About the Greater Los Angeles Area Chapter

The Chapter connects our local industry members and businesses by providing regular Technical Seminars, Professional Networking Events, and Social Gatherings. Our goal is to be a primary resource for anyone looking to be a part of or learn about the Life Science Industry. These Technical Seminars are held at owner companies and designed to help our members learn aspects of the industry that will help them grow and prosper in their careers. Our networking events allow our members to build relationships with experts and decision makers in our industry. And our social gatherings are aimed at building friendships that will support you throughout your career.

For the most up-to-date information, follow our LinkedIn account: ISPE Greater Los Angeles or visit our website at www.ispegla.org.

Please contact Chapter Manager Kimberly Syre: ksyre@cox.net with any questions.

Chapter History

The Greater Los Angeles Area Chapter was founded in 1995 and is made up of biotechnology, pharmaceutical, generic drug, and contract manufacturers as well as supporting industry professionals from architectural, engineering and construction firms, government agencies, universities, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers. Individual functions within these companies include production/manufacturing, project/facility maintenance engineering, QA/QC, process development, microbiology, regulatory affairs, training, materials management, purchasing, and corporate and product management.

ISPE provides tremendous value through various products and services that include on-going education and training programs, the ability to stay current on the latest industry trends on a worldwide basis, working with the FDA to develop Baseline® Pharmaceutical Engineering Guides, articles, career opportunities activities and ISPE Discussion Forum Groups.

Everything went wrong while the ISPE Greater Los Angeles Chapter was being formed. The ISPEAK headline announcing the new chapter read "Riots, Fires, Quakes and Mud Slides: Nothing Stops ISPE's LA Chapter," and nothing did.

The LA riots were only recent history when several Los Angelenos made inquiries at the 1992 ISPE Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona about the possibility of starting an ISPE chapter in their area. The canyons near Los Angeles were still ablaze with brush fires when the first steering committee meeting took place. For the next five months, the committees met approximately every three weeks with Chairman Dave Sisto, who did not even live near LA, flying in each time from San Jose. Then in the midst of their planning, the 6.6 earthquake hit the Los Angeles area. They brushed off, assessed the damage, continued planning, and even started a campaign to solicit funds for the American Red Cross to help the earthquake victims. They would not be stopped!

And in the true spirit of LA, and life being what it is in southern California, no one seemed to notice the mud slides that plagued the Malibu area the week before and again after the inaugural meeting - exactly one month to the day after the earthquake. Obviously, it will take more than Mother Nature to interfere with plans made by ISPE's Great Los Angeles Chapter!