View Press Releases

Business Consultant Ned Cloonan Joins MDI Biological Laboratory Board

August 17, 2016

Government and Health Care Expertise Will Benefit Institution's Mission

BAR HARBOR, ME - Aug 17, 2016 - BAR HARBOR, MAINE -- The Board of Trustees of the MDI Biological Laboratory has announced the appointment of Ned Cloonan of Greenwich, Conn., to the Board of Trustees.

Cloonan, a summer resident of Castine, Maine, is the principal of Ned Cloonan Associates, a consulting firm that advises senior executives and investors on business, government and external relations strategies to generate actionable intelligence, manage risk, build their brands and grow their businesses.

Cloonan brings a background in the health insurance industry at AIG, a multinational insurance company, and an interest in the science of aging and regenerative medicine, which are the focus of research at the MDI Biological Laboratory.   

The MDI Biological Laboratory, located in Bar Harbor, Maine, is an independent, non-profit biomedical research institution focused on increasing healthy lifespan and increasing the ability to repair and regenerate tissues damaged by injury or disease. The institution develops solutions to complex human health problems through research, education and ventures that transform discoveries into cures.

Cloonan’s business expertise lies with enhancing competitive advantage by accelerating the application of technology -- including big data, analytics and artificial intelligence -- to the achievement of business goals, and by building networks of trusted relationships with government and other stakeholders. In his new role, he will seek to apply these skills to the laboratory’s mission of extending healthy lifespan.

“The effective use of strategic partnerships can be a valuable tool in promoting the growth and innovation required to deliver cures more quickly and efficiently,” he said. "In my role as a board member, I hope to help build relationships with lawmakers, policy makers and other stakeholders who can bring important resources to help scale the important work the lab is doing in the fields of education and scientific research on aging and regenerative biology."   

Prior to forming his own company, Cloonan was vice president of corporate and international affairs for AIG, where he transformed the New York office into a center of political and international activity, built what is considered one of the most effective and respected global relations and political management capabilities in corporate America and drove strategies to secure AIG’s presence in China, India and Vietnam.

He also played a key role in the philanthropic sector, advancing AIG’s global branding and growth strategies through philanthropic investments, including in micro-finance programs to help women and their families around the world.

“We are delighted to have someone with Ned’s level of planning and business development expertise on our board,” said Dr. Peter J. Allen, chairman. “His more than 30 years of experience in strategic consulting will be invaluable as we build a foundation of external support to help us realize our mission of moving laboratory discoveries in the fields of aging and regenerative medicine into the clinic.”  

Cloonan is affiliated with a number of companies, including serving as a senior advisor to M-III Capital, an investment firm based in New York, N.Y., and as a senior advisor to ALGOLIFT, a data and predictive analytics company based in California that serves both the business and non-profit sectors.

In the non-profit sector, he serves on boards at the Americas Society and Council of the Americas, the Asia Society, the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies and the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Committee on U.S. China Relations and the National Committee on American Foreign Policy.

He is also a board member of the Battery Dance Company, a premier contemporary dance company based in New York City that has performed and conducted training and mentoring programs in over 54 countries.  

Cloonan is a graduate of the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. A lifelong competitive athlete, he is an active masters swimmer and a certified masters swimming coach.

The MDI Biological Laboratory, located in Bar Harbor, Maine, is an independent, non-profit biomedical research institution focused on increasing healthy lifespan and increasing our natural ability to repair and regenerate tissues damaged by injury or disease. The institution develops solutions to complex human health problems through research, education and ventures that transform discoveries into cures. For more information, please visitmdibl.org.