For immediate release
San Antonio — Feb. 11, 2016 — Walter D. Downing, executive vice president of Southwest Research Institute, has been elected vice chair of BioMed SA, the nonprofit organization that promotes San Antonio’s healthcare and bioscience industries.
“This is an exciting time for BioMed SA, and the healthcare and bioscience sectors as a whole in our regional economy,” said Downing. “I am honored to be part of a team that is helping inform the rest of the world about San Antonio’s deep capabilities in science and technology.”
A member of the BioMed SA board since 2012, Downing chaired the bylaws review committee in 2015, while helping the organization develop new growth strategies. On the 2016 Board of Directors, Downing joins Chair Kenneth P. Trevett and Secretary/Treasurer Richard Perez, both of whom were re-elected. Ann Stevens continues to serve as president. All terms are for one year.
“We are honored to have Walt Downing join our leadership team as an officer of BioMed SA,” Stevens said. “Walt is highly regarded and very supportive of our mission to grow and promote San Antonio’s biomedical sector. We look forward to working with him in his new role as vice chair as we begin BioMed SA’s second decade of operation.”
An active member of the community, Downing also serves on industry advisory boards for the College of Engineering and the College of Business at The University of Texas at San Antonio. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s University, board member of the Free Trade Alliance San Antonio, and he serves on the City of San Antonio Global Business Competitiveness Council. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE®) and an evaluator in the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Inc. (ABET), which accredits college engineering degree programs.
At SwRI, San Antonio’s eighth-largest employer, Downing manages technical operations for its 2,700 staff members. With operations spanning deep sea to deep space, SwRI conducts a diverse portfolio of research projects using advanced science and applied technology to solve difficult technical challenges. In 2015, SwRI earned $592 million in revenue from contract research for government and commercial clients. SwRI inventors earned 51 patents in 2015, bringing the total number to 1,246.
Founded in 2005, BioMed SA is focused on bringing major biomedical companies to San Antonio. It fosters collaboration among researchers, investors and elected officials in the local biomedical device business community. The nonprofit celebrated its 10-year anniversary last year, announcing plans to expand by diversifying revenue sources.
Visit biomedsa.org to learn about BioMed SA or swri.org to learn about Southwest Research Institute.
For more information, contact Robert Crowe, (210) 522-4630, Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238-5166.