SmithKline Beecham's Howard Pien Elected to Fox Chase Cancer Center Board

PHILADELPHIA (July 29, 1998) -- Howard H. Pien, president, Pharmaceuticals, of SmithKline Beecham, has been elected to the board of directors of Fox Chase Cancer Center.

As a member of the Fox Chase board, Pien will help promote the Center's $38 million campaign to add new research programs related to cancer prevention and build the Prevention Pavilion to house Fox Chase's comprehensive prevention initiative, the Research Institute for Cancer Prevention. He has been appointed to the board's strategic planning committee.

Pien, 40, who lives in Cherry Hill, N.J., has more than 18 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including six years with Abbott Laboratories and five years with Merck and Co.

He has held key positions at SmithKline Beecham, one of the world's leading health-care companies with U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia and world headquarters in London, since joining the company as vice president of U.S. new product development in 1991. The following year, he was appointed vice president of U.S. product marketing, heading the arthritis, cardiovascular and vaccine groups. He became vice president of U.S. marketing in 1993 with direct responsibility for marketing all SB pharmaceuticals in the United States. In 1995, Pien assumed the position of managing director and senior vice president for the pharmaceutical business in the United Kingdom. He then served as senior vice president for the China and Korea region in 1997 before becoming president for the North America division that same year. He now is responsible for the company's worldwide pharmaceutical and vaccine business, which has sales of more than $7 billion.

"I'm delighted to be invited to serve on Fox Chase's board of directors," Pien said. "Fox Chase is one of the exemplary centers of intellectual excellence in the Philadelphia area. I welcome this opportunity to make a contribution to Fox Chase's ability to extend and expand its record of excellence."

Born in Taiwan, Pien holds a bachelor of science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master's in business administration from Carnegie-Mellon University. He and his wife, Diane, have two daughters.

Fox Chase is one of 34 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers. Its activities include basic and clinical research; prevention, detection and treatment of cancer; and community outreach programs.