Josh Carpenter will step down as president and CEO of Southern Research, effective December 6, the organization announced on Wednesday.
Interim chief finance and administration officer Coleman Loper will serve as interim CEO to “provide continuity” until a permanent president and CEO is named, according to a Southern Research spokesperson. Carpenter served as CEO of Southern Research since 2021.
Prior to serving as a member of Southern Research leadership, Loper’s career included leading government, not-for-profit accounting as a partner at Ernst & Young.
According to a press release, Southern Research “will continue to take a team-based approach to leadership, with Harry Ledebur remaining as chief operating officer and Khalilah Brown remaining as VP for Medical Affairs, with the continued support of SR Board Chair and University of Alabama at Birmingham President Ray Watts.”
“Josh has worked to chart a bold, new strategic direction for SR that capitalizes on its unique relationship with UAB and aligns common goals to advance and commercialize life science technologies,” Watts said. “I thank Josh for his many contributions and am confident the talented and dedicated team at SR will continue to build positive momentum.”
Southern Research will conduct a national search for a permanent president and CEO. Southern Research is a nonprofit scientific research organization founded in Birmingham in 1941.
News of Carpenter stepping down as CEO was first reported by the Birmingham Business Journal.
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