Patent Baristas

John F. Lewis, Jr. has been appointed as the new president and CEO of BioOhio, Ohio’s bioscience trade association. Lewis succeeds Anthony J. Dennis, Ph.D., who announced his retirement in April.  He was named BioOhio’s fourth president after Dorothy Baunach, Frank Samuels and Dr. Dennis.

Lewis has led bioscience-focused trade missions to Germany, Japan, China, Taiwan, France and Israel. In concert with key BioOhio partners, Lewis helped to market Ohio companies internationally as well as to attract global companies to locate new operations in Ohio. Through BioOhio participation in global exhibitions, more than 72 companies have been attracted to Ohio in the past six years.

Lewis is a Bexley, OH native and graduate of Miami University and Capital University Law School. He is a licensed attorney, an experienced entrepreneur, and a passionate advocate for all things “bio in Ohio.”  He has helped raise more than $1.3 billion for Ohio’s emerging bio companies and is a founding partner of the Ohio TechAngel Fund (OTAF), the largest Angel fund in the U.S. and one of the largest in the world.

An annual BioOhio study started by Lewis in 2004 and produced in partnership with researchers from Cleveland State University, shows the total economic impact of Ohio’s bioscience industry is estimated at $54 billion. Over the past decade, employment in Ohio’s bioscience sector has outpaced general employment by 27% and the rate of start-up company formation has increased ten-fold. Since 2002, BioOhio has grown to include 430 members that represent all regions of the state and all major industry sectors.

As a trade association with 430 members, BioOhio is the lead organization for the Ohio bioscience community and is the Ohio affiliate for global bioscience industry organizations including BIO, AdvaMed, PhRMA and MDMA.