Visit EDI at the following tradeshows:
- American Association for Clinical Chemistry
July 28-August 1, 2013 — booth 1835 - Society of Forensic Toxicologists
October 28-November 1, 2013 - Medica Tradefair
November 20-23, 2013
Express Diagnostics News
Australian distributor of Express Diagnostics signs sponsorship agreement with V8 Supercar team
Express Diagnostics Int’l (EDI) and Royal Medical Supplies Pty Ltd are pleased to announce a sponsorship agreement with Erebus Motorsport V8. Royal Medical is the Australian and New Zealand distributor of DrugCheck® onsite testing devices, manufactured by EDI. The Erebus Motorsport V8 Supercar Team participated in the Austin 400 May 17-19 in Austin, Texas.
Royal Medical Supplies has entered into an agreement that involves each car of the Erebus Motorsport team displaying the Royal Medical name and logo in Australian racing events. Erebus owns and races three Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG V8 Supercars in the Australian V8 Supercar series — the Australian equivalent to the American NASCAR® series. For races held in the U.S., the team’s cars will also display the DrugCheck logo.
“We’re very excited about partnering with Erebus Motorsport, which races the Mercedes-Benz AMG, a new make of race car for the V8 Supercar series,” says Gavin Holland, director of Royal Medical Supplies. “This motor racing championship appeals to a high proportion of Australians and New Zealanders and our target customers will be able to enjoy some of the on-track and off-track benefits resulting from this arrangement. The cars competing in the championship held in Austin, Texas, displayed the DrugCheck logo as well, providing additional media and on-track exposure for the brand.”
While sports team and event sponsorship is new to Express Diagnostics, the company welcomes Royal Medical’s efforts to raise the visibility of the DrugCheck brand. “We value our partnership with Royal Medical Supplies and appreciate Gavin’s commitment to promoting this U.S.-made product,” says Rich Strasser, COO of Express Diagnostics. “It was exciting to see the DrugCheck logo on the Erebus Motorsport cars during the Austin 400. We’d like to thank Royal Medical both for their sponsorship of the team and their continued support.”
Erebus Motorsport next races in the Skycity Triple Crown June 14-16 in Darwin, Australia.
IntraMed Diagnostics announces two senior-level additions
Kingston to serve as director of engineering and manufacturing
IntraMed Diagnostics, LLC, a subsidiary of Express Diagnostics Int’l (EDI), is pleased to welcome Dean Kingston as director of engineering and manufacturing and Barry Vant-Hull, Ph.D., as senior software engineer.
Kingston previously served as engineering manager and senior product development engineer for Eveia Medical, Inc. While with Eveia Medical, he led the design, research, and development of the ArcFlow™ Point-of-Care platform, designed to be implemented in a variety of quantitative tests, including devices intended for testing coagulation rates (blood thinners), C-reactive protein (CRP), HbA1c, and several other potential clinical diagnostics applications.
Eveia’s patent pending cell quantitation technology will also be incorporated into EDI’s AnemiaCheck™ POC Quantitative Hematocrit Test, which will be available for export in Q3 2013. IntraMed Diagnostics recently acquired an option for future development of Eveia Medical’s complete portfolio of point-of-care clinical diagnostic testing assets.
Kingston began his career at B-Ten Systems, Inc., designing robotic assembly machines for medical industries. The company specializes in custom automation, robotics, and machine design manufacturing. As vice president of engineering, Kingston led many high-profile projects, implemented Pro/Engineer® design software with Pro/Intralink® data storage, and established a quality assurance system, design controls, and design standards. He later joined the executive team of Bolt Industries, Inc., where he served as general manager of the company’s Minnesota facility.
“Dean will be key to bringing our innovative testing devices to market. His design and manufacturing skills will help to ensure robust test performance in the field, while maintaining designs that can be manufactured on efficient, fully-automated lines,” says Steve Tyrrell, EDI and IntraMed vice president of research and development. “Having been a part of the team since the inception of the technologies, Dean’s experience will be important as we develop and introduce additional applications to market.”
Kingston is a graduate of Colorado State University, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering with an emphasis in product design and manufacturing.
