Blue Ridge Growth Advisors

Ray W. Swanson has more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry in general management and senior commercial executive roles. As a medical device and diagnostics industry veteran, he has a highly successful track record with helping organizations build substantial value through developing profitable ventures, both in the US and abroad.

Ray's reputation is one of a passionate business leader who helps companies develop and articulate a business vision, set goals and then achieve outstanding results in fast-paced, rapidly changing business settings.

Before Blue Ridge Growth Advisors
Prior to founding Blue Ridge Growth Advisors, Ray was President and CEO of Centice Corporation, an early stage, venture-backed company established to commercialize a proprietary optical sensor technology platform. During his tenure with Centice, Mr. Swanson successfully transformed the business from a research venture into a market-driven company. As CEO, Mr. Swanson oversaw the development and launch of the company's first product, a pharmaceutical authentication sensor system for retail pharmacy, in just 20 months.

Previous to Centice, he was Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for TriPath Imaging, a publicly traded company focused on developing and commercializing products for the detection and clinical management of cancers of the cervix, breast, ovary and prostate. Responsible for 75% of TriPath's global workforce spanning sales, marketing and operations, Mr. Swanson led a commercial turnaround that resulted in 19 quarters of consecutive sales growth, increasing sales 5X to over $100 million. TriPath Imaging was subsequently acquired by BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) in 2006.

Earlier in his career, Ray held positions of increasing responsibility, spanning 14 years, at Baxter International, a global healthcare corporation, and its various affiliates. He was a key member of the management team that divested Baxter Diagnostics Inc. from Baxter in 1995 and created Dade Behring, a broadly diversified $1.2 B clinical diagnostic reagent and equipment company. As president of the Japanese subsidiary, he successfully spun the diagnostics division out of Baxter and then successfully integrated an acquisition of DuPont Japan 12 months later. During his five year tenure in Japan, he also grew the MicroScan automated microbiology business from start-up to a 70% market share.

Ray also served as Dade Behring’s general manager for eBusiness, where he developed an award winning global website and eBusiness strategy, and as the general manager for a promising new platelet function testing technology. Under his leadership the start-up business achieved profitability within 2 ½ years. Earlier, as head of International sales and business development for the MicroScan division, he grew the business to profitability by restructuring Europe, aligning resources to develop and launch products for local market requirements, and opening up new markets in Asia, Pan-Pacific, Mexico and South America.

Ray currently serves on the Greater Raleigh Leadership Council for the American Cancer Society. He holds M.S. and B.S. degrees in Zoology from Eastern Illinois University and an MBA from the University of Iowa.