Curtis A. Cluff Named Chief Executive Officer and Patrick Johnson to Serve as Executive Chairman and Chief Innovation Officer of BioPhotas, Inc.
BioPhotas, Inc., the market leader in therapeutic LED Light Therapy devices announced today that its Board of Directors has named Curtis A. Cluff as the Company’s CEO. Cluff joined the Company in October 2022 as the President & Chief Financial Officer and brings a 25-year record of building successful biotech and aesthetic medical companies, creating industry-leading brands, and accelerating global growth. Curtis has previously served in C-level operational, finance, and executive roles, including six years as CFO, Interim President, and EVP of Operations for Obagi Medical Products, and then later for seven years as CEO of Envy Medical.
In this expanded role, Curtis will work closely with founding CEO, Patrick Johnson, who will continue as the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, while also serving as the Chief Innovation Officer. “I have been working closely with Curtis for more than a year and I am confident he is the right person to maintain the company’s accelerated growth trajectory as the CEO,” said Patrick. “The coming year will be an exciting time and I look forward to continuing the collaborative partnership that Curtis and I have developed, while placing greater focus on the product innovations and new indications-for-use. These changes represent the Founder’s succession goals to form a strong management team for this next evolution of the Company’s growth.
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Commenting on the promotion, Curtis said, “It has been a privilege to work with Patrick and I am honored to take on the CEO mantle with the support of such an amazingly talented leader. Celluma is and will continue to be the Light Therapy of choice for professionals and consumers who value FDA-cleared and science-backed treatments for fine lines and wrinkles, acne, and hair restoration, as well as muscle/joint pain.”
With the promotion of Cluff, BioPhotas also announces two additional key management promotions.
Denise Ryan has been promoted to the position of Chief Clinical Affairs Officer. Over her 12-year history with the Company, Denise has served in multiple roles, most recently as Vice President of Brand Management. During this time, Denise has developed a strong network and clinical expertise with respect to the field of light therapy. Her responsibilities will include the oversight of clinical research, Professional and Clinical network development, and the further development of BioPhotas’ thought leadership programs.
Wayne (Tony) May has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Tony’s responsibilities will include all finance, accounting, and information technology activities. Having joined BioPhotas in December 2022, Tony has been serving as the Company’s Corporate Controller. He brings extensive financial and accounting expertise, with over seven years of senior management roles in Finance and IT. Prior to joining BioPhotas, those roles include Controller positions for Southern California Technical Arts, and AllFast Systems. Tony maintains his CPA credential and has both a Master of Science in Information Management and a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Arizona State University.
“This is an exciting time in the Company’s development, and we have an exceptional team in place,” said Patrick. “These promotions reflect the talent and accomplishments of these individuals and will facilitate greater management focus on the company’s strategic growth, technology development, and partnering initiatives.”
Sales management has been bolstered with the promotion of Jerry Gutierrez to Director of International and Government Sales. Jerry has been with the company for eight years working in various roles through the growth of the company, most recently as a Regional Manager for the Clinical Sales Specialist team. Jerry earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration, Supply Chain, and Operations Management from Cal State Long Beach.
With Jerry’s appointment, Sean McPhillips has been promoted to fill the vacant Regional Manager role, bringing four years of outstanding achievement as a Clinical Sales Specialist. Prior to joining BioPhotas, Sean honed his training and management skills in sales and education roles for several recognized companies including Mercury Insurance and MarVac Electronics.
With expanding channel growth, the Company announced the additional promotion of Kathryn Feather to Senior Manager of Professional Marketing. Kathryn earned her Journalism degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia and joined the Company in January 2020 as Product Marketing Manager, bringing nearly 10 years of marketing and communications experience. Over the following four years, Kathryn has developed strong relationships with the professional/medical trades and an impressive command in communicating the value proposition of Celluma’s Light Therapy technology.
The company also bolstered its manufacturing operations with the promotion of Jose Marquez to Director of Operations, where he will manage the growing demands of production and purchasing. Jose joined the company in August of 2022 and has become an invaluable resource in navigating the company’s global supply chain, backed by a B.S. in Robotics Engineering from ITT Technical Institute, and followed by more than 20 years of manufacturing and operations management with companies such as Manhattan Beachwear.
“We have built something special with Celluma Light Therapy,” said Curtis Cluff, Chief Executive Officer. “These are just a few of the outstanding individuals who are making it happen every day, and I am delighted to announce these promotions as a reflection of both their individual accomplishments and the well-earned respect that have garnered among their colleagues.”
“The recent additions to our leadership team along with these key management appointments point to the trajectory the Company is on as we continue the legacy of highly effective products that are backed by science,” commented Cluff.
