Albert D. Friesen

Albert "Bert" D. Friesen,  (born May 19, 1947) is a Canadian involved in biotechnology, innovation. and community service. His biotechnology career began as the first full-time employee and became the President CEO of The Winnipeg Rh Institute where he led the development of WinRho, one of Canada's first successful biotech products. He has also started numerous other biotech companies including a life science accelerator.

Friesen has been actively involved in a variety of community interests; Board of Directors Chair of Mennonite Economic Development Associates; an Executive member of the Premier's Economic Advisory Council and a member of the board of the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) chairing the  Finance and Audit Committee.  He has led a Linden Woods senior housing initiative, Winnipeg Mennonite Seniors Care Inc. serving as Board Chair for thirteen years and led the development of an innovative personal care home, Bridgwater Mennonite Personal Care Home, a subsidiary of the Winnipeg Mennonite Seniors Care Inc.; Founding Director and Chair, the Canadian Industry Biotech Association, known as BIOTECanada; Friesen presently serves as Board Chair, President and CEO of Medicure Inc.

Early life
Friesen was born in the small village of Kane, Manitoba, Canada in a Mennonite farm community, where he was nurtured in his faith and love of the farm and science.

Biotech career
Friesen began his biotech career as the first full-time employee, May 1971, of The Winnipeg Rh Institute becoming the President and CEO, where he led the development of WinRho. In 1984 he started ABI Biotechnology Inc., one of the first biotech companies in Canada and the first to become profitable, 1990. The Winnipeg Rh Institute and ABI Biotechnology were merged in 1990. In 1991 The Winnipeg Rh Institute and ABI Biotechnology Inc. became under the control of Apotex Inc., and subsequently the 2 organizations became Cangene Corporation and Apotex Fermentation Inc.

In 1991, Friesen started Novopharm Biotech (became Viventia Biotech), as a division of Novopharm Ltd., and Genesys Pharma Inc. Other biotech companies started were, Genesys Venture Inc., Mantex Biotech (acquired by Myogen), DiaMedica Inc., Miraculins Inc., Kane Biotech Inc., CanAm Bioresearch Inc., Medicure Inc., GVI Clinical Development Solutions Inc., Marsala Biotech Inc., Koff Pharma Inc., Waverley Pharma Inc., etc.

Other biotech activities, include being founding Board Chair, in 1988, of the biotech association in Canada, now known as BIOTECanada.

Community service
Friesen is actively involved in a variety of community interests; an Executive member of the Premier's Economic Advisory Council and a member of the Board of Directors Canadian Foundation for Innovation Board (CFI) where he started in 1997. Was founding Board Chair of the Industrial Association of Biotech Canada (now known as BIOTECanada); served as a Director on the Advisory Board on SMEs to the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; served a member of the Industrial Advisory Committee to the Biotechnology Research Institute in Montreal. He has been a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Council of Canadian Academies; Co-Chair for the Manitoba Innovation Council, Friesen has an extensive network within the international biotechnology and corporate finance communities.  He has led the Lindenwoods Senior Housing initiative for thirteen years as past Board Chair of the Winnipeg Mennonite Senior Care Inc.

A strong advocate for "Business Solutions to Poverty", Friesen also chaired the international board of MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) from 2014 to 2017.

He is active in his Church and the father of three daughters and has nine grandchildren.

Awards
 Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Manitoba – 2003
 Order of Manitoba – 2005
 Life Science Award - Individual Contribution to the Industry - Life Science Association of Manitoba - 2007
 The Industry Leadership Gold Leaf Award by BIOTECanada – 2013
 Faculty of Science Alumni Award, University of Manitoba, 2019, https://news.umanitoba.ca/celebrating-outstanding-faculty-of-science-alumni/

References

Category:1947 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from Pembina Valley Region, Manitoba
Category:Canadian Mennonites
Category:Biotechnologists
Category:University of Manitoba alumni
Category:Members of the Order of Manitoba