Georgia Bio will honor two industry leaders and long-time Georgia Bio supporters at the Annual Georgia Bio Awards Dinner Jan. 22. Being honored are Wayne Reid of Frazier & Deeter and the late Dr. Clifton Baile of the University of Georgia. The award is presented to individuals who have performed an outstanding service and accomplishment spanning a career to Georgia Bio and the life sciences industry at-large.
“Wayne has remained a strong advocate for the growth of Georgia’s life sciences industry,” said Georgia Bio President & CEO Russell Allen. “Wayne has tirelessly served Georgia Bio as its treasurer providing finance oversight. He cares about the mission of the organization and is always willing to give of his time and talents to help foster its success.”
Of the late Dr. Baile, Allen stated, “Cliff was a prestigious industry scholar and a generous individual. He mentored countless students and companies over his career, and he helped us to understand how Georgia Bio should serve the needs of industry. Cliff was selfless in his giving and leaves a legacy of excellence that each of us can follow, emulate and share.”
The recipients will be honored at the Annual Awards Dinner January 22, 6 pm to 9 pm, at Atlanta’s Fox Theater. Details available at www.gabio.org/awards.
Dr. Clifton A. Baile
Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Agricultural Biotechnology,
D. W. Brooks Distinguished Professor in Animal Science and Foods & Nutrition
and Director, University of Georgia Obesity Initiative
Dr. Baile was a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Agricultural Biotechnology and Distinguished Professor at The University of Georgia. At the university he coordinated the Georgia Research Alliance’s program in Agricultural Biotechnology. This program had dual goals of conducting leading-edge research and seeding start-up companies to commercialize animal and plant biotechnology in Georgia. In 2002 he was awarded the UGA Lamar Dodd Award for recognition of “an outstanding body of scholarly and creative activities in the sciences”. He was recognized in 2008 with the highly meritorious D.W. Brooks Distinguished Professorship by the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences for “sustained exemplary achievements in research.” He was the first to receive the Professorship since 1997 and only the third of the present faculty to be so honored.
Dr. Baile had a distinguished career in academic and commercial spheres with over thirty-five years experience at Harvard University, The University of Pennsylvania, The University of Georgia, SmithKline Beecham, and Monsanto Company. He participated in the founding of seven companies and served on the Board of Directors of AgGlobalVision, Inc., Angionics, Inc., AptoTec, Inc., InsectiGen, Inc., MetaMorphix, Inc., Oncose, Inc., and rPeptide, LLC. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Research Alliance representing the other 59 GRA Eminent Scholars. He was a member of the Georgia BIO Board and the Louisiana Gene Therapy Research Consortium. He served on the University of Georgia Faculty of Engineering Advisory Board.
Dr. Baile served as a consultant to more than twenty companies, including several in the top Fortune 50. As Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of AptoTec, Inc. and InsectiGen, Inc., Dr. Baile provided management for the research and development and commercialization programs and did the same formerly for ProLinia, Inc. and Oncose, Inc. In 2003 he was recognized for his entrepreneurial spirit and energy by the Georgia Biomedical Partnership which presented him with a Community Award for “putting UGA on the map as one of the most active biotech business incubation centers in the Southeast.” In 2007 Dr. Baile was presented an Alumni Citation of Merit by McPherson College. In 2009 he was named a Fellow of the American Society of Animal Science and received the Missouri University Faculty-Alumni Award. In 2010 he received the University of Central Missouri Alumni Award and was named an AAAS Fellow. He received the College of Family and Consumer Sciences Bill and June Flatt Outstanding Faculty Research Award in 2013.
Dr. Baile was known internationally for his research on the control of feed intake and the regulation of energy balance in animals. His contributions to the literature on the relationships between growth, lactation and the control of feed intake include approximately 350 journal articles, 300 abstracts and presentations for scientific meetings and 17 patents. Prior to joining the University of Georgia, Dr. Baile was employed by the Monsanto Company in St. Louis, MO, where he was a Distinguished Fellow and Director of Research and Development, Animal Sciences Division. His department successfully developed an injectible bovine somatotropin with a two-week delivery system for dairy cows. He was successful in directing drug research and development projects from the discovery stage to FDA approval and commercialization.
Dr. Baile received his B.S. degree in Agriculture and Business from the University of Central Missouri in 1962 and his Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of Missouri in 1964.
Dr. Baile most recently served as Director of the Obesity Initiative on the UGA campus. An avid basketball player, he often said that his favorite place on campus was the Ramsey Center where he exercised every day for many years. He traveled widely, attended many conferences around the world, and influenced the scientific careers of many students from many countries.
Dr. Baile passed away on May 19, 2014. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Beth Baile, son Christopher Baile and wife Jennifer, daughter Marisa Baile Johnson and husband Michael, and five grandchildren; three siblings and their spouses; twelve nieces and nephews and their families, and many cousins.