RITA E.

BLESER
1550 Southlin Drive
Kirkwood, Missouri 63122
314-966-6531
rb6f5f9c@westpost.net
Work
Experience KV Pharmaceutical Company
Vice President, Special Projects Business Development
(April, 2009 - June, 2010)
Responsibilities: Support the organization during re-organization.
Accomplishments: Led development of a team-based manufacturing strategy. Leadi
ng teams for technology transfer of manufacture of two key products to off-shore
producer, and one ANDA asset. Established and implemented strategy to divest in
ternational license portfolio.
President Pharmaceutical Division
(April, 2007 - April, 2009)
Responsibilities: Accountable for round the clock operation of manufacturing a
nd distribution facilities, quality, safety, corporate engineering, and supply c
hain support.
Accomplishments: Established operational excellence support, sales, inventory a
nd operational planning system; safety leadership team; developed a facilities m
aster plan; participated in 3 FDA inspections, resulting in entry of Consent Dec
ree.
Tyco Healthcare/Mallinckrodt, Inc. (Currently Covidien plc)
Vice President, Technology
(September, 2001 - April, 2007)
Responsibilities: Accountable for development of new active pharmaceutical ingr
edients and dosage pharmaceutical products process support of manufacturing unit
s, and pilot plant operations, with an annual budget of $50 million.
Accomplishments: Established streamlined development and technology transfer sy
stems to improve timeliness of regulatory filings and technology transfers while
improving the system against right the first time metrics; developed and implem
ented a facility plan to enable meeting of growth objectives; initiated and impl
emented a low cost manufacturing strategy with Chinese partners.
Vice President and General Manager, Operations
(December, 1997 - September, 2001)
General Manager, Operations
(February, 1995 - December, 1997)
Responsibilities: Accountable for Mallinckrodt's largest manufacturing site, wh
ich produces one-third of the Company's products, with an average operational bu
dget of $250 million and capital budget of $30 million annually.
Site statistics: Round the clock, chemical processing of active pharmaceutical
ingredients (including products regulated by the DEA); 1100 employees (475 repre
sented by the UAW); 45 acres; 20 manufacturing units; 5 laboratory buildings; 4
separate R & D units.

Accomplishments: Implemented strategic planning to drive manufacturing excellen

ce, supply chain efficiencies, regulatory effectiveness, improvement in people,
culture and organization systems and portfolio management. These initiatives ha
ve driven more than 12% of costs from products produced while improving safety p
erformance, regulatory compliance, information technology, human resource manage
ment systems, inventory position and enhancing infrastructure investment.
Attorney - Assistant General Counsel
(March, 1986 - February, 1995)
Responsibilities: Assumed increasing responsibility throughout tenure in the le
gal department for providing legal counsel to FDA, EPA, DEA, OSHA regulatory fun
ctions and business units managing active pharmaceutical ingredients, drug and f
ood products and medical device product lines; managed liability, commercial and
products liability litigation; drafted and negotiated commercial agreements, in
cluding custom manufacturing, license and distribution agreements; provided both
general commercial and regulatory assistance to acquisitions and divestitures;
assisted General Counsel with board governance and security law matters gaining
knowledge in generally accepted accounting principles and SEC disclosure obligat
ions.
Accomplishments: Prepared medical device business unit for sale by correcting co
mmercial deficiencies and regulatory issues in readiness for offering; served as
lead counsel in administration of an indemnity agreement valued at over $100MM;
negotiated several business interruption and environmental insurance claims to
favorable resolutions; negotiated substantial fine reductions for environmental
penalties; established case management systems to ensure cost-effective retentio
n of outside counsel; led successful response to voluntary corrective action pla
n with FDA; led numerous investigations of regulatory, financial and EEOC potent
ial violations with successful outcomes; led US government lobbying efforts for
tariff imposition and relief; negotiated with Assistant Deputies at FDA and DEA.
Coburn, Croft and Putzell
Associate (May, 1984 - March, 1986)
Responsibilities: Litigation associate for cases involving trade secret misappr
opriation under the FIFRA regulatory scheme, patent infringement and defense of
chemical toxic torts.
The Seven-Up Company
Legal Intern (January, 1983 - May, 1984)
Responsibilities: Researched human resource, food labeling and antitrust issues
.
Law Offices of Jerome Gross
(Legal Intern (May, 1982 - August, 1982)
Responsibilities: Draft patent applications, trademark research
Lever Brothers Company
Production Supervisor (May, 1977 - August, 1981)
Responsibilities: Supervision of union work force in the production of powder a
nd liquid detergents; acting Powder Department Superintendent; compiled Powder d
epartment budgets.

Education Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri

Juris Doctor, 1984
Class Rank: Top 12%
St. Louis University
MBA, 1980
Eastern Illinois University
B.S. Chemistry, 1977
Professional
Education Wharton School of Management
Executive Development Program, 1995
Professional
Associations Ranken Technical College Board of Trustees
Grace Hill Economic Development Board Trustees
Eastern Illinois College of Sciences Advisory Board Member
Eastern Illinois University Alumni of the Year
Featured in "Successful Women in Chemistry", ACS Symposium Series 907
Washington University McDonnell International Scholars Academy Board Trustee
Member of Missouri State Bar Association
Publications "Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (CG/MS), An Evidentiary Ana
lysis"
The Champion, 6 (1984).