Management Team
Thomas Smith
Dr. Smith, MD is the founder of Auritec Pharmaceuticals Inc., and serves as a company director and as its Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Smith was founder and director of the Laboratory of Ocular Pharmacology and Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Kentucky. A board-certified ophthalmologist, he was also a principal in a Boston-based private practice, as well as a faculty member at Harvard University. Dr. Smith received his MD degree from the University of Toronto. Dr. Smith was previously the co-founder, medical director and Chairman at Control Delivery Systems, Inc. (CDS). During his tenure at CDS he was responsible for the approval of the Vitrasert®, the first intra-ocular drug delivery system approved by the FDA.
Gary Ransom
Mr. Ransom is a board member of Auritec Pharmeceuticals. He joined the company as CEO shortly after its inception in 2002. Mr. Ransom has vast experience as a successful international consultant and technology executive. He brings 25 years of experience in strategic planning, marketing and business development to Auritec. Over the past 10 years, he has been based primarily in Europe, both as Senior Vice President of Forum Corporation responsible for management consulting operations in Europe and Asia, and subsequently as an executive for European and American scientific ventures. His consulting clients have included Procter & Gamble, ChevronTexaco, Ciba-Geigy, Novartis, as well as a wide range of financial and distribution organizations. As director of marketing and business development for Siradel, SA in Rennes, France, he built partnerships with a number of global corporations. As founder and CEO of Boston-based High Acre Systems, he secured funding for the company and negotiated critical licensing agreements with Verizon Technologies and other technical companies. Mr. Ransom received his BA (Honors) from Dartmouth College, and has done extensive graduate study at Yale University, Boston University and INSEAD.
Amanda Malone
Dr. Malone has been the Vice President and COO at Auritec Pharmaceuticals since 2007. Dr. Malone received her BS in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College, her Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and her PhD in Bioengineering from Stanford University. Dr. Malone’s previous experience includes the designing of physiologically correct corneal implants and laser based guidance system for proton radiosurgery, and determining the role of primary cilia as mechanosensors in bone cells. She manages all of Auritec’s research projects.
Robyn Willis
Ms. Willis is the Director of Regulatory Affairs and Preclinical Development at Auritec Pharmaceuticals. She joined Auritec in February 2010 with 14 years experience in the drug development industry that includes regulatory toxicology and ensuring adherence to international regulations and guidelines throughout the drug development process. Ms. Willis received her BS in Biology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and completed her graduate program in Pharmaceutical Science, Drug Development (GCPharmSc) at the University of Queensland, Australia. Ms. Willis directs the regulatory and preclinical functional areas and activities during Auritec’s project development phases.