Board of Directors

DiagnoCure’s Board of Directors is comprised of nine members, including sept who are independent . The Board has two committees:

  • Audit and Risk Management Committee
  • Corporate Governance, Human Resources and Nominating Committee

Alain RhéaumeAlain Rhéaume

  • Chairman of the Board since June 2008
  • Director of DiagnoCure since March 2005

Alain Rhéaume is Chairman of Board of DiagnoCure Inc. since June 2008, three years after being elected as member of the Board. He holds an undergraduate diploma in administration from Université Laval followed by graduate studies in finance and economics. He is founder and Managing Partner of Trio Capital Inc. He has over 30 years experience in finance management, and company direction. He worked for the Ministry of Finance of the Gouvernement du Québec from June 1974 to 1996, acting from 1988 to 1992 as Associate Deputy Minister, financial policies and operations, and from 1992 to 1996 as Deputy Minister. He then joined Microcell Telecommunication Inc. as Executive Vice President, Enterprise Services and CFO; he was subsequently promoted to President and CEO of Microcell SCP, from 2001 to 2003, and President and COO of Microcell Solutions Inc. from 2003 to 2004. Until June 2005, he was Executive Vice President, Rogers Wireless Inc., and President of Fido Solutions Inc. (division of Rogers Wireless Inc.). He served on several boards since 1989, including currently Quebecor World Inc., the Boralex Income Trust Fund, KTV Inc. and CPAB .

Michel E. CôtéMichel E. Côté

  • Member of the Corporate Governance, Human Resources and Nominating Committee
  • Director of DiagnoCure since April 2002

Michel E. Côté has held various positions with BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. and its predecessors since 1966.  From 1990 to 2001, he served as Vice-Chairman and Managing Director at BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. and prior thereto he held positions including Head of Investment Banking and Head of retail sales for the Province of Québec and Ottawa.  Mr. Côté is one of the Trustees of Boralex Income Fund.  He has also served on several other boards, including BMO Nesbitt Burns, Inc. and was Governor of the Montreal Stock Exchange as well as Member of the Executive Committee of the Investment Dealers’ Association.  Mr. Côté currently acts as Director for various private companies as well as for charitable organizations.

Dr Yves FradetDr. Yves Fradet, M.D., FRCS(c)

  • Co-founder of DiagnoCure
  • Chief Medical Officer of DiagnoCure
  • Director of DiagnoCure since September 1995

Dr. Yves Fradet graduated from Medical School at Laval University in 1976 and is member of the Royal College of Physicians andSurgeons of Canada since 1981.  He has been full professor of surgery/urology at Laval University since 1992 and he is the chairman of the department of surgery since 2000.  He is also Director, Urology Services, and Director of the Experimental Uro-Oncology Laboratory at the CHUQ – Hotel-Dieu de Québec.  Dr. Fradet studied at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York from 1981 to 1983, where he sub-specialized in urologic oncology.  He is a member of several national and international associations and was the first Canadian member of the Urology Research Society.  This society is limited to 100 members from all around the world admitted by invitation from the most recognized researchers in urology.  He serves as consultant for numerous national and international organizations and he is a frequent invited speaker around the world.  He was the founding President of the Canadian Urological Oncology Group, which conducts clinical trials in the field of genito-urinary cancers in Canada.  He has published over 180 articles and more than 300 abstracts.

Paul GobeilPaul Gobeil, FCA

  • Member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee
  • Director of DiagnoCure from September 1997 to April 2003 and since March 2005

Paul Gobeil, chartered accountant, is Vice-Chairman of the Board of directors of Metro Inc. and member of the Board of directors of several other companies and institutions, including National Bank of Canada and Canam Group Inc., and is a trustee of the Yellow Pages Income Fund. From 1974 to 1985, Mr. Gobeil held various positions with Provigo Inc., namely Vice-President, Finance and Administration, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary, Executive Vice-President and President and Chief of Operations of Provigo (Distribution) Inc. From 1981 to 1985, he was President and Chief of Operations of Loeb Inc., President of Loeb Corporation (United States) and Vice-Chairman of the Board of directors of IGA Canada Ltd. From 1985 to 1989, Mr. Gobeil was a member of the National Assembly (Quebec) for the riding of Verdun and served as Minister assigned to Administration, President of the Treasury Board and as Minister of International Affairs for the Government of Quebec. From 1989 to 1994, he was, inter alia, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royal Trust Company, Bankers' Trust, Hydro-Quebec International and Domtar Inc . After being a member of the Board of Directors of DiagnoCure from September 1997 to April 2003, and Advisor to the President from April 2003 to March 2005, Mr. Gobeil was elected Chairman of the Board of the Company from March 2005 to June 2008. Mr. Gobeil is still a member of the Board of Directors.

Alain G. MichelAlain G. Michel

  • Chairman of the Audit and Risk Management Committee
  • Director of DiagnoCure since April 2004

Alain G. Michel holds a Master’s degree in commercial sciences (finance) from Université de Sherbrooke as well as a bachelor of Arts from the Université de Montreal.  He has over 30 years of experience in various fields of activities namely in mining, agro-food industry, finance, manufacturing and in telecommunications and media.  He started his career at different positions in cost accounting and as financial analyst at Québec Cartier Mining Company.  From 1976 to 1988, he worked for Groupe Olympia Ltée, an agro-food industry, as Vice President of finance and controller.  He then worked for two years at La Laurentienne Vie as Vice President of finance and investments. In 1990, Mr. Michel served as Vice-President Finance and Treasurer at SICO Inc., a paint manufacturer.  In 1992, he joined Vidéotron Ltée as Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer until 2000.  Since 2001, Mr. Michel is a management consultant with CDP Capital and since September 2005 Chairman of the Board of Cari-All Group Inc.  He is also a member of the Boards of directors of NB Capital Corp., IPL Inc. and Rona Inc.

