About the ISPE San Diego Chapter

The San Diego Chapter was formed by a core of engineers and other professionals associated with the rapidly growing biotechnology community in the fall of 1992. The inaugural meeting was held in March 1993 and was attended by more than 140 representatives from some of San Diego’s primary biotechnology and related firms.

Ted Keenan was the chairman of the steering committee and the Chapter’s first President. He has been succeeded by David Chin, John Lohnes, Ken Hamilton, E J Brandreth, Jim Ferguson, Brian Croll, Phil Boncer, Clint Pepper, Ph.D., and currently by V. Swaminathan (Swami) as President. The San Diego Chapter presently has nearly 600 members.

This seemingly "relaxed" group has been a silent powerhouse in the local industry. In 1994, the Chapter was instrumental in helping develop the University of California San Diego’s Biotechnology Extension Program. At the time five of the Chapter’s board members were among the program’s 15 instructors. The program was initially designed to re-train laid-off defense workers to become viable biopharm industry employees. Today, the program is a certificate program geared specifically to keeping professionals and others up-to-date on current advances and regulatory issues in the biomedical industry.

Today, the San Diego Chapter offers regular Extended Education classes in Validation, Process Piping and Building Automation as well as facility tours, CEO Night and FDA Night dinner meetings, an exhibit show and golf tournaments.