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In this riveting episode, we unravel the extraordinary story of John F. Crowley, Executive Chairman of Amicus and former CEO from 2005 to 2022. When two of his children were diagnosed with Pompe disease in 1998, a severe neuromuscular disorder, John’s life took a profound turn. Leaving his role at Bristol-Myers Squibb, he became an entrepreneurial force as the Co-founder, President, and CEO of Novazyme Pharmaceuticals, steering groundbreaking research that ultimately saved his children’s lives. Acquired by Genzyme Corporation in 2001, John continued his impactful journey, shaping the development of a revolutionary drug for Pompe disease. This episode explores the fusion of compassionate leadership and purpose, shedding light on the resilience and empathy that have defined John Crowley’s remarkable career.
More about the guest
John Crowley
John F. Crowley is the Executive Chairman of Amicus. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Amicus from 2005 to 2022. John’s involvement with biotechnology stems from the 1998 diagnosis of two of
his children with Pompe disease—a severe and often fatal neuromuscular disorder. In his drive to find a cure for them, he left his position at Bristol-Myers Squibb and became an entrepreneur as the Co-founder, President and CEO of Novazyme Pharmaceuticals, a biotech start-up conducting research on a new experimental treatment for Pompe disease (which he credits as ultimately saving his children’s lives). In 2001, Novazyme was acquired by Genzyme Corporation and John continued to play a lead role in the development of a drug for Pompe disease as Senior Vice President, Genzyme Therapeutics.
John and his family have been profiled numerous times on the front page of The Wall Street Journal and are the subjects of a book by Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Geeta Anand, “The Cure: How a Father Raised $100 Million-And Bucked the Medical Establishment-In a Quest to Save His Children.” The major motion picture, Extraordinary Measures, starring Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford, is inspired by the Crowley family journey. John is the author of a personal memoir: Chasing Miracles: The Crowley Family Journey of Strength, Hope, and Joy. John served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 2005-2016, assigned to the United States Special Operations Command, and is a veteran of the global war on terrorism, with service in Afghanistan. He graduated with a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, and earned a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School and an M.B.A. from Harvard. The Crowley family was the recipient of the 2011 Family Exemplar Award from the University of Notre Dame. He is also a member of the University Council on Science & Technology at Notre Dame. Currently, John serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. and Entrada Therapeutics, Inc. He is the former National Chairman of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America and is a founding Board member of the Global Genes Project. John is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute. He was awarded a Doctor of Laws Degree (Honoris Causa) from the University of Notre Dame, where he delivered the commencement address to the Class of 2020.
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About Heather R Younger
Heather R Younger is a highly sought-after speaker, 2x-TEDx speaker, diversity, equity and inclusion strategist, and contributor to leading news outlets. She is also the Founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, a leading employee engagement and consulting firm.
After over 25,000 employee engagement surveys and years of working with organizations to transform employee engagement, here’s what Heather has seen over and over:
When you know how to listen, employees will tell you exactly what they need to bring their full selves to work.
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