Dre Louise ProulxDr. Louise Proulx

  • Member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee
  • Director of DiagnoCure since March 2006

Dr. Louise Proulx holds a Ph.D. in physiology from Université Laval and pursued postdoctoral studies at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.  She has close to 30 years experience in research and science management.  From 1977 to 1985, she focused her efforts on prostate and breast cancer at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université Laval.  From 1985 to 2001, she took over scientific positions of increasing responsibilities, notably as Vice President, Scientific Affairs at Hoechst Marion Roussel Canada, and Vice President, Therapeutic Product Development at Biochem Pharma.  She was later Vice President, Business Development of Genome Quebec (2001-2002), Vice Principal Research at McGill University (2002-2004) and Vice President, Product Development at Topigen Pharmaceuticals Inc. (2004-2006).  Since December 2006, she is Vice President, Product Development at ViroChem Pharma Inc. 
Dr. Proulx has been a member of several Boards of Directors over her career and is currently Director of GeminX Pharmaceuticals Inc.

John C. SchaferJohn C. Schafer

  • President and CEO of DiagnoCure
  • Director of DiagnoCure since September 2006

John C. Schafer cumulates over 30 years experience in the field of diagnostics, along with an excellent track record in management and growth of high technology diagnostics companies.  He holds a BA in Biology and Chemistry from Carthage College (1972) and has advanced coursework in medical technology from St. Luke’s School of Medicine, health care administration from Central Michigan University, and finance from Boston University.  Before joining DiagnoCure, Mr. Schafer led a Montreal based biosensor company with target applications in biodefense, medical diagnostics and immunodiagnostics.  Prior to that, as President and CEO of Boston Medical Technologies, he led the introduction of an important new diagnostic instrument for physician treating patients with diabetic autonomic neuropathy.  During his 14 years at Baxter International, Mr.Schafer held key sales, marketing and operational positions prior to being named president and general manager of several Baxter diagnostic divisions.  Mr. Schafer spent three years as a Vice President of business development in the life Science division of $6billion consulting firm CAP-Gemini.  He is the past Director of numerous life sciences companies and he has received numerous awards as a leading biotech entrepreneur.  He is President and CEO of DiagnoCure since August 23, 2006.

Dr Mario ThomasDr. Mario Thomas

  • Chairman of the Corporate Governance, Human Resources and Nominating Committee
  • Director of DiagnoCure since 2003

Dr. Mario Thomas holds a B.Sc. and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Université Laval in Québec City and a diploma in business administration from École des Hautes Études Commerciales of Université de Montréal.  In 2007, he received the ASC designation in board governance from the Collège des Administrateurs de l'Université Laval. Dr.Thomas has over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.  He started his career at Johnson & Johnson Inc. in 1979 in R&D then moved to marketing in the Hospital Products division in 1983.  He joined Burroughs Wellcome Inc. in 1987 where he held positions of increasing responsibilities in marketing. In 1993, he started to serve as Vice President, Business Development of the Therapeutic division at BioChem Pharma Inc. In 1998, he was recruited as President and CEO by TerraGen Discovery Inc., a biotech start-up from Vancouver.  In 2000, after completing two acquisitions in the United States and in Europe, TerraGen Discovery Inc. merged with Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Boston.  In May 2000, he became Chairman and CEO of Entomed SA, a biotech start-up based in Strasbourg, France.  He is currently Vice President at Gestion T2C2/Bio Inc. since October 2002, and serves as director on several boards of private life sciences companies.

Dr Vincent R. Zurawski, Jr.Dr. Vincent R. Zurawski, Jr.

  • Member of the Corporate Governance, Human Resources and Nominating Committee
  • Director of DiagnoCure since April 2003

Dr. Vincent R. Zurawski, Jr., earned his Ph.D. from Purdue University in 1973 and completed post-doctoral training at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.  Dr.Zurawski was a pioneer in the biotechnology industry.  In 1979, he was one of the founders of Centocor, Inc., where he played a major role in developing and implementing the successful business strategy of the company and the development of its cancer diagnostic products.  In 1992, Dr. Zurawski was founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Apollon, Inc. and during his six-year tenure at Apollon, he built an operation from the ground up that has established itself as a leader in the development of DNA-based vaccines with five Apollon-manufactured products in clinical trials.  In 1998, the company was sold to American Home Products, now Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.  Wyeth continues to develop the Apollon DNA-based vaccines.  From 1998 to 2000, Dr. Zurawski served as Director for Research Business Development for the University of Pennsylvania, Health System and School of Medicine and in 2000 he joined, as Chief Executive Officer of Compugen, Inc., the wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary of Compugen, Ltd., a company specialized in the commercialisation of bioinformatics software systems and, more recently, in the identification of gene targets that may support the development of pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and diagnostic products.  Since he left Compugen, Inc., Dr. Zurawski has been engaged in a number of start-up biotechnology companies.  He served as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Nucleonics, Inc.  He is currently President and CEO of Varinel, Inc. and Viriome LLC, President of Auburn Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Managing Business Partner of Landmark Pharmasolutions LP, and member of the Boards of Directors of Varinel, Auburn, and Viriome.