John Collar
Colorado BioScience Association, President & CEO 

Providing expert perspective on the Colorado's bioscience industry, including backgrounding regarding Colorado's biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and agricultural biotech initiatives. John is also able to connect reporters to other individuals throughout the state for additional information and commentary.

John Collar was Chief Operating Officer of Matrilinex, a start up mitochondrial DNA testing lab company, prior to joining CBSA. Before that he was Chief Operating Officer for Neuromark, Inc., an early stage Company in the genetic diagnostic field for psychiatric disorders; Corporate Vice President for Octagon Systems, a Colorado-based company serving the embedded computer systems markets; and served as President of Industrial Laboratories, a privately held company in the food, nutraceutical, and drug testing industry.  In addition he spent three years as Director of Operations for publicly held Amrion, Inc. (a subsidiary of Whole Foods) and twelve years as Director of International Operations for Baxter.

He received a Masters of Business Administration, Marketing minor, from Barry University, Miami Shores, FL, in 1990.  He earned his Packaging Engineering undergraduate degree from Michigan State University in 1979. Collar has served as Chairman of the Board for the Colorado Association of Manufacturing and Technology; and is a board member for the City of Westminster Business Advisory Group, MSU Alumni Association and The Butterfly Pavilion.  He is a former board member of Octagon Systems Corp and the PC/104 consortium.

In addition, Collar holds professional certification in Packaging Engineering & Materials Management and is past chairman of Professional certifications for the International Society of Packaging & Handling Engineers. He also holds his pilots license, multi-engine rated, and U.S. Coast Guard Captain's license, Master's rating.

The CBSA currently has more than 400 members from the biotechnogy, medical device, pharmaceutical, and agricultural biotechnology, sectors; research and education institutions, economic development agencies, and service providers. The primary goals of CBSA include: serving as a single, coordinated voice for the bioscience industry; creating value-added programs and networking opportunities for its members; supporting and promoting changes in Colorado that will result in a better business environment for bioscience companies; and providing information about the industry to the community-at-large. She serves as the lead manager for the implementation of the statewide bioscience plan.

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