Vant-Hull directing integration of software with onsite testing platforms
Dr. Vant-Hull is the former director of research and development at Eveia Medical. During his tenure he was responsible for developing hardware and software to support a new in vitro diagnostics platform for clinical laboratories. Additionally, he has an extensive background in software development, including laboratory automation, high-throughput screening robotic workstations, and development of a tiered Java-based framework for integrating third-party and in-house devices for automating laboratory protocols.
“Dr. Vant-Hull brings the valuable combination of strong software development skills and a sound understanding of science and mathematics. These skills will enable us to develop innovative software applications that are easy to use, while applying advanced algorithms that enhance the performance of associated testing devices,” says Tyrrell. “We look forward to benefitting from Dr. Vant-Hull’s extensive background in biochemistry, engineering, and software development as we further develop our onsite diagnostic technologies.”
During his postdoctoral research at the University of Colorado, Dr. Vant-Hull assisted in biochemical engineering and molecular biology while studying high-density hybridoma cultures in bioreactors. He holds a doctorate in biochemical engineering and a masters of science from the University of Colorado.
Both Kingston and Vant-Hull are based out of the IntraMed Diagnostics facility in Boulder, Colo.
About IntraMed Diagnostics, LLC
IntraMed Diagnostics, LLC, a subsidiary of Express Diagnostics Int’l, Inc., was established to increase market penetration in the point-of-care testing market, a rapidly expanding multi-billion dollar industry. The company conducts engineering, research, and development for onsite in vitro diagnostic drugs of abuse screening and health diagnostics applications. Learn more at intrameddx.com.
Express Diagnostics partners with Project GHB to increase awareness of effects of GHB
New DrugCheck® onsite GHB Single Test central to partnership’s goals
Express Diagnostics Int’l today announced a partnership with Project GHB to increase awareness of the dangerous effects of the drug GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate). Under the partnership, and as part of the organization’s educational outreach, Project GHB will include information on the new DrugCheck GHB Single Test, which detects the drug in biological samples. Express Diagnostics will provide support material and donate a portion of GHB Single Test sales to Project GHB back to the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The donated funds will help further the group’s mission of increasing awareness of the dangerous effects of GHB.
“Over the course of my 20-year law enforcement career, there were several instances where I encountered GHB and I was always frustrated that we (law enforcement) had no access to a simple test for the drug,” says Rich Strasser, COO of Express Diagnostics. “GHB has been referred to as the ‘invisible drug’ because of its difficulty to detect. We are very excited about our partnership with Project GHB and our ability to finally offer a reliable instant onsite test for GHB.”
While GHB has garnered news coverage as a “rape drug,” its increased use among adolescents and young adults, athletes, and even the elderly is also a concern. Nationally, more people have overdosed on GHB in the last several years than on MDMA (Ecstasy). The fact that GHB is only detectable in a person’s blood for four hours and in urine for 12 hours — and few medical and forensic staff test for its presence — makes it likely that the actual number of GHB overdoses is much higher than reported.
GHB is also becoming more prevalent in drunk/drugged driving arrests, presenting a particular problem due to lack of awareness among law enforcement and the difficulty, until recently, in obtaining appropriate testing. People on GHB may present to authorities with symptoms ranging from a profound coma to hallucinations or wild, bizarre behavior that are often not recognized and may be mistakenly attributed solely to alcohol consumption. GHB, also known as sodium oxybate, is prescribed as Xyrem® for narcolepsy and cataplexy.
The new DrugCheck GHB Single Test, the only onsite test for GHB, provides semi-quantitative results in five minutes. The simple procedure involves dipping the test strip into the specimen for five seconds and then comparing color changes in the reactive pad to a color chart provided on the product pouch. The urinalysis test strip is currently available in dip format.
“This is a leap forward for law enforcement handling impaired driving cases, and even death cases,” says Trinka Porrata, president of Project GHB. “Traditionally, GHB has been ignored in testing due to lack of knowledge and because testing required a sample to be sent out for definitive testing and required a separate expensive test. The quick, inexpensive DrugCheck GHB Single Test will enable screening for GHB onsite and should improve the odds of detecting this elusive drug.”
