Newswise — (PHILADELPHIA—October 14, 2011) – Larry Keinath, The Wistar Institute’s Vice President for Finance and Administration, was named President of the Association of Independent Research Institutes (AIRI) at the national organization’s annual meeting October 2 – 4 in La Jolla, California.
Keinath will serve a two-year term as AIRI President from October 2011 until October 2013. His leadership responsibilities will include serving on AIRI’s Government Affairs Committee to advance legislative issues of importance to member institutes; AIRI’s nominating committee to recommend an annual slate of officers and fill board vacancies; and AIRI’s Program Committee to plan AIRI’s 2012 annual conference, to be held in Philadelphia September 30 – October 3. Keinath will also collaborate with other AIRI leaders to improve methods of sharing operating information among AIRI member institutions.
An active AIRI member since the late 1980s, Keinath has served in several leadership roles, including Treasurer (October 2007 – October 2009), Chair of the Nominating Committee (October 2009 – October 2011), and Program Chair of the 2006 annual meeting. He also volunteers on AIRI’s membership committee, evaluating the applications of research institutes seeking to join the Association.
AIRI is a nationwide association of close to 100 independent, not-for-profit research institutes that are an integral part of the United States research community. Its member scientists, including nine Nobel laureates, perform outstanding research as judged by peers and funding agencies, and they train graduate and postdoctoral students – the next generation of the nation’s scientists.
Keinath has been employed by The Wistar Institute for more than 27 years. During his tenure, he has been responsible for strategic planning, organizational budgeting and financial reporting, oversight of management information systems, pre- and post-award administration of federal and private research grants, development of funding proposals, indirect cost rate negotiations, insurance procurement, construction project management, purchasing, and physical plant management. Prior to the establishment of a business development office at Wistar, Keinath was involved with negotiation of technology licensing and commercial research agreements.
Before joining Wistar, Keinath was an auditor with Coopers and Lybrand (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers), where he cultivated an interest in working with non-profit institutions. During his 6-year tenure, he consulted with several institutions to assist them in the development and refinement of their annual overhead rate proposals.
Keinath also served as Associate Treasurer of the University of Pennsylvania from 1981 until 1984. His responsibilities included corporate cash management, oversight of the collections office, banking relations, capital financing, trust administration, and service of major debt issues with related financial reporting requirements.
Keinath earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting and business administration from Pennsylvania State University, and holds a CPA designation.
The Wistar Institute is an international leader in biomedical research with special expertise in cancer research and vaccine development. Founded in 1892 as the first independent nonprofit biomedical research institute in the country, Wistar has long held the prestigious Cancer Center designation from the National Cancer Institute. The Institute works actively to ensure that research advances move from the laboratory to the clinic as quickly as possible. The Wistar Institute: Today’s Discoveries – Tomorrow’s Cures. On the Web at www.wistar.org.
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