Cynthia Fisher (born January 16, 1961) is an American businesswoman and public policy advocate. She was a pioneer in the stem cell industry, founding the cord blood stem cell banking company, ViaCord, Inc., in 1993.Benchley, Robert S. "Going with the flow." Harvard Business School Alumni Stories. May 11, 2017. Resende, Patricia. "Fisher keeps blazing biotech trail in New England." Boston Business Journal. July 29, 2002. She serves as a director of The Boston Beer Company, which was founded by her husband, Jim Koch. She is also active in public advocacy relating to price transparency in healthcare.
Career Healthcare technology Fisher began her career at IBM in sales and marketing in 1983. After receiving her MBA in 1990 from Harvard Business School, she joined Haemonetics and was marketing manager of the Blood Bank Division.Royal, Weld. "Women Execs Saying Goodbye." Industry Week. December 21, 2004. In 1993, Fisher set up ViaCord, Inc., a company that tests, types, freezes and stores the umbilical cord blood of newborns for its potential use in treating some cancers, blood disorders, and genetic diseases."Seizing Nature's Lifeline." Newsweek. April 28, 1996. She served as CEO from ViaCord’s inception until 2000. Cynthia Fisher and the Rearing of ViaCell
In 2000, Fisher co-founded and was president of ViaCell, a cellular medicines company.Egan, Mary Ellen. "Cell Makers." Forbes. December 11, 2000. ViaCord then became a division of ViaCell. ViaCell went public in 2005 at a $260 million valuation. ViaCell's Costly Mistake Fisher’s role in the "rearing" of ViaCell was the subject of a Harvard Business School case study. PerkinElmer acquired ViaCell in 2007 for $300 million for its ViaCord business. PerkinElmer to acquire ViaCell in $300m deal Healthy Bid for ViaCell Fisher served on the Board of Directors of ViaCord and ViaCell. From 2002 to 2004, she was Chair of the Board of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. Balancing Patient Privacy and Innovation–Where do we go from here?
Advisory and director roles Since 2000, Fisher has founded, advised, and invested in several privately held enterprises. She mentors entrepreneurs and is a guest lecturer at several graduate schools of business (Harvard Business School, Brandeis University, The Asper Center Events, Lectures and Conferences Past Events Bentley University, and Boston University). Planning and Operating New Ventures; Course Number: MET AD740
In 2011, she set up WaterRev, LLC, an investment firm focused on companies with novel technologies that enable sustainable practices of water use. Through 2018, Fisher was on the board of Water.org, the nonprofit organization founded by Gary White and Matt Damon.
Fisher became a director in 2012 of The Boston Beer Company, the maker of Samuel Adams Beer, Angry Orchard Cider, and Twisted Tea. The Boston Beer Company Corporate Governance HBS Alum Cynthia Fisher A Valuable Asset on Boston Beer Co. Board of Directors She was the first woman on the company's board, but her appointment was criticized because she was married to Jim Koch, the company's founder.
Since 2015, Fisher has been a director of Easterly Government Properties, a real estate investment trust focused on Class A commercial properties leased to U. S. Government agencies. Easterly Government Properties Inc. Investor Relations Easterly Government Properties Inc. Corporate Profile
Policy advocacy In 2016, Fisher co-founded FitMoney, Inc., a nonprofit organization providing K-12 curriculum for financial literacy.
In 2017, Fisher was appointed by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan to the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee. Congressional Record vol. 163, no. 125, pg. H6279
The same year, Fisher set up PatientRightsAdvocate.org, a nonprofit organization that advocates for patients and employers to access price transparency in healthcare, to reduce the cost of care for patients, employers, and the government. A Powerful Lobbying Tool in the Trump Era: the President’s Ear Her commentaries advocating for price discovery have been reported in The Boston Globe, U.S. News & World Report, Issues & Insights, and RealClearHealth.
In 2018, Fisher was appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Park Foundation. National Park Foundation Board of Directors biography
Education
Fisher received an MBA from Harvard Business School. The Future of Stem Cells She has a B.S. in Biophysics from Ursinus College, Nutrient-rich umbilical cord blood preserved as potential aid to immune system where she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Science in 2006. Innovative Alumni Share Entrepreneurial Expertise
Personal life Fisher is married to Jim Koch. Business Owners: Do What You Love
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