Adds Strasser, “Trinka has worked relentlessly to educate people about the dangers of this addictive drug and we are very pleased that we can assist her and Project GHB in furthering this important cause.”
About Project GHB
In addition to researching and cataloging the latest GHB information, Project GHB provides referrals, basic counseling, and intervention through a helpline hosted on their website (projectghb.org). The Project GHB helpline has assisted more than 3,500 addicts and their families throughout the U.S. and more than 20 countries.
Project GHB’s board consists of three survivors — parents who have lost children to GHB — plus one member from law enforcement and one substance abuse counseling professional. Porrata is a 25-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) where she worked in narcotics, as well as sex crimes and child abuse. Now retired from the LAPD, she is an internationally recognized expert on the so-called “club drugs” of abuse, including GHB. She provides instruction, legislative support and expert testimony regarding various current drug issues, drug-facilitated sexual assaults, and the rave phenomenon. Porrata has testified before a Congressional committee, the California state legislature, and the Nevada Pharmacy Board about the dangers of GHB and other debilitating drugs.
The mission of Project GHB is to educate the public about the dangers of GHB and to provide a forum for those who have been sexually assaulted after being given the drug or lost a loved one to GHB, and to assist those who are addicted to the drug. Project GHB was founded in 1998 by the parents of 27-year-old Caleb Shortridge, who died from a GHB overdose. Learn more at projectghb.org.
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Express Diagnostics announces Eveia Medical asset acquisition and new vice president of research and development
Express Diagnostics acquires Eveia Medical point-of-care testing assets
Express Diagnostics Int’l, Inc. (EDI), and its subsidiary, IntraMed Diagnostics, LLC (IntraMed), today announced that it had acquired an option to purchase and develop all of the point-of-care (POC) clinical diagnostic testing assets of Eveia Medical, Inc., based in Boulder, Colo. Eveia is a developer of biomarker discovery systems that allow for rapid, reliable measurement of biomarkers without instrumentation.
“EDI and IntraMed are committed to providing customers with innovative, rapid diagnostics that meet the changing needs of the market,” says Paul Johnson, CEO of Express Diagnostics. “The acquisition of Eveia Medical’s technologies in rapid point-of-care testing allows us to expand our presence in health diagnostics while leveraging groundbreaking capabilities to further advance our core business of onsite drugs of abuse screening devices.”
Eveia Medical is developing rapid point-of-care (POC) technologies that enable cost-effective management of many of the most common disease states and eliminate the need for any instrumentation or reagents. The company’s proprietary point-of-care testing platforms will enable healthcare providers and life science researchers to better manage patients, diagnose disease, and develop targeted therapeutics and diagnostics.
Eveia’s patent pending cell quantitation technology is incorporated into EDI’s AnemiaCheck™ POC Quantitative Hematocrit Test, which will be available for export in Q2 2013. Single-use devices in development, utilizing the company’s patent pending ArcFlow Point-of-Care Platform, include tests for coagulation rates (blood thinners), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), HbA1c, and numerous other applications in clinical diagnostics. The technology is based on competitive flow, automatically measuring the rate at which a sample moves through specially-treated paper substrates to determine the concentrations of selected clinical biomarkers.
“We are very pleased to be partnering with Express Diagnostics through the transfer of this extensive portfolio of point-of-care technologies,” says Mike Treble, CEO of Eveia Medical. “Express Diagnostics has demonstrated an ability to drive product innovations in onsite drugs of abuse testing and generate revenue through a strong sales and distribution channel. We look forward to full commercialization of the Eveia platforms over the coming years under the direction of Express Diagnostics.”
Steve Tyrrell joins Express Diagnostics as Vice President of Research & Development
Express Diagnostics also announced today that Steve Tyrrell has joined the company as vice president of research and development (R&D). In the role, he will oversee the organization’s R&D and serve as a technical advisor for innovation and new product technology.
“We are very excited to welcome Steve as vice president of R&D,” says Rich Strasser, COO. “EDI will utilize his expertise for not only developing new technologies, but also improving current product lines. Steve’s background in all stages of IVD discovery and product development will be a great asset to the organization as we enter new markets and work to transform existing ones.”
