Stowers Institute appoints former Cerner Legal Chief as new General Counsel

Veteran legal executive Dan Devers joins the Stowers Group of Companies with a track record in healthcare technology, intellectual property, and enterprise legal strategy.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Stowers Institute for Medical Research has named Dan Devers as General Counsel, effective January 26, 2026. In this role, Devers will provide strategic and operational leadership on all legal matters across the Institute and its affiliates, including governance, compliance, intellectual property strategy, and partnerships that support the Institute's mission to uncover new knowledge in foundational biology and develop innovative ways to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease. 

Devers joins the Stowers Institute as a seasoned legal and business executive with more than 20 years of experience. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Cerner Corporation, the world's largest healthcare information technology company, before its acquisition by Oracle in 2022.

"Dan brings an extraordinary combination of legal depth, business acumen, and strategic vision," said Jonathan Thomas, CEO and Chairman of the Board for the Stowers Institute and Chairman, CEO and President of American Century Investments. "His leadership will be critical as we continue to build for the future, ensuring our governance structure and practices remain aligned with the scale, complexity and long-term strategy for the Stowers Institute, and advancing the long-term mission set forth by our founders, Jim and Virginia Stowers. I'm confident Dan will be a tremendous asset in supporting the breakthrough foundational research conducted by our scientists."

At Cerner, Devers negotiated the company's $28.3 billion sale to Oracle, which became one of the largest global transactions of 2022. In his role, he led global legal, regulatory, and risk management functions and developed an industry-leading portfolio of more than 650 patents.

"I am honored to join this remarkable organization during a dynamic time of scientific exploration and institutional growth," Devers said. "Legal strategy and governance play a vital role in enabling scientific excellence and collaboration. I look forward to advancing the Institute's extraordinary mission and ensuring our legal and business strategies maximize the global impact of the Institute's discoveries."

Each year, over 40% of American Century Investments' dividends are directed to the Stowers Institute to support its research. This has totaled more than $2 billion to date. Devers will ensure this unique and critical source of long-term funding is supported by legal strategies that sustain rigorous, mission-driven science.

"Strong science requires strong infrastructure," said Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer of the Stowers Institute. "Dan's appointment signals our commitment to legal and organizational excellence as we pursue increasingly complex collaborations and tackle bold scientific questions that push the boundaries of what we know about life. His insight and leadership will be invaluable as we shape the future of foundational research."

Devers' appointment follows the retirement of Charles German, who has served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the Stowers Group of Companies since 2020. Devers will report directly to Jonathan Thomas.

Devers earned his J.D. with honors from the University of Missouri School of Law and a B.S. with honors in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri. In addition to his corporate leadership roles, he has provided counsel and advisory support to academic institutions and nonprofit organizations, strengthening legal frameworks that support innovation and impact.

About the Stowers Institute for Medical Research

Founded in 1994 through the generosity of Jim Stowers, founder of American Century Investments, and his wife, Virginia, the Stowers Institute for Medical Research is a non-profit, biomedical research organization with a focus on foundational research. Its mission is to expand our understanding of the secrets of life and improve life's quality through innovative approaches to the causes, treatment, and prevention of diseases.

The Institute consists of 20 independent research programs. Of the approximately 500 members, over 370 are scientific staff that include principal investigators, technology center directors, postdoctoral scientists, graduate students, and technical support staff. Learn more about the Institute at www.stowers.org and about its graduate program at www.stowers.org/gradschool.

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SOURCE Stowers Institute for Medical Research