Biolyst Leadership Team

Chief Executive Officer

Jim joined Inverness Graham as part of the Value Creation Group in 2023. His responsibilities include serving on Inverness Graham portfolio company boards and as an advisor to various portfolio company CEOs and management teams, as well as supporting due diligence of investment opportunities in specific markets aligned with his background and experience.

Jim brings over 35 years of progressive executive experience in the highly regulated pharmaceutical, health & wellness, and consumer products sectors. As a seasoned leader, he has successfully guided four companies serving the health and wellness market as President and CEO, enabling stakeholders and investment partners to achieve favorable outcomes. Jim’s transaction experience includes leading the private equity carve-out of Noramco and Purisys from Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Pharmaceuticals and orchestrating the successful multi-billion-dollar exit of International Specialty Products (ISP) to a strategic buyer.

Chief Technology Officer

Reza Ardekani is Chief Technology Officer of Biolyst Scientific. As Chief Technological Officer, he spearheads the creation of new products, shapes the company’s technology roadmap, and ensures that Biolyst Scientific remains at the cutting edge of solving customer needs. Reza assumed the role upon the successful sale of Azer Scientific, a company he built into a prominent laboratory consumables player as the Founder and CEO.

Reza brings extensive experience in leading national business development strategies, developing intellectual property, managing multi-channel commercial teams, and overseeing operations and distribution.  He has been instrumental in founding, financing, and developing numerous businesses, guiding them from initial concepts to successful enterprises. Reza holds a bachelor’s degree in Cell Biology and Cytotechnology from Thomas Jefferson University.

“I am committed to driving unparalleled customer value by championing innovation through the power of collaboration and an unwavering focus on customer feedback.”

Chief Operating Officer

John joined Biolyst Scientific as Chief Operating Officer in March 2024.  In this capacity, John leads the Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain, and Quality functions and is responsible for instilling a culture of operational excellence to reliably and efficiently meet customer needs.

John brings over 25 years of experience in Operations, with leadership roles spanning Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Logistics and Distribution, and Engineering. Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer for G&H Photonics, where he gained extensive experience in business integration post-acquisition. Prior to his tenure at G&H Photonics, John held key operational leadership positions at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Corning, and Novanta. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and has earned several Six Sigma and Lean certifications.

“My dedication to operational excellence is relentless, fostering a culture where quality comes first. I am driven to implement sustainable practices that ensure flawless execution, delivering the highest standards for our customers.”

Chief Financial Officer

Bill Sommers was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Biolyst Scientific in April 2024. As CFO, he leads the Finance & IT functions in support of the execution of the company’s strategy through financial control, reporting, analysis, and business systems.

Bill has over 30 years of finance and accounting leadership experience. Recently, he served as CFO for several Private Equity-backed companies, managing financial aspects of high-return transactions, including acquisitions, recapitalizations, and integrations. Earlier in his career, Bill held key roles at Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC), ICI Plc, Danaher, and Ametek. Bill holds a bachelor’s in Accounting from the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, an MBA from the University of Delaware, and is a CPA (inactive) in Pennsylvania.

“I am steadfast in maintaining our robust financial foundation, crucial for supporting our customer-centric strategy and delivering on our value creation promise to investors, ensuring long-term growth and stability.”

SVP Sales & Service

Shelly Peariso has had an extensive career in life science and clinical sales, spanning over 23 years. Her dedication and experience have led her to achieve significant success in the field. Starting as an individual contributor selling life science reagents and instrumentation, she has ascended to various leadership roles across renowned companies such as Bio-Rad, Applied Biosystems, Life Technologies, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Element Biosciences.

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, Shelly led the sales teams for the Americas within the Clinical Next Generation Sequencing Division, where she was instrumental in shaping the sales strategy and execution for the Ion Torrent NGS portfolio, catering to clinical, applied, and research laboratories. Most recently, she served as the Vice President of Sales at Element Biosciences, where she established the commercial team and developed processes to foster growth within the company.

Academically, Shelly holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Lake Superior State University, where she was also a volleyball scholarship athlete, and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Chemistry from Thomas Jefferson University.

Vice President, Human Resources

Carmella joined Biolyst Scientific as VP, Human Resources in November 2023. She is responsible for providing strategic and tactical HR leadership to the business operations and fostering a positive workplace culture.

Carmella brings over 20 years of experience as an HR executive in global pharmaceutical services, consulting, and healthcare. Her expertise includes HR strategy, organizational development, and total rewards, with a strong background in HR operations, systems, and talent acquisition. Committed to fostering employee growth through collaborative HR programs, Carmella leverages her Positive Psychology master’s degree from The University of Pennsylvania. With a Mathematics degree from Arcadia University, she drives impactful HR initiatives that enhance organizational capability and employee development.

“I am excited to seamlessly align our talent strategies with business goals, ensuring that every employee’s experience enhances customer outcomes.“