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Gregory Krug is Founder, President, and CEO of Lampire Biological Laboratories, Inc., a biotech life science company that produces biological reagents used in the diagnostic and pharmaceutical industries. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Delaware Valley University, and Lampire Enterprises was founded shortly afterwards as a result of work that he started doing as an undergraduate student. Greg incorporated the company as Lampire Biological Laboratories and acquired full ownership several years later. He joins us in this interview to tell us more about his life and science.
People Behind the Science Podcast Show Notes
Life Outside of Science (2:16)
When he’s not working, Greg enjoys spending quality time with his family. He is also very passionate about sports, especially football, lacrosse, and polo. Over the years, Greg has enjoyed coaching and watching his sons’ football and lacrosse games, and he has been highly engaged in the polo community.
The Scientific Side (4:32)
Greg and the team at Lampire Biological Laboratories supply biologic reagents and raw materials for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and diagnostic industries. Their products are shipped worldwide, and they are used in a lot of different applications.
A Dose of Motivation (5:34)
The poem “If—” by Rudyard Kipling
What Got You Hooked on Science? (9:04)
Though he knew he was passionate about animals, Greg didn’t have his career plan mapped out when he started college. As a sophomore, Greg was searching for direction. He wanted to do meaningful work that allowed him to give back and help people. After a fortuitous wrong turn on his way to a job interview, Greg got connected with Craig Tarlor. This led to a job working on Craig’s horse farm and veterinary clinic. When Craig decided to sell the farm, a diagnostics company proposed an interesting opportunity. They were willing to pay the farm to supply materials needed for their diagnostics products. This was Lampire’s beginning, and Greg was part of the adventure from day one. With a lot of resilience, entrepreneurial spirit, and hard work, he and his colleagues have seen the company grow tremendously over the past 45 years.
The Low Points: Failures and Challenges (19:23)
Lampire had a historic barn that dated back to the 1700s and belonged to the first farmer on the property. This barn had been expanded over the years and was an important part of the company’s operations. Unfortunately, there was a tragic fire that destroyed the barn. This was a tough time for Greg both personally and professionally, but he did everything he could to take care of his staff and their customers. The group demonstrated amazing resilience, and together they were able to work through this difficult time.
A Shining Success! (22:12)
One thing that Greg finds particularly rewarding is seeing the products produced by Lampire being used in the world. For example, when he is with someone who is being treated for cancer, and he sees the clinician using a product that he helped develop, it really drives home the importance of the work done at Lampire. Greg tries to remind his team members often that each day they come to work, they are helping human lives around the world.
Book Recommendations (24:35)
Books by James Herriot such as All Creatures Great and Small, Every Living Thing, If Only They Could Talk, It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet, and Let Sleeping Vets Lie
Most Treasured Travel (26:05)
Southern California is one of Greg’s favorite places to visit, especially San Diego and La Joya. He also had a fantastic time traveling with his staff to a trade show in Europe called MEDICA. On one of these trips, Greg got to do some sightseeing in Germany, and he really enjoyed seeing some of the old castles there. It was phenomenal to learn about the history, hear stories about the people who lived there, and get to know the culture.
Quirky Traditions and Funny Memories (28:34)
Greg and his staff are passionate about fundraising and getting involved in their community. Team Lampire participates in a variety of different fundraising events throughout the year to help raise money for important causes. They also bring their mascot Larry the Lampire Llama to events to spread cheer and get people engaged. In addition, Greg is highly involved in a variety of economic and career development activities, including programs that bring kids to Lampire to learn about their work and careers in science. These programs range in age all the way down to pre-school educational sessions through high school and college internships.
Advice For Us All (36:11)
You have to face adversity and work through difficult times with good communication and compassion. Think about the broader impacts and importance of what you do, not just for yourself, but for others as well. Also, keep in mind that you never know what other people are going through. It is easy to get busy and focus just on what you are doing, but taking a moment to share a simple greeting or check in with someone can make a huge difference for them.
Guest Bio
Greg has guided the growth of Lampire Biological Laboratories, Inc., since its inception in 1977. He completed acquisition of the corporation in 1979 and continues to hold 100% ownership. He take a hands-on approach to managing Lampire’s two expansive animal facilities, totaling over 600 acres in some of the finest agricultural country in North America. These sites house large domestic farm animals, unique breeds, and small laboratory animals for custom antisera, bulk sera, plasma, and red cell production programs. Additionally, Lampire has three separate facilities for manufacturing, processing, and finishing their products. Over the past two decades, the team at Lampire has perfected their ability to produce custom antibodies, and they offer high quality antibodies at an excellent value, intellectual property, and with quick turnaround times. They also manufacture and distribute quality purified proteins, reagents, BSA, and their own OMNI C3® Cell Culture Bags. In his role as Chief Executive Officer, Greg maintains overall responsibility for the company’s operations and financial performance. He also is responsible for their compliance with all Federal, State, and local regulatory agencies. Additionally, in his capacity as Institutional Official, Greg appoints the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) to review, investigate, and report all activities related to Animal Welfare in compliance with 9 CFR Chapter (Code of Federal Regulation).
Support for this episode of People Behind the Science was provided by LAMPIRE Biological Laboratories.