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.