Synteract CEO Ellen Morgan Wins Athena Pinnacle Award for Services

SAN DIEGO - May 1, 2008 - Ellen Morgan, the president and CEO of Synteract, a leading full service contract research organization (CRO), has been honored with the Athena Pinnacle Award for an Individual in Services at Athena's annual awards event, held Thursday, May 1 in San Diego. The Pinnacle Awards, given to only four individuals and one company each year from a field of hundreds, recognize men and women who support the Athena vision to foster personal and professional change through inclusion, risk-taking, education, recognition, and diversity of thought, thereby enhancing competitiveness and opportunity in the San Diego business community.

The Individual Services category includes nominees who have played a key role in successfully developing a service business, such as legal, financial, marketing, medical and other services. Morgan is co-founder and CEO of a CRO that provides top quality and highly flexible clinical trial services for biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device firms. The award is given to successful business executives who hire, mentor, promote and empower women in the workplace, in which Ellen Morgan excels. At Synteract, more than 70 percent of the employees are women and 9 of 15 key functional areas are headed by women.

Synteract's co-founder and Executive Vice President Russell Holmes said, "We couldn't be more proud of Ellen. She really deserves this Athena award as she has personally mentored several women in this organization from entry level positions to directorships. She recognizes people with potential and allows them the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities, to advance their careers and their talent." He added, "In the process we have developed a well-respected and highly-profitable CRO business. We thank Athena for recognizing her."

Athena is the premier organization for executive women in the San Diego life sciences, technology, healthcare and business communities. This was Athena's tenth award anniversary. Awards were presented in four individual categories to those who have had a significant impact on the San Diego community:  Individual in Information Technology, Individual in Life Sciences, Individual in Services, Individual in Education. One award also recognized a corporation.

With a successful track record of more than 13 years of clinical trial development and management with biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, Synteract has distinguished itself as a responsive specialist that understands the needs of emerging companies with new technologies. Based in Carlsbad, California, Synteract handles all aspects of clinical trials, providing a full range of services. These incorporate strategic planning and protocol development, project management, site monitoring, pharmacovigilance, and data management, including electronic data capture (EDC), biostatistics, interactive voice response services (IVRS), and medical writing services. The company recently established an office in North Carolina to support its East coast and international clients.