September 4, 2009 – Research Triangle Park, NC — Advanced Animal Diagnostics (AAD) has added a leader in agricultural marketing and management to its leadership team. Joy Parr Drach has been named president of the innovative R&D company that is working to bring highly accurate, rapid animal diagnostic tests to the farm. Rudy Rodriguez, founder and a member of the board of directors, will remain as the company’s chief scientific officer.
“We are excited to have Joy join AAD at this important time for our business,” said Rudy Rodriguez. “She brings a unique combination of expertise in agribusiness and new product introductions that will benefit AAD as we move toward commercialization of the first generation of our technology platform products.”
Joy Parr Drach is a founder and senior partner of Entira, a management and marketing consulting firm for agribusiness companies. She will continue in an advisory role at Entira.
Parr Drach brings a wide range of experience in leading strategic planning programs and implementing management and marketing programs with clients ranging from small start-ups to Fortune 100 industry leaders. She has successfully launched more than 30 new products ranging from U.S. dairy parlors to global herbicides and spray equipment, including product development, pricing strategies, distribution plans, sales training and marketing/promotion planning and execution.
Parr Drach is also actively involved in her family’s grain and purebred livestock operation. She earned a bachelor of science in Agricultural Communications from the University of Illinois and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago.
Advanced Animal Diagnostics (AAD) was founded in 2001 to commercialize exclusively licensed proprietary technology for the diagnosis of farm-animal diseases, beginning with those that affect milk and milk products. In addition, the company has also developed intellectual property internally, which will have many applications in farms and veterinary medicine. AAD is located at 1912 HWY 54 East, Durham, NC 27713. For more information about Advanced Animal Diagnostics, please visit www.advancedanimaldiagnostics.com.