Industry Veteran Andrea Heslin Smiley joins Rockwell Medical’s Board of Directors

WIXOM, Mich., Dec. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rockwell Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: RMTI) (“Rockwell Medical” or the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming the treatment of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia management and improving outcomes for patients around the world, today announced the appointment of industry leader and renowned life science industry executive, Ms. Andrea Heslin Smiley, to its Board of Directors, effective December 11, 2020. Ms. Smiley currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of VMS BioMarketing and is a member of the Board of Directors of life science company, Assertio (formerly Zyla Life Sciences).

“We are pleased to welcome Andrea to the Board of Directors,” said John P. McLaughlin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rockwell Medical. “Andrea brings a wealth of experience in patient adherence and outcomes, clinical educator solutions, nursing networks, and pharmaceutical product launches and marketing. She will be a valuable advisor in maximizing the value of Triferic in kidney disease and our FPC technology in home infusion and heart failure.”

"I am delighted to join Rockwell Medical’s Board of Directors at this exciting time for the Company, especially as we plan to move into the rapidly growing home infusion market," said Ms. Smiley.

Ms. Smiley brings approximately three decades of commercialization and general management experience in the biopharmaceutical industry in both public and private companies. She joined VMS BioMarketing, a leading provider of patient and healthcare provider support, in 2008, and has served as its President and Chief Executive Officer since 2011. Within her first year as CEO, she spun-off commoditized business units and focused the company on impacting patient adherence and outcomes, all the while establishing VMS BioMarketing as the leading provider and growth leader of clinical nurse educator patient support solutions. Prior to joining VMS BioMarketing, Ms. Smiley spent 18 years at Eli Lilly and Company in various positions of increasing responsibility in finance, business development, corporate affairs, brand management and business unit leadership roles. She was the marketing leader for the launch of Humalog Mix75/25, she led sales and marketing for Humatrope, she was responsible for the development and launch of Forteo and she was the business unit leader of Lilly’s women’s health business, among other programs. Earlier in her career, Ms. Smiley worked as a management consultant for Putnam Associates, where she led consulting teams and advised brands in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and managed healthcare fields on product launches and access strategies. She is a regular speaker and panel member on patient adherence, patient services and women’s leadership topics at biopharmaceutical industry conferences. Ms. Smiley serves on the board of numerous nonprofit organizations including the Indiana Alzheimer’s Association, Summer Stock, Indiana Salvation Army and the Lung Force Women’s Cabinet. She received a gubernatorial appointment to the Indiana Commission for Women. Ms. Smiley earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from DePauw University, where she was an Honors Management Fellow.