Mercer University’s Executive Forum, presented by Truist, continues its 42nd year on Jan. 27 with presentations by biotech entrepreneur and innovator Jamie Grooms in Atlanta and Macon.

Grooms, a visionary in regenerative medicine who has created companies and innovations that have improved the health of thousands, will deliver a noon lunch presentation at the Capital City Club in downtown Atlanta and a 6:30 p.m. dinner presentation in the Presidents Dining Room on the Macon campus.

After earning his Bachelor of Science in biology from Old Dominion University, Grooms began his career in tissue banking. Working his way up from procurement to operations, he developed cGMP medical processing and manufacturing systems, as well as other technological innovations. He held various leadership positions with Virginia Tissue Bank (now LifeNet Health Inc.), Osteotech Inc., CryoLife Inc., and served as director for the University of Florida Tissue Bank from 1992-1995.

He used his extensive experience in research and development, laboratory and manufacturing to became founding CEO and chairman of the board of Regeneration Technologies Inc. from 1998-2002, where he co-invented the primary value-added technologies that formed the basis of the company’s product line of precision-tooled allograft and xenograft implants.

Grooms co-founded a second biomedical startup, Axogen Inc., providing surgeons allograft products for repairing and regenerating peripheral nerves. He served as CEO from 2002-2010, chairman of the board from 2002-2019, and currently serves on its scientific advisory board. Continuing his dream in regenerative medicine, he co-founded NeXtGen Biologics Inc., a medical device company specializing in manufacturing extracellular matrix, serving as chairman of the board in 2015. Additionally, he is co-founder of Regenx Science Inc. and has served as chairman of its board since 2015.

Grooms served as CEO of the Florida Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology from 2012-2016, spearheading the institute’s mission to identify, support and fund companies committed to commercializing technologies supported by public research funds. His latest venture is Seaventure Clam, where he has served as executive chairman since October 2017, committed to producing sustainable shellfish aquaculture of the highest quality grown in the United States. The company’s long-term goals include supporting ecological restoration of Florida’s water ways.

Grooms lives in Middleburg, Florida, with his wife, Lisa Wasshausen. Their daughter, Riley, is a 2021 graduate of Mercer’s School of Engineering with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in biomedical engineering. She is on track to complete her Master of Science in Engineering in biomedical engineering at Mercer this spring.

The Executive Forum was founded in 1979 as a business outreach program of Mercer and its School of Business and quickly became an invaluable resource for the business community and professionals across corporate Georgia through the presentation of high-quality management and leadership seminars on timely subjects.

Mercer alumnus William H. Anderson II, then-President Dr. R. Kirby Godsey and founding dean of the business school Dr. Charles H. Andrews worked with the Office of University Advancement to plan, develop and implement the Forum in order to establish a closer relationship with the business community.

Over more than four decades of the Executive Forum, countless students and faculty have benefited from exposure to practitioners, and in turn, members of the Forum have benefited from a relationship with academia. These benefits include business networking opportunities, employee development skills and knowledge of current business trends.

Truist, formerly BB&T, is celebrating its 14th year as presenting sponsor of the Forum. This year’s co-sponsors include The 1842 Inn, Sheridan Construction, Cox Communications, Synovus, Georgia CEO and Georgia Trend.

The Executive Forum is a membership organization composed of businesses, organizations and individuals. Events are by invitation only to members. For more information on membership, call (800) 837-2911 or (478) 301-4169, or visit forum.mercer.edu/membership.