Donald B. Hawthorne Email & Phone Number

Chestnut Hill, Ma, Us

MY MISSIONHelp executives whose companies have up to $100 million in revenue design go-to-market (GTM) strategies that will persuade investors, corporate partners, and customers to care enough to invest or partner with their company and buy its offerings.PROVIDING VALUE TO YOUSuccessfully navigating due diligence scrutiny in the marketplace (by customers) and in strategic transactions (by investors and corporate partners) is a must-have that enables companies to grow and deliver dominant valuation and operating performance outcomes over time.Let’s talk about how I can help you take your company to new heights.BACKGROUNDMy eclectic career path began 27 years ago when I moved from Silicon Valley to Rhode Island to honor a family commitment. The subsequent wide range of experiences gave me some unique perspectives and led to the conclusion that getting the business and human elements of GTM right was the missing link to ensuring companies could successfully build for growth. I was reminded of Steve Jobs’ words in his 2005 Stanford commencement speech: “You cannot connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards. You have to trust the dots will somehow connect in your future.” What got me superficially labeled as a turnaround guy over 20 years ago allowed me to become an expert at both detecting GTM blind spots and then figuring out what to do differently.I now connect the dots through my novel GTM® Persuasion Framework and GTM Readiness Self-Assessment diagnostic, which take on meaning via PowerLab® workshops. Both serve as insurance policies against the failure to Get GTM Right. The PPT below describes my unique perspective on how to develop a robust GTM strategy.With experience holding 12 C-suite roles, I bring an operating executive mindset/lens to my consulting work. 21 case study success stories are also below.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, Us

Hired by Board of Directors to redirect commercial focus of point-of-care immunoassay diagnostics company, completing transition from a single diagnostic product in a declining market to development of an ultra-sensitive technology platform capable of addressing multiple large diagnostic test market opportunities. Due to cap table constraints existing at the time of my hiring, the strategy was to show proof-of-principle for the new ultra-sensitive technology platform and then sell the company. Primary accomplishments: --Developed target product profiles for three diagnostic tests: High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI), HIV viral load, and hepatitis C (HCV) core antigen (cAg) after defining unmet market need, competitive landscape, and size of addressable market for each test.--Completed initial go-to-market HCV cAg commercialization plan, incorporating results from over 80 interviews. Completed development of cartridge design suitable for commercial production, earning Merck HCV deal milestone payment. Developed new HCV antibodies that outperformed any commercially available antibodies.--Achieved clinically relevant lower limit of detection with HIV+ Ab- plasma samples, in-tube.--Achieved initial clinically relevant hs-cTnI lower limit of detection with plasma samples, in-tube.As we were making progress toward showing the proof points that were expected to generate interest in acquiring the company, the family office shareholder who was the sole funding source for the company made a strategic decision to stop investing in any private companies anywhere.

Woburn, Ma, Us

Hired by Board of Directors of infectious disease molecular diagnostics company less than three months after closing of new equity financing, with mission to lead development and implementation of new strategy necessary to achieve investors’ vision. Sold company to OpGen in July 2015.

The HawthorneGroup (THG) was a nationwide team of Go-To-Market Specialists who delivered Value, Speed and Cost benefits to life science companies. THG served as peer-level partners to management with primary areas of expertise being in strategic marketing and strategic operations.Strategic advisory work was performed for variety of life science tools, diagnostics, medical devices, specialty pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, biosimilars, hospital logistics and workflow solution companies, an academic non-profit organization, and both venture capital and private equity funds.

Strategic advisory work for life science company management teams, Boards of Directors, and investors. Also served as "contract operating partner"/interim executive for the life science investment community at these 5 companies:--PRESIDENT, CEO & BOARD MEMBER at Repromedix Corporation (diagnostic lab services, 2006)Delivered record operating performance in only three quarters: 1-Doctors Placing Orders: 39% increase over prior year, to highest quarterly number in company’s 12-year history2-New Doctors Placing Orders: 119% increase over prior year, with all 3 quarters being highest quarterly numbers ever3-Lab Specimens Tested: 40% increase over prior year, to third-highest quarter everDesigned novel Innovation Hub growth strategy: Reached understandings with female infertility clinicians affiliated with Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, USC, OHSU, WashU as well as reproductive urologists at UCSF, Whitehead, Brown, BU – yielding >25 clinical study sites and forming the first-ever male and female clinical study platforms for testing new infertility diagnostic technologiesGenerated $8 million financing term sheet--PRESIDENT, CEO & BOARD MEMBER at Ardais Corporation (software and services-based translational medicine solutions company, 2003-2005)Acquired by Gulfstream Bio--PRESIDENT, CEO & BOARD MEMBER at BioTransplant Incorporated (biopharmaceuticals, 2002-2003)After clinical trial failure of lead compound, Chapter 11 filing paid creditors 100 cents on the dollar, plus interest--GENERAL MANAGER at $30 million Custom Primers division of Invitrogen (life science tools, 2001-2002)Record performance improvements called out by CEO during his quarterly Wall Street call--COO at QSR (healthcare IT services, with medical billing business unit, 1999-2001)Strategic advisory work was performed for variety of specialty pharmaceuticals, home healthcare services, generic pharmaceuticals, healthcare staffing services, medical devices, and diagnostics companies.

Served as:--COO at V. I. Technologies (VITEX) (biologics portfolio company, 1997-1998). Company achievements during tenure or within 3 months of departure: Successful FDA inspection. Successful product launch. $45 million IPO at valuation equal to 4X the cost basis 3 years after investment. Company achievements during subsequent 6 months: Revenue increased from $14 million to $45 million annualized run rate. Turned profitable for 2 most recent quarters. Became cash flow positive after being within 5 months of cash cliff upon my arrival at company.--BOARD MEMBER at Protient (specialty foods portfolio company, 1998-1999).

Greenwich, Ct, Us

Held progressively more responsible financial management positions, culminating in 3 CFO roles between 1989-1997:--Biocircuits Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA (diagnostics company- technology eventually acquired by Becton Dickinson) (VICE PRESIDENT & CFO, 1991-1997) Venture capital nvestors included: Venrock, Sprout, Burr Egan Deleage, Weiss Peck & Greer, Walden. Bankers: H&Q, Vector, Oppenheimer.--Oclassen Pharmaceuticals Inc., San Rafael, CA (specialty pharmaceuticals company - company eventually acquired by Watson Pharmaceuticals) (VICE PRESIDENT & CFO, 1990)--Genelabs Technologies Inc., Redwood City, CA (biopharmaceuticals company - company eventually acquired by GSK) (DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, then CFO) (1985-1990)--Syntex Corporation, Palo Alto, CA & Phoenix, AZ ($800 million branded pharmaceuticals company) (SENIOR FINANCIAL ANALYST in Corporate Planning) (FINANCIAL PLANNING MANAGER and then DIVISION CONTROLLER in $40 million ophthalmics device division) (1983-1985)--ARCO, Los Angeles, CA (FINANCIAL ANALYST I, then FINANCIAL ANALYST II, and then SENIOR FINANCIAL ANALYST in Corporate Finance Group within Treasury Department of $26 billion oil & gas company, 1981-1983)--ARAMCO, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (SUMMER CONSULTANT, Maintenance Planning Department of oil & gas company, 1981)--Morgan Guaranty Bank, New York, NY (SUMMER INTERN, Petroleum Department, 1980)--Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA (FINANCIAL PLANNER in Program Management department of $90 million Marine Division, 1978-1979) In less than eighteen months, led successful turnaround to 9% profitability for $5 million/year product line after years of it losing money.

Master Of Business Administration - Mba

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Mathematics