2007 HBA Honorable Mentor
Eisai’s Lonnel Coats Named 2007 HBA Honorable Mentor
Fairfield, NJ, February 13, 2007 ---
Lonnel Coats, President and Chief Operating Officer, Eisai Inc., will be honored as the 2007 HBA Honorable Mentor by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) at the 18th annual HBA “Woman of the Year” Luncheon Thursday, May 3, at the New York Hilton. The event will also commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the founding of the HBA.
Coats was nominated by colleagues and HBA members to be recognized as the organization’s seventh Honorable Mentor. The HBA created the Honorable Mentor Award in 2001 to annually honor one man in the industry who has demonstrated long-term support of the advancement of women in the healthcare industry; has a personal dedication to developing, mentoring and promoting women in the industry; and who has been supportive of the HBA.
“Lonnel was chosen as this year’s HBA Honorable Mentor because of the inspiring and powerful testimonies we received about his mentorship of industry women. Such significant action to support the advancement of women in healthcare deserves to be recognized,” said HBA President Cathy Kerzner, president and chief operating officer, EKR Therapeutics, Inc.
Coats joined Eisai Inc. as southwest region sales director in 1996, and over the years, he quickly advanced through a series of positions. In 1997, Coats became director of managed care, where he led the creation of Eisai’s managed care group. Later that year, he was appointed national sales director, taking on responsibility for building a U.S. presence in neurology and primary care. In 1999, Coats was promoted to executive director of sales, assuming the added responsibilities of establishing a trade group and working with the clinical development team on numerous products in development.
Coats was named vice president of human resources and a member of Eisai Inc.’s Executive Committee in 2001. In this role, he was instrumental in establishing a five-year vision and corporate values. Coats also helped lead the effort to create Eisai Medical Research Inc. (EMR) as an independent subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd. In 2003, he became vice president of sales and marketing. Shortly thereafter, Coats was appointed president and chief operating officer of Eisai Inc.
“I am honored to be recognized with this prestigious award,” said Coats. “I’ve experienced firsthand the difference that mentoring can make to a person’s professional and personal development. As a result, I am committed to sharing what I’ve learned over the years and supporting others in their career goals. At Eisai, we place high value on learning and leadership development, because it is only through the contributions of our employees that we will continue to achieve success.”
“Lonnel has devoted significant time and attention to mentoring employees on a regular basis,” said Hajime Shimizu, chairman and chief executive officer, Eisai Inc. “He fully believes that people are our greatest asset at Eisai and he has enhanced our focus on employee development, specifically in the areas of career management and leadership development. Many have benefited from his expertise and insights.”
Prior to joining Eisai, Coats held various sales management positions at Janssen Pharmaceutical Inc., a division of Johnson and Johnson. He began his career in sales at Pepsi-Cola, where he was hired as a management trainee upon completion of the company’s Minority Scholar Program.
Coats is the second employee from Eisai to win the prestigious honor. The first HBA Honorable Mentor award was given to William S. Sheldon, then president and chief operating officer, Eisai Inc. In 2002, Timothy Rothwell, then executive vice president and president, Global Prescription Business for Pharmacia Corporation, and a member of the HBA Advisory Board received the award; in 2003 Ronald W. Dollens, then president and chief executive officer of Guidant Corporation; and in 2004 David Epstein, president of Novartis Oncology and a member of the HBA Advisory Board. In 2005, the HBA honored Mick Mosebrook, then executive vice president – Sales, U.S. Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, Inc., and last year’s award honored Matthew Emmens, chief executive officer, Shire Pharmaceuticals.