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TAMPA, Fla. — Moffitt Cancer Center is proud to announce the formation of two subsidiaries and a board of directors to help advance the 775-acre SPEROS FL project, a global innovation center for science, technology and health care in Pasco County.

The Moffitt Lifesciences Campus Management Corporation and the Moffitt Real Estate Holding Corporation, both not-for-profit entities owned by Moffitt, will  support the project, which will include facilities for clinics, research, housing and more. The life sciences park will bring together expertise from across fields such as biotechnology and manufacturing to accelerate progress in cancer and other diseases. The board members chosen to help steward the Speros FL project have deep experience and long-standing relationships with the Moffitt community and the evolving landscape of cancer care.

The Speros FL Board of Directors includes Marty Lanahan, chair; Mark Metheny, vice chair; Ted Couch, secretary treasurer; and Edison Liu, M.D.

“Moffitt’s commitment as an anchor to the Speros development, combined with collaborators and partners across various industries, will unleash a powerful culture of innovation to reach a cure and beyond,” said Lanahan, who previously served on the Moffitt Medical Group Board of Directors and joint finance committee. She is the regional president at First Horizon Bank and has been a banking market leader across Florida for over 35 years.

Metheny, who is new to Moffitt’s board, is an owner/operator of Homes by WestBay & Casa Fresca Homes, Tampa Bay’s largest privately held homebuilder. He previously served in senior leadership positions with a large publicly traded homebuilder.

Couch, a longtime Moffitt supporter, has also led several health care, financial services and real estate boards. He was instrumental in the development of the cancer center, chairing Moffitt’s Institute Board of Directors for seven years, and currently serves on the center’s national Board of Advisors.

Liu, who serves on Moffitt’s Institute Board of Directors, is president emeritus and an honorary fellow of the Jackson Laboratory, an independent, nonprofit research organization. Previously he was the scientific director of the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Clinical Sciences.

“This accomplished and diverse group of leaders are incredibly well prepared to advance the creation of a new model for transformative patient care at Speros FL and to grow a new ecosystem of global innovation here in our Tampa Bay region. Speros FL, driven by a mission of unleashing collective genius to improve human life, will serve as a hub for convergence of industries, ideas and talent that are all required to solve the most complex scientific challenges, including a cure for cancer,” said David de la Parte, Esq., Speros FL president, Moffitt executive vice president and general counsel. “As we continue growing this campus over the next decade, we’ll be equipped to serve more patients and ultimately transform the way we prevent, detect and treat cancer and advance care and research in many other areas.”

About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 54 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. With more than 8,500 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $2.4 billion. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube..

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