Tyrrell has over 25 years of experience in the clinical laboratory and in vitro diagnostics (IVD) industries and most recently served as chief technical officer at Eveia Medical, Inc., where he was a co-founder and lead inventor of the company’s technologies. His previous positions include: Interim head of R&D for AspenBio Pharma — where he lead discovery and early development of a first of its kind blood test for acute appendicitis; vice president and director of R&D at Biosafe Laboratories, Inc.; and R&D manager at Osborn Laboratories.
“Throughout my career I have taken in vitro diagnostic test systems from early concept stages to market, typically starting from my own ideas and inventions,” says Tyrrell. “This has permitted me to achieve a level of expertise in managing the diverse teams needed to bring a new IVD to market.”
He played a primary role in the development of EDI’s newest point-of-care (POC) device, the AnemiaCheck POC Quantitative Hematocrit Test. Pre-clinical versions of the instrument-free AnemiaCheck were introduced in the fourth quarter of 2012 and the device was recognized as a top 10 finalist in the 2012 LifeScience Alley New Technology Showcase.
Tyrrell is eager to further the development of emerging and existing IVD technologies with EDI. “Broadly, my goals are twofold: To expand the EDI and IntraMed product lines into the broader health management fields by first bringing the AnemiaCheck device to market. We will then follow with testing devices for other health disorders with broad worldwide prevalence.” He adds, “Secondly, but of equal importance, I believe there are ample opportunities to enhance the performance of existing lateral flow drugs of abuse tests and dramatically decrease the costs of manufacture using a combination of hard science and modern manufacturing techniques.”
Express Diagnostics announces promotions of senior-level management
Jueneman named Senior Executive Vice President and General Manager at Express Diagnostics
Express Diagnostics Int’l (EDI), manufacturer of DrugCheck® drugs of abuse testing devices, today announced the promotion of Gary Jueneman to senior executive vice president and general manager. In his new role, Jueneman will provide executive oversight of both EDI and IntraMed Diagnostics, LLC – a subsidiary of EDI – as well as continue to manage operations of the company’s Blue Earth, Minn., facility.
“Gary has been instrumental in driving sustained growth for EDI,” says Paul Johnson, CEO. “His extensive experience with, and comprehensive understanding of, supply chain management have enabled EDI to balance rapid expansion and new product development. With the creation of EDI’s subsidiary, IntraMed Diagnostics, Gary will be responsible for spearheading the design and implementation of advanced manufacturing capabilities for both EDI and IntraMed, as well as managing the projected additional growth for which these capabilities are being implemented.”
Jueneman joined EDI in 2010 as director of operations and was named vice president/general manager in 2011. EDI has experienced significant growth in both production output and facilities footprint during Jueneman’s tenure. The EDI campus is now comprised of two facilities in the Blue Earth Industrial park, including over 36,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing, office, and warehouse space. Since beginning operations in 2004 with five employees, EDI has grown to employ over 80 people.
Jueneman welcomes the expanded role afforded by the promotion. “Working at EDI has been a challenging yet rewarding experience,” he says. “I appreciate the organization’s ongoing commitment to producing quality product while exploring new innovations. IntraMed and Express Diagnostics are poised to become premiere players in the drugs of abuse and health screening device markets and I look forward to breaking new ground.”
Express Diagnostics promotes Lueders and Wangen to Vice President roles
Express Diagnostics Int’l CEO Paul Johnson also announced today the promotions of Martin Lueders to vice president of quality systems and regulatory affairs and Aaron Wangen to vice president of marketing and communications. According to Johnson, “Both Martin and Aaron have had significant impact on the growth of EDI, and as IntraMed begins to develop additional products and technologies, we will rely on their expertise to define our presence in the diagnostics market.”
Lueders joined EDI in 2012 as director of quality systems and has led efforts to build a world-class quality system at the company, according to Gary Jueneman, senior executive vice president. “Thanks to Martin’s leadership and comprehensive understanding of quality and regulatory standards, the company has a robust quality system from which to pursue future growth. And he has been central to the development of similar systems at IntraMed.
