JDRF Names Jeffrey Brewer as President and Chief Executive Officer

JDRF Volunteer, Philanthropist, Former Internet Executive to Lead Top Funder of Cures and Treatments for People with Type 1 Diabetes and Its Complications

NEW YORK, June 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a leader in type 1 diabetes research worldwide, announced today that Jeffrey Brewer has been named President and Chief Executive Officer.  

Mr. Brewer, an entrepreneur and philanthropist, has been a passionate JDRF volunteer and donor for the past eight years, playing a key leadership role in the organization's research activities. He became involved with JDRF soon after his son, Sean, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2002.  He has served as a director of JDRF's International Board since 2004, is a reviewer on JDRF's Lay Review Committee (which judges the potential of diabetes research from the perspective of people impacted by diabetes), and has been an active member and donor for the foundation's New York Chapter.  

"Jeffrey Brewer has all the qualities we were looking for in a leader for JDRF: experience in managing large and growing organizations, a detailed understanding of diabetes research, and a track record of success," said Frank Ingrassia, Chairman of the JDRF Board of Directors.  "When you add to that a drive and passion for finding a cure, based on his own family experience with diabetes and the people around the world he has met in his years as a volunteer with JDRF, that's a terrific combination to help us speed progress towards the cure."      

Mr. Brewer is the founder and a former senior executive of two successful internet businesses: Overture Services, which was acquired by Yahoo, where he served as CEO; and CitySearch, which is now a division of USA Interactive, where he was Chief Technology Officer.  Since 2003, Mr. Brewer has served as Executive Chairman of Kickstart International, an award-winning non-profit organization providing poverty-stricken populations, primarily in Africa, with a revolutionary approach to becoming self-sufficient.

As a JDRF volunteer, he has been particularly involved in leading the organization's Artificial Pancreas Project, which over the past four years has significantly accelerated both academic and industry research leading to the development of automated systems to better control diabetes in children, teens, and adults.  In addition to improving the lives of people with type 1 diabetes, the improved control that these systems can provide will lower the risk of dangerous low-blood sugar emergencies, reduce the risk of long-term complications, and potentially improve the efficacy of cures and treatments as they become available.

"As a volunteer, it is so humbling and rewarding to work side by side with our passionate volunteers and our impressive staff in our collective effort to advance the pace of research leading to better treatments and cures for people with diabetes," Mr. Brewer said. "I feel we are on the cusp of exciting research progress that can make a real difference in the lives of people living with this terrible disease – including some tangible advances delivered to patients in the not-too-distant future.  I'm honored to become a full-time part of driving us towards our goals, and helping us translate research into drugs and devices that will help people with type 1 diabetes live better, longer and healthier, and ultimately to remove this disease from people's lives forever."

Mr. Brewer was co-founder of Overture Services, formerly known as GoTo.com, in 1998; he also served as CEO and a director.  GoTo.com was the first pay-for-placement and pay-for-click search advertising system, and set the standard for the current model of search advertising.  After going public in 1999, the company was acquired by Yahoo in 2002.  

Previously, he co-founded CitySearch in 1995, where he was a director, Chief Technology Officer, and Vice President of Development.  CitySearch was the first online city guide providing current localized information and recommendations for arts and entertainment events, community activities, shopping and services.  It went public in 1998.

Mr. Brewer has a degree in Economics from Southern Methodist University.  He and his wife Deborah live in New York City and have a daughter, Katherine, as well as their son, Sean.

About JDRF

JDRF is a leader in setting the agenda for diabetes research worldwide, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of type 1 research. The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Type 1 diabetes is a disease which strikes children and adults suddenly and requires multiple injections of insulin daily or a continuous infusion of insulin through a pump. Insulin, however, is not a cure for diabetes, nor does it prevent its eventual and devastating complications which may include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and amputation.

Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.4 billion to diabetes research, including more than $107 million globally in the past year.

SOURCE Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation