Fuad El-Hibri	Margaret Hamburg	James Philips

“As we continue working toward our goal of an institution that will serve as a global information platform, we celebrate the election of three new board members who have each made key contributions to the creation of a healthier and safer world,” said Sullivan.

“Through his leadership in the field of biotechnology, Fuad El-Hibri is helping develop strategies to address serious threats to global health security.  Throughout a distinguished career in public service, Peggy Hamburg has focused her considerable intellect and medical training on similar concerns as well as a range of other pressing health policy issues.  And from his position at the vanguard of the information technology revolution, Jim Phillips has helped successfully launch companies and institutions that are improving our ability to connect, communicate and heal.

“We are proud to have earned the active interest and support of Fuad, Peggy and Jim and look forward to drawing extensively upon their experience and expertise as our efforts to develop NHM proceed,” said Sullivan.

Fuad El-Hibri, CEO and Chairman, Emergent Biosolutions

Fuad El-Hibri leads Emergent Biosolutions, a Maryland-based biotechnology company focused on the development, manufacture and commercialization of immunobiotics.  The company operates in two business segments: biodefense and commercial. In its biodefense business, Emergent develops and commercializes immunobiotics for use against biological agents that are potential weapons of bioterrorism. In its commercial business, the company develops immunobiotics for use against infectious diseases with significant unmet or underserved medical needs.

El-Hibri served as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors of BioPort Corporation from 1998 until 2004, when BioPort became a subsidiary of Emergent.  He also served as chairman of Digicel Holdings, Ltd., a privately held cellular telecommunications firm, from August 2000 to October 2006.  Since 1990, he has also served as chairman of East West Resources Corporation, a venture capital and financial consulting firm.

He is a member of the board of trustees of American University and a member of the board of directors of the International Biomedical Research Alliance, an academic joint venture among NIH, Oxford University and Cambridge University. He also serves as chairman and treasurer of El-Hibri Charitable Foundation which has contributed to a variety of international development projects, including a children’s orphanage in Lebanon.  He holds a master’s degree in public and private management from Yale University and a B.A. in economics from Stanford University.

Margaret A. Hamburg, MD, Senior Scientist, Global Health and Security Initiative, NTI

One of the youngest people ever elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr. Margaret “Peggy” Hamburg is a highly regarded expert in community health and bio-defense, including preparedness for nuclear, biological, and chemical threats.  She currently serves as Senior Scientist for the Global Health and Security Initiative of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a foundation dedicated to reducing the threat to public safety from nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.  A graduate of Radcliffe College, she earned her M.D. from Harvard Medical School, and completed her training at the New York Hospital/Cornell University Medical Center.

From 1997 to 2001, Hamburg held the position of Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), serving as principal policy advisor to Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala.  From 1991 to 1997, she served as New York City Health Commissioner, a position in which she designed and implemented an internationally recognized tuberculosis control program that produced dramatic declines in tuberculosis cases, and created the first public health bio-terrorism preparedness program in the nation.  Between 1986 and 1990, she held a variety of positions within HHS, including Special Assistant to the Director, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; and Special Assistant to the Director, and later Assistant Director, of the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health.

A member of the Harvard College Board of Overseers and the Boards of Trustees of Rockefeller University and the Rockefeller Foundation, Hamburg is also a distinguished senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a fellow of the American Association of the Advancement of Science.  She holds membership in the New York Academy of Medicine, and the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the board of Henry Schein Company.  She has served on the boards of other organizations, including the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the Primary Care Development Corporation, and the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Center for Infectious Diseases of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

James M. Phillips, Vice Chairman, Luminetx

James “Jim” Phillips’s career has been marked by success at starting and guiding companies through successful initial public offerings and pioneering new technologies into major industry-leading positions – including the PDA, digital cell phone, fixed cellular and internet multimedia.  A classic entrepreneur, Phillips’ began his career with Telecommunications System of America, which was sold to Northern Telecom (Nortel), where Phillips eventually became vice president.  He held subsequent executive positions at SkyTel, which became the nation’s largest messaging company; Telular Corporation, the world’s largest fixed wireless cellular company; and Motorola, where he participated in launching digital cellular and multimedia, bringing cable modem to the market.

Phillips then became Chairman and CEO of IPIX, which produced digital photographs with 360° navigable images that are today widely used on major Web sites.  After taking the company public, he was asked to become involved with the effort to build the FedEx Institute of Technology (FIT), a partnership between Federal Express Corp. and The University of Memphis.  Phillips resigned from IPIX, moved to Memphis and raised $100 million to make FIT a reality.  Information Week has called FIT the technology industry’s “newest center for innovation” and WIRED has compared it to the famous Media Lab at MIT.

After successfully launching FIT, Phillips served as CEO in residence at Morgan Keegan, a Memphis-based investment firm, before raising the capital to launch Luminetx Corporation.  Luminetx produces the VeinViewer, which was named in 2004 by Time as “one of the coolest medical inventions of the year.”  Phillips is Vice Chairman of Luminetx, having previously served as the company’s CEO, president and chairman.  A holder of patents in cell phone, PDA and data modem design, he also serves on a number of boards including the American Museum of Science and Energy, Visio Technologies Corporation, EmergeMemphis, Memphis Biotech Foundation, University of Memphis Fogelman School of Business and Economics, and the Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce.

Fuad El-Hibri Remembers Ibrahim El-Hibri

Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji’un
Verily we belong to God, and to God we return

In Memoriam: Mr. Ibrahim El-Hibri

Karamah is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend and extraordinary leader, Mr. Ibrahim El-Hibri, who passed away on Thursday, August 23, 2007, in Paris, France.  Mr. El-Hibri was born in Beirut, Lebanon, on September 8, 1936.

A devout Muslim, he was the beloved husband of Liane El-Hibri and father of Fuad and Samir El-Hibri and Yasmine Gibellini.  He leaves behind six grandchildren, whom he cherished and adored.  He is also survived by his father, Yahia El-Hibri, two sisters, Dr. Azizah Al-Hibri and Dr. Huda Zoghbi, and two brothers, Dr. Jamal El-Hibri and Dr. Tayeb El-Hibri.

Mr. El-Hibri will be remembered as a successful telecommunications engineer and entrepreneur who built nationwide telecommunication networks in several countries. In his later years, he focused on life sciences, supporting the development of life saving vaccines.  Among numerous other accomplishments, Mr. El- Hibri received official decorations for extraordinary deeds from the Governments of Germany, Lebanon and Venezuela.

As an unwavering philanthropist, Mr. El-Hibri was tireless in his support of women, children and orphans in Lebanon and other parts of the world.  He was also an enthusiastic and major supporter of Karamah since its early years.  His generosity, kindness, and commitment to these endeavors in the spirit of Islam will be sorely missed.  He has been described as a human being who exemplified humanity in its truest form; he depicted generosity, kindness, grace, and good will in every moment of his life.

Karamah will forever appreciate and remember Mr. El-Hibri for his unwavering support, devotion, inspiration, guidance, and instrumental role in developing the organization to the level it has achieved today.

A memorial service and funeral prayers (janazah) will be held for Mr. El-Hibri on Thursday, August 30, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at The Islamic Center, 2551 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to any of the following non-profit, tax-exempt organizations:

El-Hibri Charitable Foundation (for the Dar-Al-Aytam Orphanage in Lebanon)
1420 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC  20036

Karamah (Muslim Women for Human Rights)
T.C. Williams School of Law
University of Richmond
Richmond, VA  23173

Child Help
c/o Heather Corsini
11622 Highland Farm Road
Potomac, Maryland 20854