“When Martin joined Express Diagnostics, IntraMed was simply a concept. We relied on his experience as a certified project management professional, in addition to his quality systems and regulatory expertise, to help bring IntraMed to fruition.
“Martin has strengthened our quality systems and oversees new product development to insure we meet all compliance and regulatory requirements,” says Jueneman. “He is instrumental in ensuring automation initiatives meet the highest production and quality standards.”
Wangen has served as marketing director at EDI since 2009 and worked on a contract basis for the company prior to joining the organization. Under his direction, the EDI marketing department provides complete marketing services internally, but also as a value-added service to Express Diagnostic distributors.
“Aaron has been central to building the DrugCheck brand and maintaining consistency throughout our communications,” says Rich Strasser, COO. “His extensive marketing communications background and comprehensive understanding of product positioning are invaluable assets. Aaron’s scope will expand as he develops brand and product strategies for IntraMed and future line extensions. His capabilities in market research and communicating the analysis to internal and external audiences allow us to define and pursue opportunities in a timely manner.”
Strasser adds, “We commend Martin and Aaron for their excellent work and outstanding contributions to EDI and look forward to continuing to benefit from their insight and experience in their new positions.”
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Express Diagnostics welcomes Duffy Nabors to sales department
Duffy Nabors recently joined Express Diagnostics Int’l (EDI) in sales and business development. In his new role, Nabors will service current EDI distributors, as well as develop new accounts in both drugs of abuse and health diagnostics distribution.
“Duffy will be an integral part of expanding the presence of DrugCheck and Express Diagnostics and further improving our service to existing customers,” says Paul Johnson, CEO. “His experience with forensic drug testing makes him a terrific addition to our sales team. Demand for on-site screening devices continues to grow rapidly and we are committed to providing informed, accomplished resources to support and inform customers about our products and services. Duffy will be a valuable asset in furthering this effort.”
Nabors is excited to begin assisting EDI distributors and developing new distributor relationships. “In addition to servicing current customers, I’m looking forward to pursuing additional distribution opportunities in both the U.S. and abroad.” he says. Impressed with the culture at EDI, Nabors adds, “I appreciate the small-company focus on the employees but also respect the desire to compete with the larger companies in the industry. I hope to bring fresh ideas to the table, as well as learn from those around me.”
For the past three years he was an outside salesman for Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth where he focused primarily on forensic drug testing for criminal justice clients. Prior to his tenure with Lighthouse, Nabors worked for 12 years in sales and distribution development in wholesale chemical distribution for the agriculture industry.
Nabors is based out of McKinney, Texas.
U.S. Ambassador to the UAE visits Express Diagnostics at Arab Health
Express Diagnostics Int’l (EDI) was pleased to welcome Michael Corbin, U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to their booth at the Arab Health Exhibition & Congress in Dubai, UAE. Arab Health is the world’s longest running healthcare exhibition and focuses on the Middle East healthcare industry, worth an estimated $80 billion per year. The event takes place every January in Dubai.
EDI representatives spoke with Ambassador Corbin about several of the company’s rapid diagnostics products that are being launched at the exhibition.
“It was a privilege to be able to present our company and products to Ambassador Corbin,” says Rich Strasser, COO of Express Diagnostics. “As a U.S. manufacturer, we are proud of our continued growth in on-site drugs of abuse screening and health diagnostics, as well as our expanding international presence. Our participation in Arab Health allows us to introduce our products to new markets and potential distributors.”
A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Mr. Corbin most recently served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. Prior to this assignment, he was Minister-Counselor for Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad from 2008 to 2009. Mr. Corbin has served as U.S. Ambassador to the UAE since July 2011.
The United States has enjoyed warm relations with the UAE since 1971. The U.S. was the third country to establish formal diplomatic relations with the UAE and has had an ambassador resident in the UAE since 1974.
Blinded Diagnostics partners with EDI to offer drugs of abuse and alcohol testing for use in pharmaceutical clinical trials
Express Diagnostics Int’l (EDI) today announced their partnership with Blinded Diagnostics to offer an extensive line of drugs of abuse and alcohol screening tests for use in clinical trials. The partnership will focus on offering easy to use, CLIA-waived and affordable point-of-care diagnostic tools for patient enrollment in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical clinical trials. The DrugCheck® and AlcoCheck® on-site devices to be implemented in trials – manufactured and distributed by EDI – provide screened results within minutes.
