The Gury Award recognizes a company that has achieved significant technology advancements, product milestones and/or has made substantial contributions to the advancement of Florida’s bioscience industry. The Gaines Award honors an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to the growth of Florida’s bioscience industry. Winners were selected by a panel of industry leaders. 

The Gury Award went to RTI Biologics (Nasdaq: RTIX), a Florida-based processor of orthopedic, dental, hernia and other biologic implants.  RTI is the first company to offer precision-tooled bone implants and assembled technology to maximize each donation and to invent validated sterilization processes that include viral inactivation steps. Two of RTI’s processes have a combined record of more than two million implants distributed with zero incidence of allograft-associated infection. RTI also received the 2009 Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce Business Award for Expansion and the 2009 Governor’s Business Award for Expansion.

“Being recognized by BioFlorida for The Gury Award is a wonderful honor for RTI," said Brian K. Hutchison, chairman and CEO for RTI. “Since spinning out of the University of Florida many years ago, RTI has had the opportunity to achieve significant growth and to make a very real impact on biologics. We are committed to continued growth as the use of biologics in surgery becomes more and more prevalent.”

The Gaines Award went to David L. Day, Director of the University of Florida’s Office of Technology Licensing (OTL) and Director of the Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator in Alachua, FL.  The university’s OTL executed 74 licenses and options in fiscal year 2007 and is one of the top licensing offices in the country, ranking seventh in licensing revenue. OTL was also ranked the fifth best technology transfer office in the U.S. and Canada by the Milken Institute and first among individual public institutions.  The Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator was second among technology incubators internationally in 2008 in the National Business Incubation Association’s Incubator of the year competition.

“I am humbled with receiving The Gaines Award,” said Day.  “I am extremely proud of the University’s licensing over the past eight years that I have been Director and look forward to another decade full of innovations to come.”

“Having these inaugural awards allows BioFlorida to recognize contributions to Florida bioscience companies and individuals. This further demonstrates how BioFlorida has aided in the mission to build a knowledge-based industry in Florida,” said David Gury, chairmen emeritus of BioFlorida. 

About BioFlorida
BioFlorida is Florida’s bioscience industry association, operating as a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization and representing the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device industries. The association serves to advance innovations in healthcare, agriculture and energy with more than 200+ members. Members of the association include research and development companies and institutions, drug delivery and diagnostic companies, clinics and hospitals, academia and service providers such as law firms, economic development organizations and financial corporations. BioFlorida is the state affiliate of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and partners with numerous state and international organizations. To join please contact BioFlorida headquarters at 561-653-3839 or email us at admin@bioflorida.com.

 
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