Management Team

Richard M. Scruggs

President and Chief Executive Officer, Salient Pharmaceuticals

Mr. Scruggs has an extensive background in starting and developing companies. In 1996, he started Align Solutions Corp., which went public in 1999 as part of Luminant Worldwide. In 1999, Align was recognized as No. 1 on the Houston 100, a list of the area’s fastest growing private companies. Ernst & Young also recognized Mr. Scruggs as Entrepreneur of the Year in 1999. In addition to Align, he has served as director of Texas A&M University’s Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship and in leadership positions with Andersen Consulting, BSG Alliance/IT and Perot Systems. Currently, Mr. Scruggs serves on the board and advisory board of the Houston Technology Center and the boards of multiple early-stage companies. He is a past president and director of the Houston Angel Network. He holds a BS in Chemical Engineering and an MBA from Texas A&M University.

Robert H. Carpenter, DVM

Chief Science Officer, Salient Pharmaceuticals

President, Texas Enterosorbents, Inc.

Dr. Carpenter is President and CEO of Texas Enterosorbents, Inc. (TxESI) and Co-founder of Salient Pharmaceuticals Incorporated. He is the inventor of TxESI's technologies, including Salient’s anti-diarrhea potential. He is an adjunct professor at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Carpenter’s prior experience includes Regulatory Affairs Team Leader for ADViSYS, Inc., Medical Director at Shotwell and Carr, Inc., and Associate Research Director at Carrington Laboratories Inc. He was also part of the original faculty at the UT System M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Science Park. Captain Carpenter served 4 years (1972-76) in the USAF Veterinary Corps, where he was Chief Surgeon at the Military Working Dog Center at Lackland AFB, TX and an instructor in the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks AFB, TX. Dr. Carpenter has been the principal inventor or collaborator on more than 200 patents and publications. He has degrees in Veterinary Science, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Laboratory Animal Medicine specialty from Texas A&M University.

H. Andrew Hansen II, MD

Medical Director, Salient Pharmaceuticals

President, Central Texas Vein Center

Dr. Hansen is a board certified cardiovascular surgeon with and president of Central Texas Vein Center in College Station, Texas and is on staff of the College Station Medical Center. Dr. Hansen is also a clinical professor of surgery at the Texas A&M University Health Science Center. During his career, Dr. Hansen has been involved with a number of firsts, including the region's first robotically-assisted coronary artery bypass, the first implantation of the Jarvik Acute Ventricular Assist Device in Texas, and the second surgeon in Texas and fifth in the nation to perform robotic TMR (Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization). He serves as director of The Central Texas Vein Center and is a member of a number of professional societies. He holds a BS in Zoology, an MBA from Texas A&M University and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Texas Tech University School of Medicine.

James E. Carter, PhD

Director of Quality, Salient Pharmaceuticals

Principal, Regulatory Compliance Initiatives, Inc.

Dr. Carter leads Salient’s Quality Assurance / Quality Control function and is a Principal with Regulatory Compliance Initiatives, Inc. He has more than 30 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry including serving as Director of QA & Technical Services at Janssen Pharmaceutica. His prior experience also includes working for Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and Boehringer Mannheim Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Carter has a BS degree in Chemistry (1966) and an MS degree in Microbiology (1969) from Brigham Young University. He received his Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry (1975) from the University of Utah.

Franchelle Bourgeois-Garza, RN, MBA, CCRP

Clinical Project Manager, Salient Pharmaceuticals

Ms. Bourgeois-Garza is a registered nurse. She has more than 10 years of experience in clinical, research, corporate, and educational settings. Prior to joining Salient she was a Senior Clinical Research Nurse at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX. Her background includes working for organizations such as Triumph Healthcare, Cyberonics, the University of Texas Medical School and Baylor College of Medicine. She has managed R&D clinical services in the academic and medical device arenas. She holds a BS in nursing and an MBA from Texas Woman’s University.  Ms. Bourgeois is a Certified Clinical Research Professional.