“Blinded Diagnostics is in an excellent position to reach the global clinical trial market and provide the support for customized testing solutions, along with product training,” says Rich Strasser, COO of Express Diagnostics. “We are excited about the prospects of assisting Blinded Diagnostics in delivering rapid testing solutions to the clinical trial market.”
EDI’s extensive and growing catalog of on-site, rapid screening devices offers Blinded Diagnostics maximum flexibility, according to CEO Steve Karuppan. “With the ability to customize the configurations of 22 different screening tests, our clients can get exactly what the clinical trial protocol requires for exclusion criteria.” He adds, “We are also looking forward to the U.S. launch of the AnemiaCheck POC Quantitative Hematocrit Test, as it will certainly have great utility for our clients’ projects.”
AnemiaCheck™ POC Quantitative Hematocrit Test, from IntraMed Diagnostics, a subsidiary of EDI, is an entirely self-contained, disposable device designed to separate red blood cells from plasma using specialized filtering materials. It delivers quantitative hematocrit results in 15 minutes without instrumentation. In October 2012, AnemiaCheck™ was selected as a top 10 finalist for the LifeScience Alley New Technology Showcase. This innovative new device is CE marked and will be available for export in January 2013. It is not currently available in the U.S.
AnemiaCheck™ POC Quantitative Hematocrit Test selected as top 10 finalist for LifeScience Alley New Technology Showcase
IntraMed Diagnostics, LLC, a subsidiary of Express Diagnostics Int’l, Inc. (EDI), is excited to announce that their new point-of-care (POC) anemia test has been selected as one of 10 finalists in the 11th Annual LifeScience Alley New Technology Showcase: “The largest gathering of life science industry professionals in the Midwest, LifeScience Alley’s annual conference brings together global leaders in the life science and health care industry to identify trends, share expertise and network across disciplines.”
The AnemiaCheck™ POC Quantitative Hematocrit Test is a cost effective point-of-care device that is intended for use in the in vitro diagnostic quantification of packed red blood cell volume fraction (hematocrit) in venous or capillary whole blood. This is a key indicator of the body's state of hydration, anemia, or severe blood loss, as well as the blood’s ability to transport oxygen.
The selection of AnemiaCheck™, according to LifeScience Alley criteria, was “based on the novelty of their technology, its market potential and its ability to improve patient outcomes while lowering per capita health care costs.”
For being selected as a finalist in the New Technology Showcase, IntraMed/EDI was awarded a complementary booth for the LifeScience Alley 11th Annual Conference at the Minneapolis Convention Center on December 5th, 2012. Visit IntraMed Diagnostics, a subsidiary of Express Diagnostics Int'l, at Booth #421 to learn more about AnemiaCheck™ or click here for additional product information.
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EDI hires international sales manager
Harald Braun recently joined Express Diagnostics Int’l (EDI) as international sales manager. With eight years of experience as a sales and product manager in Europe for a clinical diagnostics company, he has extensive knowledge of the in vitro diagnostics market and the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) region.
“Harald’s extensive experience with international markets makes him a terrific addition to our sales team,” says Paul Johnson, CEO. “With the demand for onsite screening devices increasing rapidly, it is important that we have knowledgeable, talented personnel to communicate with customers about our products and services. He will be an integral part of expanding the international presence of Express Diagnostics and further improving our service to existing customers.”
Braun is eager to begin servicing the EMEA region on behalf of EDI. “I am pleased to join this rapidly growing organization and look forward to increasing our international market share. EDI’s commitment to developing innovative IVD products is impressive and I am excited to be a part of this outstanding company.”
Braun is based out of Strasbourg, France.
Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation visits Express Diagnostics
Express Diagnostics Int’l (EDI) recently hosted Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) President and CEO Tim Penny and SMIF board trustee Jean Burkhardt. Penny and Burkhardt were in the area visiting companies that have received SMIF assistance.
