ANN ARBOR ? MichBio Executive Director Michael Witt resigned last week from the life sciences trade association and was replaced this week by former Pfizer researcher and current Ann Arbor City Council member Stephen Rapundalo.

The surprise resignation came after Witt spent three years revitalizing MichBio, pushing its membership past 200, and building a professional staff around him. No reason was given for Witt’s resignation.

But in a telephone interview, Witt said after three years at MichBio it was time to pursue other more profitable interests. He declined to elaborate.

MichBio Chairman Randal Charlton, in a prepared statement, lauded Witt’s work at MichBio.

?The Board of MichBio wishes to thank Michael Witt for his hard work in developing member services and helping to grow our organization. Our membership has grown steadily in both number and influence, exceeding 200 members for the first time,? said Charlton, the CEO of Detroit tissue bank Asterand.

During Witt?s tenure, MichBio grew its services to include a range of products and services, a new website, membership directory, and presented the state?s first life science expo, MichBio Expo 2005, in Detroit. Witt is credited with broadening MichBio?s reach to include student chapters at most of the state?s universities and continuing its BioConnections program which matches qualified graduates to new job opportunities with emerging businesses in the state. Witt was a regular advocate at the state capital on behalf of the life sciences industry.

Rapundalo, Ph.D, assumed the responsibilities as interim executive director Monday. Rapundalo, a former Pfizer and Park Davis employee, has worked as a senior research scientist and is a pre-clinical drug discovery professional with global experience in the life sciences industry.

?Stephen?s professional experience and background in strategic planning and project management will be a great asset to MichBio, ? said Charlton.

Among Rapundalo first tasks will be guiding the MichBio team as they plan and execute the second MichBio Expo, October 10-12, at Grand Rapids? DeVos Place. The event is the largest annual gathering of life science professionals in the state of Michigan.

Rapundalo is an active member of the Ann Arbor community, currently serving as a council member for the 2nd Ward. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Rapundalo is a native of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada where he grew up in a blue-collar, union family, and was for a short time a member of the United Steelworkers of America Local 6500. After completing his undergraduate degree in Canada, Rapundalo came to the United States in 1979 to attend graduate school at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond.

Following completion of his Ph.D. in 1983, he and his wife Anne lived in Cincinnati where he pursued a fellowship appointment at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. In 1987 he joined Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research, (now Pfizer Global Research & Development), where he was most recently a research scientist and group leader in cardiovascular drug discovery. He was cut by Pfizer last fall during a round of layoffs.

For more information on Rapundalo, click on Aadems.Org/Rapundalo

For more information about MichBio, click on MichBio.Org