Michael Jones has been named the new chief financial officer at Sanford Burnham Prebys, succeeding Robin Ryan, who is retiring at the end of October. Jones officially begins October 16.
“The institute’s legacy of impactful research, its location in one of the most significant biotech hubs in the world, and the opportunity to partner with this research community on the next era for the institute is very exciting,” said Jones.
Jones comes to Sanford Burnham Prebys with nearly 30 years of professional finance and operations experience, 20 years’ of that working at academic research institutions, most recently as senior vice president and chief financial officer at The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Affiliated with UCLA and the County of Los Angeles, the Lundquist Institute is an independent, non-profit biomedical research organization with more than 120 principal investigators studying a range of diseases.
Prior to Lundquist, Jones served as CFO and in leadership positions at the Florida Institute of Technology, the Keck Graduate Institute, a member of The Claremont Colleges, and California State University, Long Beach.
“Working in higher education and research-focused organizations for more than two decades, I have found biomedical research to be the most intriguing. It has the potential to improve the lives of millions with one discovery.”
Jones received his Bachelor of Arts degree in public administration from CSU, Long Beach, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University. He is a peer reviewer with WASC Senior College & University Commission (WSCUC), which accredits over 200 institutions in the United States and around the world to ensure high standards of academic quality and effectiveness.
Jones is also a finance and operations consultant for higher education institutions and has been an analyst in both industry and government.
“Mike brings broad financial expertise,” said David Brenner, MD, president and chief executive officer at Sanford Burnham Prebys. “But critically, he has particular prowess in the challenges and opportunities unique to biomedical research. That skillset will prove invaluable as the institute continues to advance its strategic plan of growth, innovative research and bold collaboration to translate science into health.”