It was a record breaker across the board.  With attendance numbers peaking around 20,000, Chicago hosted biotech & life sciences leadership from 62 countries and 1700 corporations, organizations & institutions worldwide.  Indeed, the Biotech Industry Organization's (BIO) 14th Annual International Convention surpassed all benchmarks for success.

Much thanx and proper credit should be assigned to the State of Illinois & Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Director, Jack Lavin and his team.  Alongside the enormous financial support that was brought to the table to attract the event to the Midwest for the first time in history, Jack rolled his sleeves up and tackled the project personally.  DCEO brought in the professional services of Jasculca/Terman & Associates to lead the multi-layered pavilion & overall communications effort.  The Illinois Biotechnology Industry Association (iBIO) soundly managed all facets of pavilion sponsorship and industry representation.

Mayor Daley did the City of Chicago proud, putting forward the financial resources and personal commitment needed to ensure that Chicago kept itself center stage on the global life sciences map.

But the real success story here was the public/private sector leadership coming together to make it all happen.  Abbott, Baxter, Takeda, Hospira, ADM, all our great universities and many others kept our ship on course and cleared the way for a return visit from BIO in 2010.