Huntsville, Ala. — HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology co-founder Jim Hudson was named Entrepreneur Champion of the Year by the Women’s Business Center of North Alabama (WBCNA). Brian Pollock, founder and CEO of Kailos Genetics accepted the award on Hudson’s behalf today at the WBCNA Entrepreneur Awards ceremony, which celebrates entrepreneurs who have the skill, courage and determination to create a business out of an idea.
The Entrepreneur Champion award recognizes an individual who has a proven track record of championing for the entrepreneurial journey.
“It’s amazing to see how HudsonAlpha has grown from the idea that Lonnie McMillian and I had, to this incredible collaborative place where scientists, educators and entrepreneurs come together under one roof to launch companies that will change the world,” said Hudson. “I am truly honored to receive such an award and I would like to thank the WBCNA for recognizing the importance of entrepreneurship in North Alabama.
Equal parts scientist and businessman, Hudson’s investments have shaped the advancement of biotechnology around the world—but especially in the state of Alabama.
“HudsonAlpha has made a number of groundbreaking discoveries and research advances in just a few short years, thanks to the dream and vision of Jim Hudson and Lonnie McMillian,” said Carter Wells, HudsonAlpha vice president for economic development. “Jim’s entrepreneurial spirit resonates through HudsonAlpha, Cummings Research Park and the State of Alabama and this honor is well deserved.”
Aside from the entrepreneurial contributions at HudsonAlpha, Jim Hudson has had many throughout north Alabama, most notably at Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment center in downtown Huntsville.
About HudsonAlpha: HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is a nonprofit institute dedicated to innovating in the field of genomic technology and sciences across a spectrum of biological challenges. Opened in 2008, its mission is four-fold: sparking scientific discoveries that can impact human health and well-being; bringing genomic medicine into clinical care; fostering life sciences entrepreneurship and business growth; and encouraging the creation of a genomics-literate workforce and society. The HudsonAlpha biotechnology campus consists of 152 acres nestled within Cummings Research Park, the nation’s second largest research park. Designed to be a hothouse of biotech economic development, HudsonAlpha’s state-of-the-art facilities co-locate nonprofit scientific researchers with entrepreneurs and educators. The relationships formed on the HudsonAlpha campus encourage collaborations that produce advances in medicine and agriculture. Under the leadership of Dr. Richard M. Myers, a key collaborator on the Human Genome Project, HudsonAlpha has become a national and international leader in genetics and genomics research and biotech education, and includes more than 30 diverse biotech companies on campus. To learn more about HudsonAlpha, visit: http://hudsonalpha.org/.
HudsonAlpha Media Contact:
Margetta Thomas
mthomas@hudsonalpha.org
256-327-0425
