Innovative Blood Resources Announces New Senior Leadership Appointments

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Innovative Blood Resources is pleased to announce new appointments to its senior leadership team as the non-profit continues to refine the alignment of its organizational structure with the ever-changing needs of hospital customers for blood banking services and life-saving blood products.

Ellen DiSalvo, MBA, MT(ASCP), SBB, DLM, previously Vice President of Laboratory Services, now oversees all operations of Innovative Blood Resources' Nebraska Division as President of Nebraska Community Blood Bank. Upon the recent retirement of Phyllis Ericson, long-standing community leader and NCBB senior executive, Ms. DiSalvo's expanded responsibilities include oversight of all services provided to the organization's Nebraska-based hospital partners and leadership for Nebraska operations, including the Nebraska Community Advisory Board. She has served as a key member of the organization's Nebraska Division for nine years.

Kristine Belanger, MT(ASCP), an 8-year veteran of the company's Minnesota Division, Memorial Blood Centers, has been promoted to Vice President, Donor Services. In her new role, she will provide leadership for all donor recruitment, collections, and production planning operations with a keen focus on meeting the needs of patients and ensuring that donors and blood drive sponsors are provided exceptional service.

Both DiSalvo and Belanger will report to Donald C. Berglund, Chief Executive Officer of Innovative Blood Resources.

Also promoted to a senior leadership position with Innovative Blood Resources is Mark Janzen, PhD., now Vice President of Laboratory Services. A member of Innovative Blood Resources' Minnesota Division since 2003, Janzen will now be responsible for donor testing, manufacturing, and the organization's industry-leading Immunohematology Reference Laboratory.  Over his ten-year tenure, Janzen has overseen the redesign and relocation of the organization's advanced testing laboratories, the transition to automated testing equipment, and the upgrade of the laboratory information systems.

Janzen will report to Judy Petersen, Vice President of Client Services.

In making the announcements, Don Berglund, CEO of Innovative Blood Resources, commented, "All of these highly talented and richly experienced colleagues—Ellen, Kris, and Mark—have proven leadership to help us continue to move our organization forward.  Each in his or her way also has made significant contributions to ensuring a safe and ample blood supply is readily available to all who need it.  I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work even more closely with them in pursuit of our shared vision—of becoming the best blood center in America."

About Innovative Blood Resources
Innovative Blood Resources is an alliance of two nationally-recognized and community-based nonprofit blood centers: Minnesota-based Memorial Blood Centers and Nebraska Community Blood Bank, based in Lincoln. The organization brings to clients over 100 years of combined blood industry experience, comprehensive product and service capabilities, and enhanced value-driven solutions for patients, hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare partners.  Clinical staff also offers the expertise in transfusion medicine needed to adaptively meet future economic and healthcare changes. www.innovativebloodresources.org.

SOURCE Innovative Blood Resources