TGen COO Tess Burleson honored as one of Phoenix's 2015 Outstanding Women in Business

Tess Burleson, Chief Operating Officer at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), is among the Phoenix Business Journal's 2015 Outstanding Women in Business.

"Join us as we recognize 30 remarkable women who are trailblazing the Valley's business community, as mentors, leaders and visionaries (through) the Valley's premier awards program honoring outstanding women in business," the journal said in announcing the 2015 honorees.

According to her nomination, Burleson exemplifies hard work, fierce competence, dependability, honesty and a sincere sense of urgency for the ultimate goal of TGen's biomedical research efforts—individually tailored treatment and diagnostic options for patients, today.

TGen's continued presence as an anchor for Arizona's bioscience community, a potent economic driver and purveyor of a continuous stream of biomedical "wins," is in no small part a result of her empowering leadership style.

"We have choices to make every day, and in those daily choices we either lead ... or do something else," Burleson said. "I've often chosen to lead, and for me that means getting others involved and offering them ownership in their work, as well as recognition for a job well done."

As TGen's COO since 2007, Burleson provides oversight of administrative and operational support divisions across all TGen-related organizations. She works closely on strategic planning and direction with TGen's Board of Directors and with Dr. Jeffrey Trent, TGen's President and Research Director.

"Tess's commitment to leading the operational aspects of TGen go well beyond the ordinary," Dr. Trent said. "This recognition serves to highlight her commitment to making TGen the best institute possible across all areas, and in doing so unselfishly provides an environment in which our faculty can pursue research and clinical advances against many of today's leading diseases. All of TGen congratulates Tess for her inclusion in the Outstanding Woman in Business."

Burleson also maintains responsibility for strategic relationships, key business ventures and high-priority and strategic collaborations, including those with TGen's clinical partners. She is responsible for ensuring strategic alignment across the organization and serves as a link between the scientific and administrative leadership. She is also responsible for commercialization of TGen intellectual property, from initial evaluation to capitalization and divestiture.

She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with experience in taxation, audit, and advisory services across a number of industries. Her career began in public accounting at KPMG, a "Big Four" professional services firm, and she subsequently went to work as the Chief Financial Officer for a health care client, where she became deeply involved with medical research. She quickly recognized that her skills in finance and operations were a good fit for such a complex field where the deliverable is the creation of knowledge. She found herself amidst such talented and intelligent minds where there is no shortage of a good challenge.

Burleson and the journal's other Outstanding Women in Business will be celebrated at an awards luncheon, starting at 10:30 a.m. March 30 at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, 4949 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley, Ariz.

Provided by The Translational Genomics Research Institute