Tony Simmons passes at 50 Local music scene loses gifted accompanist and musician and dear friend
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St. LouiS AmericAn The
CAC Audited JUNE 12 – 18, 2014
Vol. 85 No. 10 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
‘You don’t have to be a PhD’ BioSTL launches St. Louis Bioscience Inclusion Initiative on June 19 By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American You don’t have to be a researcher or chemist to be a successful entrepreneur in the bioscience industry, said Cheryl Watkins-Moore, director of bioscience entrepreneurial inclusion at BioSTL. And that’s just the message she hopes to drive home to local minority and women professionals this year through a series of talks, networking events and training sessions – all offered for free
n “St. Louis is really primed with the excitement in the entrepreneurial community. It really has inspired me.” – Cheryl Watkins-Moore
through BioSTL. “You don’t have to be a PhD,” said Watkins-Moore. She herself was trained as a physician, has an M.B.A. and a range of executive experience in the life
sciences. Most recently, she served as an Entrepreneur In Residence with the BioGenerator. “With any type of business, understanding your market is the key
thing. This is a fast-growing market. If you have those skills, this could be a great opportunity.” In February, BioSTL received a $100,000 grant from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation to pilot the St. Louis Bioscience Inclusion Initiative intended to identify and nurture high-potential women and minority bioscience entrepreneurs in St. Louis. Assuming her director position at BioSTL earlier this year, WatkinsMoore will lead and guide the initiative. “We are trying to reach out to those professionals who already have great skills and probably have done different things in their careers,” she said, “and who are interested in becoming potential entrepreneurs or
See BioSTL, A6
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
Cheryl Watkins-Moore is director of bioscience entrepreneurial inclusion at BioSTL.
FOCUS St. Louis names new leader Yemi S. AkandeBartsch will succeed founding exec director Christine Chadwick By Chris King Of The St. Louis American
race he conducted a boot camp inside Cardinal Ritter’s gymnasium. This year, Mind and Body welcomed the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, a mobile vision clinic, which provided free, on-the-spot eye exams for children. Representatives from DePaul Hospital, a sponsor of Mind and Body,
On Tuesday FOCUS St. Louis, which touts itself as “the region’s most comprehensive leadership organization,” announced that Yemi S. Akande-Bartsch would succeed Christine Chadwick as its executive director, effective July 1. Chadwick, the organization’s first and only executive director in its 18-year history, previously had announced her retirement. Although a national search was conducted – led by Mark Lindgren, incoming president of the FOCUS board, and June Fowler, former board n “It’s a member and program cumulative alumna – Akande-Bartsch was promoted from within. education, the past two years, part civic, part For she has served as vice leadership. president of Leadership Hence the and Alumni Programs at FOCUS. She has a total term ‘civic of 15 years of experience leadership.’” in leadership training and holds a doctorate in – Yemi S. Akande-Bartsch communications from the University of Oklahoma. Akande-Bartsch, 46, will celebrate her first anniversary with husband William “Bill” Bartsch this Sunday. “So we are newlyweds, sort of kind of,” she said. The American talked to her about FOCUS St. Louis and how it is that someone can actually
See OBESITY, A6
See BARTSCH, A7
Photo by Wiley Price
Hands-on science in ESL Sigma Aldrich scientist Ashley Fischer demonstrates a chemical reaction to Tavion Mosley, Nautica Wilson and Dale Bell, students at Lincoln Middle School in East St. Louis School District 189, on June 4. The Inspire STEM Project organized the demonstration as a hands-on approach to learning science.
SpeAking of fAith
‘What would Jesus eat?’ Christ Deliverance Ministry combats obesity By Bridjes O’Neil Of The St. Louis American When the shotgun went off, runners sprinted into action at Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory High School as a crowd of onlookers cheered them on. They were taking part in Christ Deliverance Ministry’s third annual Mind and Body 5K
health and fitness event held Memorial Day weekend. The event is the brainchild of Christ Deliverance Ministry pastor Cynthia Ringo, who said the grassroots church is “dedicated to fighting obesity.” “If we simply just do what Jesus did, we would be much healthier,” Ringo said. Briant K. Mitchell of BKM Boot Camp led the 5K race through Midtown, and after the