Advancing Science Since 2010
Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Folsom, California, StemExpress is a leading global provider of human primary cells, stem cells, bone marrow, cord blood, peripheral blood, and disease-state products. StemExpress products are used for research and development, clinical trials, and commercial production of cell and gene therapies (allogeneic or autologous) by academic, biotech, diagnostic, pharmaceutical and contract research organizations (CRO’s). The mission of StemExpress is to streamline the cell collection and isolation process, reducing the time it takes for new cures and treatments to reach patient care - giving hope and health back to those afflicted with serious medical conditions. StemExpress is registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has over a dozen global distribution partners and six (6) brick-and mortar locations in the United States, outfitted with GMP certified laboratories. It has been ranked by Inc. 500 as one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S.
Leadership
Cate Dyer-Spears
Founder & CEO
Mrs. Dyer-Spears is passionate about business, company culture, and positively impacting the lives of millions by accelerating the cure and prevention of significant medical conditions at life-changing speed. Armed with only $9,000 and a vision, Mrs. Spears founded StemExpress in 2010 and has since opened multiple facilities, cutting-edge laboratories and stem cell collection centers, with a proven record of supporting clinical trials, accelerating R&D and facilitating the commercialization of many products. Mrs. Spears has received multiple highly prestigious awards, including the 2020 "Businesswoman of the Year" award from Sacramento Metro Chamber, and the 2021 "Most Admired CEO" award by Sacramento Business Journal.
Megan Barr
VP of Operations
Megan Barr is an accomplished businesswoman whose acumen has been integral to the growth of StemExpress for over 10 years. She has assisted in the launch of 7 StemExpress collection centers across 6 states. As the VP of operations, she oversees the day-to-day activities throughout the company while maintaining operational efficiency and profitability. She is dedicated to maintaining StemExpress’s mission and core values while promoting a thriving company culture. Mrs. Barr has her BS in biology and her MBA in corporate finance with a focus on operational and strategic management.
Julie Griffith
VP of Finance
As VP of Finance, Julie Griffith leads all financial management, tax, compliance, and IT activities of StemExpress. With over 35 years in accounting and finance, Ms. Griffith has developed deep experience in controllership and financial reporting in industries encompassing retail/POS, medical cardiology partnerships, CROs, and GME manufacturing and sales distribution. Some of Ms. Griffith’s achievements include integrating 4 acquired companies within 18 months into global operations in SAP, growing Clinipace, Inc. from $2M/year to over $80M annually over a six-year period, and more recently establishing a global treasury function at Blaize across US, EU, and APAC divisions, developing a financial management team covering 24hour centralized accounting/finance functions in a truly global, coordinated effort.
Dawn LaPlante
VP of Talent
Ms. LaPlante is a dedicated Human Resources professional with 25 years of global experience across HR functions such as business partnership, total rewards, HR systems and operations, talent acquisition, performance management, talent development, and internal communications. In her role with StemExpress, Ms. LaPlante is focused on partnering with the business to attract, develop and retain the team needed to meet current and future organizational objectives. Ms. LaPlante has held global HR leadership roles in the technology space, including companies such as PowerSchool, Verifone, and Nanometrics. She holds a Masters degree in Human Resources from the University of San Francisco with a minor in Organizational Development and has held her SPHR certification for over 20 years.
Awards
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce announced it will name Cate Dyer, CEO of StemExpress, the "Businesswoman of the Year" at their 126th Annual Business Awards. Since 1895, Metro Chamber has recognized Sacramento's most esteemed players in the business community. The 2021 Annual Dinner and Business Awards will be held virtually for the first time, and Ms. Dyer will receive this extraordinary honor on February 5th, 2021...
The fastest growing local company is Placerville-based StemExpress, with 1,316 percent revenue growth over a three-year period.
CEO Cate Dyer built StemExpress from a shoestring operation in 2010 to a global provider of blood, bone and other products for medical research. At No. 363 on the list, StemExpress was the only company to break the top 500 list...
Fourteen dynamic women are being honored by the Business Journal for the contributions they’ve made to their companies, professions and communities.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business program. During that time, 112 local women have been recognized...
Cate Dyer has received the Distinguished Service Award from Sacramento State as part of their Distinguished Alumni Awards.
Established in 1972, the Distinguished Alumni Awards are given jointly by the University and the Sacramento State Alumni Association to recognize alumni and faculty for their professional achievements and community service.
Nominations are received from all University constituencies throughout the year. Nominees must have achieved prominence in their chosen fields of endeavor and must have brought distinction to the University and/or community through their accomplishments.
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