more than 30 years of business experience, he has held senior financial positions in both public and private companies, as well as in public practice, and has significant experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, business partnerships and alliances, tax planning and finance.
Mr. Businskas graduated with a B.A from the University of Toronto in 1971 and became a chartered accountant in 1975. He further studied general management at the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, Canada and at the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.
Debra M. Foster RN, B.Sc. (Human Biology)
Vice President, Clinical Development
Ms. Foster brings more than 20 years of experience to the Spectral team. Starting her career as registered Nurse specializing in the adult critical care setting, Ms. Foster’s research experience began as a clinical research coordinator for the Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit of Toronto General Hospital. This included being an active member of the Canadian Critical Care Trials group where she developed expertise in clinical trial design, operation and execution.
Ms. Foster is a former Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC) and has lectured to medical professionals on the topics of sepsis and clinical trials for sepsis internationally. Ms. Foster holds a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Human Biology from the University of Toronto.
Robert Verhagen B.Sc., MBA
Vice President, Business Development
