The Delaware BioScience Association (Delaware Bio) has announced that its founding President Bob Dayton is retiring after 10 years of achieving continuous growth and increasing influence. As of February 1, Dayton will be succeeded by Helen Stimson, who will leave her current role as vice president and general manager of the Chemistries and Supplies Division at Agilent Technologies at the end of the month.

Chairman of Delaware Bio Chris Yochim said, “Bob's ability to initiate and foster relationships throughout our life sciences community is manifested well beyond Delaware. Through his commitment and keen appreciation for teamwork, Bob elevated our association's reputation on a national level. His efforts have brought visibility and opportunities to our diverse membership, driving important partnerships and strategic alliances, which are vital to Delaware's economic development.

“Since joining the Delaware Bio Board, Helen has worked with Bob, the staff and its directors to energize and elevate the programs we provide for our members and the community. We are thrilled that Helen, a respected professional and natural leader, will now join this experienced team and lead Delaware Bio to its next level,” Yochim added.

“Under Bob Dayton’s tenacious and perceptive leadership, Delaware Bio has evolved into a highly productive and effective organization that has made important contributions to our life sciences community,” Helen Stimson said. “I am both proud and excited to be joining the Delaware Bio team as president, and I’m confident we can continue to grow the organization, expand its influence and ensure meaningful networking and learning opportunities to foster valuable strategic alliances and improved business outcomes.”

Stimson, 57, will begin her new role on Feb. 1. Her career at Agilent began in 1981 when she joined then Hewlett-Packard as a sales representative in the Chemical Analysis group. Over the course of her 35 years with HP (the division later spun off as Agilent), Helen has managed teams across multiple disciplines and businesses, from software strategy to next-generation gas chromatography hardware development, and has led Agilent’s European marketing operations for the former Life Science and Chemical Analysis group. Rising from marketing manager to vice president and general manager in 2006, Helen has led Agilent CSD for nearly 10 years, growing the business nearly 400%, with equally impressive improvement in operating profit.

“Helen has had an extraordinarily successful business career with Agilent in addition to making a lasting, positive impact on the people that have worked with her. Her passion for science, business and the Delaware community all come together in her new position with Delaware Bio,” said Mark Doak, president of Agilent CrossLab Group. “Delaware Bio will be well-served by her marketing and business expertise, ability to deliver results, and extraordinary professional integrity.”

Dayton said, “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Delaware Bio’s first president and appreciate the support I have received from the staff, the board of directors, the Delaware Bio member organizations, the congressional delegation, the State of Delaware's administration and others, which allowed us to advance bioscience innovation in Delaware and make a difference here and around the world. I am confident that Helen has the skill and the resolve to build on Delaware Bio’s influence and increase its value to the community.”