Honorary Chairman - Frank Bonsal

Frank BonsalFrank Bonsal is a well-known and highly regarded venture capitalist with significant experience in helping start-up companies become successful. Mr. Bonsal is a founding partner of New Enterprise Associates (NEA), one of the largest venture capital firms in the United States. Since founding NEA in 1978, he has focused on the development of its early stage companies. His activities range from initial evaluation to investment decisions and follow-through work with investee companies. This work typically requires his involvement as a board member.

Frank's current board memberships include Advertising.com, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland; Provation Medical, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Codeon Corporation, Columbia, Maryland; AWS Convergent Technologies, Rockville, Maryland; and YAFO Networks, Inc., Hanover, Maryland. In addition, he is a special limited partner of Amadeus Capital Partners, Boulder Ventures, Novak Biddle, Trellis Ventures, and Windward Ventures. His community commitments include membership on the Johns Hopkins Hospital Endowment Board. Previously, he was a director of Aspect Medical Systems, Inc.; Biopure Corporation; Corvis Corporation Aether Systems Inc; Entevo Corporation; GeneScreen, Inc.; Synaptic Pharmaceuticals; Torrent Network Technology; and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Bonsal has played a significant role in helping these companies with business development issues. Frank Bonsal has been involved in many biotech companies including Alkermes, Inc.; Dura Pharmaceuticals; GelTex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Immunex Corporation; Inhale Therapeutic Systems; Orchid Biosciences, Inc.; Sepracor, Inc.; and others.

NEA, with $5 billion under management, is the leading start-up venture capital firm in the country. For more than 20 years, NEA has practiced classic venture capital by investing in early stage companies and working with management to nurture and build companies of lasting value. NEA has invested in more than 400 companies, of which more than 130 have gone public and more than 150 have been successfully acquired.

Prior to NEA, Mr. Bonsal was a general partner of Alex. Brown & Sons (1968 - 1977). He received a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies and Economics from Princeton University (1959).