Express Diagnostics CEO Paul Johnson and COO Rich Strasser were on hand to meet with Penny and Burkhardt and provide a tour of the company’s main facility. The company has experienced substantial growth since SMIF’s early involvement.
“The Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation was an integral partner in the early development of EDI,” says Johnson. “They matched funds provided to us through both the Region 9 Development Commission and the Blue Earth Economic Development Authority. The foundation’s loan and the combined funding allowed us to bring the majority of our manufacturing in-house. This was truly our start-up phase.”
EDI began operations in 2004 with five employees. Now employing over 80 people, much of the firm’s growth can be attributed to the great work ethic found in southern Minnesota, as well as innovative partnerships available through organizations such as SMIF.
“Express Diagnostics is an enthusiastic advocate of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and similar economic development initiatives,” says Strasser. “These private/public partnerships can have a significant impact on economic growth in southern Minnesota and beyond. We are grateful for the support of Mr. Penny, Ms. Burkhardt, and the SMIF Board of Trustees.”
Pictured from left are Aaron Wangen, EDI Marketing Director; Rich Strasser, EDI COO; Tim Penny, SMIF President and CEO; Paul Johnson, EDI CEO; and Jean Burkhardt, SMIF Board Trustee.
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Express Diagnostics announces campus expansion
Now covering more than 33,000 sq. ft. and two facilities, Express Diagnostics International, Inc. (EDI) recently expanded their campus to nearly 10 acres. The second facility is located on an adjacent property directly south of EDI’s primary facility in the Blue Earth (Minn.) Industrial Park. The sales and marketing departments will office in the 3,000 sq. ft. South Annex beginning in late August.
“We’ve simply outgrown our facility much more quickly than we ever anticipated. It was evident early this year that we were running out of workspace,” says Gary Jueneman, vice president/general manager. “Since I came on board in 2010 there has been discussion about expanding to utilize our entire 30,000 sq. ft. existing structure, part of which we lease to another local company. We were excited when another facility became available within the industrial park.”
Since beginning operations in 2004 with five employees, EDI has grown to employ over 80 people.
“Our continual focus on new product development drives our strong sales and company growth,” says Paul Johnson, CEO. “EDI is a forward-looking firm with strong prospects for even greater growth in the next several years. Our roadmap incorporates both flexibility and scalability, which allows us to adapt quickly to customers’ needs. The acquisition of the South Annex opens up office areas for additional customer service and office support personnel.”
Strasser named chief operating officer
Express Diagnostics Int’l (EDI) is pleased to announce that Rich Strasser has been named chief operating officer of the organization based in Blue Earth, Minn. Strasser is a co-founder of EDI and recently retired from a 20-year career with the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department in Placerville, Calif. He will oversee company operations, with particular emphasis on sales and marketing.
“As a co-founder and co-owner of Express Diagnostics, Rich’s leadership skills and drug recognition expertise have been integral to the success and tremendous growth of EDI,” says CEO Paul Johnson. “With the team we’ve built and our position at the forefront of emerging technologies and innovative products, EDI is poised for further significant growth. Rich’s dynamic skill-set, enthusiasm, and vast knowledge are invaluable assets. I’m confident that his joining the organization full time will propel EDI into a new and exciting era.”
During his tenure with El Dorado County, Strasser served as a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and Drug Abuse Recognition Instructor. Additionally, he was directly involved in several high-profile cases, including the oldest cold case homicide conviction in California history. Strasser assisted in obtaining a death penalty conviction for the murder of a California Highway Patrol officer and was one of two lead investigators in the recovery of Jaycee Lee Dugard.
While Strasser has been closely involved in the operations and growth of EDI since 2004, he looks forward to his expanded role. He will spend approximately two weeks per month operating out of the Blue Earth headquarters.
“I am very excited to join the organization on a full-time basis,” says Strasser. “I had a great career in law enforcement, where I was able to develop my expertise in drug abuse recognition. I had the unique privilege to teach and supervise law enforcement recognition programs throughout the country and I’ve come to enjoy my time in Minnesota. The prospect of working more closely with our exceptional staff in Blue Earth is very exciting.”
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