DCAT Announces Retirement of Longtime Executive Director Margaret M. Timony

Margaret M. Timony
DCAT Executive Director

Robbinsville, NJ – (November 13, 2023) The Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association (DCAT) is announcing the retirement of its longtime Executive Director, Margaret M. Timony, after a quarter of a century of service to the organization.

During her tenure, Ms. Timony led the Association through a period of significant innovation and growth. She shaped new processes and policies that ensured strong governance for the Association’s leadership and volunteers. She established additional committees and helped develop new programs, activities, and valuable membership benefits, including the weekly newsletter Value Chain Insights, industry research studies, and improved member-use technologies.

“It has been a great honor to help lead the organization during the last twenty-five years,” said Ms. Timony. “I am extremely grateful to have been a part of such an important, collegial industry community rich with history and tradition. And, along the way, I have been fortunate to enjoy relationships with so many people whom I will consider lifelong friends.”

Ms. Timony also expressed gratitude to DCAT’s leadership, volunteers, and Member Company stakeholders for their support and contributions to the organization during her tenure. She adds, “It has been an incredible privilege to have worked with such dedicated volunteer leaders as well as a talented and loyal staff. I am immensely proud of what we accomplished together, and I am confident that the DCAT organization is well-positioned for continued growth and success in the future.”

Longtime DCAT volunteer, Committee Chairperson, and former DCAT Board Member Lori Hoffman of Piramal Critical Care said, “With Margaret at the helm, there has been a great expansion of programs and extraordinary service to the DCAT membership. She will certainly be missed by the volunteer committees who have benefited from her guidance over the years.”

Joe Principe of Abzena, who served as DCAT Board President (2010), spoke about his time in the Association’s leadership, “I’ve had the privilege of working with Margaret over the past 15 years in various capacities with the Association. Most of us [volunteers] think about what we can give to DCAT, only to leave our leadership positions more grateful for what we gained from working with such a dedicated leader and extraordinary Association.”

Ms. Timony’s passion and commitment to enhancing the organization’s premier event, DCAT Week, played a pivotal role in its growth and popularity within the industry. Since assuming the role of Executive Director, DCAT Week evolved from being an informal precursor to the Annual Dinner to the premier business development and networking event for the global bio/pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. She introduced the highly-anticipated DCAT Member Reception and the Women’s Networking Breakfast, added Member Lounges throughout official hotels, and expanded sponsorship opportunities to help Member Companies increase their brand awareness. Today, the event hosts more than half of DCAT’s 550 Member Companies in official DCAT Week meeting spaces.

Under her leadership, Ms. Timony also increased the number of companies enjoying the organization’s black-tie event, the DCAT Annual Dinner. She was instrumental in elevating the entertainment for the dinner table holders and their guests by adding Board and speaker videos, showcasing comedians, and securing world-renowned speakers in the fields of entertainment, sports, and politics. As of 2023, the DCAT Annual Dinner is considered to be the largest sit-down black-tie dinner in New York City.

When reflecting on Ms. Timony’s impact on DCAT, former DCAT Board President (2018) Joe Sutton of Eli Lilly and Company shared, “DCAT is a jewel of the pharma industry, and Margaret has done so much behind the scenes to keep it that way. She will be sorely missed, but her influence will be longstanding in the industry and not forgotten by the many lives she’s touched.”

After sharing a 91-year history with the Waldorf-Astoria, its closing in 2016 could have signaled an end to the longstanding event. However, Ms. Timony expanded the event to other hotel properties, which provided Member Companies with more flexibility in terms of space and costs. She and her team were then able to institute new processes to enable Member Companies to secure business meeting spaces and introduce a fairer and more equitable way to participate in the Annual Dinner each year.

Ms. Timony noted that over the years, one of the things she found most critical to the organization’s success was understanding the diverse needs of members and listening to the suggestions and requests made by the Member Company stakeholders. She says, “They made us all more aware and pushed us to be more creative. Because of this interest and commitment, we’ve strived to raise the bar each year and make them proud to be part of the DCAT Member Company Community and the strong global brand it is today.”

“DCAT has remained the pre-eminent networking organization in the Pharmaceutical industry. It has grown tremendously in its relevance and offerings because Margaret has been passionate about providing the best experience for our members. Margaret has also led us through major changes over the years, and to no surprise, we have always come out on top,” shared Sean Diver of Lonza AG and former DCAT Board President (2021). He added, “None of the success that DCAT has reached would have been possible without the dedicated leadership of Margaret.”

Ms. Timony is the third-longest standing Executive Director in DCAT’s 133-year history. Her retirement will take effect on November 14, 2023, when the current DCAT Managing Director, Carol Lee, will assume the role of Executive Director.  Ms. Timony will continue to advise for one year as the Executive Consultant.

DCAT Appoints New Executive Director

Carol Lee,
Newly appointed Executive Director, DCAT

Robbinsville, NJ – (November 14, 2023) The Executive Committee of the Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association (DCAT) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Carol Lee as DCAT’s new Executive Director.

“I am honored to be appointed as DCAT’s new Executive Director,” shares Ms. Lee. “I look forward to working with the volunteers and association staff to serve the member community and ensuring the DCAT organization continues to be the premier association for the global bio/pharmaceutical manufacturing value chain.”

Ms. Lee joined DCAT in January 2022 and served as its Managing Director. In that role, she was responsible for overseeing the organization’s finances, technology, staff, and vendors. During that time, Ms. Lee was also instrumental in shaping new processes and policies to better serve the DCAT membership community.

“I have enjoyed working with Ms. Lee over the past two years and have great confidence that she will continue to advance the mission of the DCAT organization,” shared DCAT Board President Charles Davies of Merck & Co., Inc. “Ms. Lee has always demonstrated her genuine interest in engaging with our Board on several critical and strategic initiatives. Our entire leadership team, as well as the staff, looks forward to working with her.”

Ms. Lee’s appointment follows the retirement of Margaret M. Timony. When asked about her successor, Ms. Timony stated, “Carol and I have worked closely for the past two years. She is thoughtful and engaging and has proven herself to be an incredibly valuable asset to the organization. She will be a terrific Executive Director.”

Ms. Lee was an Assistant Vice President at Merrill Lynch & Co. for several years.  She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from multiple accounting and program management roles with increasing responsibilities across financial services, healthcare, and accounting industries. She earned her BS degree from Thomas Edison State College, Trenton, New Jersey.

Ms. Lee assumes her new responsibilities as Executive Director effective November 15, 2023.