BioUtah, Utah’s trade association serving the state’s life sciences community, announced today Erin Barry, vice president of government affairs for Merit Medical Systems, based in South Jordan, Utah, as new board chair, and Andrew Hemmert, PhD, senior vice president of molecular research and development for bioMérieux, based in Salt Lake City, as new vice chair. Both the chair and vice chair positions will be effective January 1, 2026.

Ms. Barry, currently board vice chair, succeeds Mark Paul, executive director of the Center for Medical Innovation at the University of Utah. Mr. Paul will remain on the board as immediate past chair and, in that capacity, will also serve as a member of the executive committee.

At Merit, Ms. Barry oversees all the company’s local, state, and federal government relations in jurisdictions in which the company has manufacturing facilities or sales offices. At bioMérieux, Dr. Hemmert leads global teams focused on the creation of easy-to-use, rapid, and comprehensive molecular diagnostics.

“We are exceedingly grateful for Mr. Paul’s dedication, wisdom, and leadership over the past year,” said Kelvyn Cullimore, president and CEO of BioUtah. “His strategic guidance has strengthened the BioUtah organization and advanced our life sciences community. The board is excited to welcome Ms. Barry. We’re confident she will help us boldly further our mission and enhance the state’s innovation ecosystem.”

In addition to these leadership changes, three new members have been appointed to the board, effective immediately.

• Jim Fitzgerald, CEO, ATL Technology
• Tracy George, MD, Chief Scientific Officer, and President, Innovation Business Unit, ARUP Laboratories
• Chris Lowe, CEO, Nusano

Additional details on new board leaders and members are provided below.

Erin Barry, Vice President of Government Affairs for Merit Medical Systems

Ms. Barry oversees all Merit’s local, state, and federal government relations in jurisdictions in which Merit has manufacturing facilities or sales offices. Ms. Barry also directs all state and federal lobbying efforts on key issues including taxation, international trade and tariffs, FDA regulation, and state and local economic incentives and compliance. Prior to joining Merit in 2015, Ms. Barry was deputy director of government affairs for the National Air Traffic Controllers (NATCA) where she was responsible for Congressional outreach and lobbying efforts. Prior to NATCA, Ms. Barry was vice president of government affairs for Unspam, a technology startup.

Andrew Hemmert, PhD, Senior Vice President of Molecular Research and Development for bioMérieux

Dr. Hemmert leads bioMérieux global teams focused on the creation of easy-to-use, rapid, and comprehensive molecular diagnostics. These innovations to infectious disease diagnostics include the largest available menu for respiratory, blood stream, gastrointestinal, central nervous system, and skeletal infections for hospital customers. Additionally, the bioMérieux SpotFire system delivers rapid, comprehensive results for the point of care setting. Dr. Hemmert is also an active contributor to the scientific community through multiple publications, grants, and patents.

Jim Fitzgerald, CEO, ATL Technology

Mr. Fitzgerald joined ATL Technology as CEO in March 2025. With 15+ years of executive leadership experience at sponsor-owned medical device and packaging companies, he brings to the job an in-depth knowledge of high-quality custom manufacturing solutions. Previous roles include CEO and senior leadership positions at Flexan, MRP Solutions, ITxM, Vesta, and Cardinal Health.

Tracy George, MD, Chief Scientific Officer, and President, Innovation Business Unit, ARUP Laboratories

Dr. George, in addition to her position as chief scientific officer, is president of ARUP’s Innovation Business Unit. She is also a professor of pathology at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah. Dr. George is board certified in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, and hematology by the American Board of Pathology. She brings extensive experience in laboratory diagnostics and clinical trials to ARUP. She received the College of American Pathologists Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and has been honored by Utah Business magazine as a 2022 Healthcare Hero.

Chris Lowe, CEO, Nusano

Mr. Lowe is an accomplished business leader with more than 30 years’ experience, the past 20 of which have been in C-suite and executive-level roles in healthcare and finance. He brings extensive strategic and operational expertise to Nusano, including licensing, financing, and acquisitions. As CEO, Mr. Lowe is responsible for setting the company’s strategic direction and overseeing key priorities. Prior to Nusano, Mr. Lowe served as chief financial officer and chief operating officer of Cortexyme, Inc., a biotech company focused on Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative diseases.

Two members of the board have completed their terms of service:

• Jay Muse, president and CEO, Piper Access
• Michael Olson, corporate banking portfolio manager, Zions Bank

Myles Greenberg, MD, who has served on the executive committee as immediate past chair will remain a board member, but conclude his service on the executive committee.  

BioUtah thanks Jay Muse and Michael Olson for eight years of dedicated service as members of the BioUtah Board and Myles Greenberg for three years of service on the executive committee. BioUtah is presently governed by a board of 16 directors representing the breadth and depth of Utah’s life sciences industry.

For more information on the organization’s governance, visit BioUtah.org.

About BioUtahBioUtah is an independent 501(c)(6) trade association serving Utah's life sciences industry. Its member companies reflect a broad spectrum of strengths in medical device manufacturing and services, research and testing, biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, and diagnostics, amongst others; and are a key driver of Utah's economy and advancing healthcare.

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