#304 - If You Quit, You Fail with Jason Matuszewski & Andrew Van Vurst

Jason Matuszewski - Chief Executive Officer

Jason Matuszewski brings a wealth of experience in strategic operations planning and technical projects management from his rigorous technical background. His diverse expertise includes continuous process improvement, training and development programs, regulatory compliance and best practices implementation, and advanced problem solving. He began his career as a technical engineer working for Adecco at SC Johnson in 2009, where he developed comprehensive maintenance plans to support manufacturing processes at scale. He then transitioned to manufacturing and quality engineering for major organizations, including ATI Ladish Forging, Nemak, and HUSCO International, where he spearheaded process design and implementation, solved complex supply-chain and manufacturing problems, and improved product sourcing and purchasing. His philanthropic work with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation sparked an interest in biotech, leading him to co-found Biostem Technologies in 2014. As CEO he has leveraged his expertise to optimize tissue sourcing, strategically build out a 6,000 square foot tissue processing facility that is fully compliant with FDA 210, 211, 1271, and AATB standards, and put together an expert team of professionals to support the company's continued growth. Jason holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology and a minor in Mathematics from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and is Six Sigma Black Belt certified. He also serves as a Processing and Distribution Council Member for the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), as well as serves as a member of the Government Affairs committee for BioFlorida

Andrew Van Vurst, CTBS - Chief Operating Officer

Andrew Van Vurst is a veteran and manufacturing operations expert with over eight years of experience working in FDA-regulated pharmaceutical and tissue processing firms. Before beginning his biopharmaceutical career, Andrew served as an aviation mechanic and flight captain in the United States Marine Corps. His military background instilled a high level of discipline, a strong commitment to compliance with industry protocol, and a paradigm for effective leadership that has served him well in subsequent roles. He co-founded Biostem Technologies in 2014 and played a pivotal role in the development of the company, working to establish revenue streams, ensure compliance with FDA and state pharmacy board guidelines, and adhere to FINRA and SEC guidelines for eventual public listing. During the early years with BioStem Technologies, he worked as Director of Operations for Nesvik Pharmaceuticals and Qualified Pharma Ingredients, where he managed research and development activities for four 505(b)(2) products and built out an API repackaging facility from the ground up until 2019. Throughout these roles, he brought several compounds from the idea phase to pre-IND submission and eventually sold the API repackaging business. Today as COO, he continues to oversee lab production and quality assurance operations, supporting Biostem's excellence in tissue processing. Andrew studied at Florida Gulf Coast University and has completed Landmark Courses to hone advanced leadership skills. He serves as a Processing and Distribution Council Member for the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and is an AATB-certified Tissue Banking Specialist.