Member Spotlight: Dave DiProspero
Dave has been a member of ISPE since 1994 and is an active volunteer including chairing the Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) Committee, and working closely with the OSD Community of Practice (CoP). He has also been a regular speaker at the ISPE Annual Meeting and other ISPE events. We sat down with Dave in our monthly Member Spotlight to get to know him a little bit more, his passion for the pharmaceutical industry, and his current involvement with ISPE.
Where did you go to college/university and what was your major?
I completed my undergraduate studies at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), in Rochester, New York. I received an Associates of Applied Science with a focus on mechanical design technology, followed by a Bachelor’s of Science, majoring in business/electo-mechanical engineering. I received these degrees while working full-time and attending college as a part-time evening student. It was a nine-year journey.
What attracted you to pharmaceutical engineering?
My introduction to pharmaceutical engineering was when I accepted a position with Matcon USA in 1992. The firm was focused on powder material handling and containment and I quickly became engaged in a wide range of pharmaceutical OSD projects for both large and small pharmaceutical companies, which I enjoyed. Later, I joined Glatt Air Techniques where I became involved in more sophisticated pharmaceutical processes and processing. This deepened my expertise and I become more engaged in the pharmaceutical industry at large. Through the 90’s, I became involved in facility design/equipment integration, as well as, compliance and regulatory aspects for OSD facilities which allowed me to gain a deeper understanding and respect for the commitment of the industry to our patients and felt that I was contributing via the work I was doing. At this point, it was clear, I was going to be in the pharmaceutical industry for the rest of my career. 25 years later, and now at CRB, I’m still here.
When did you join ISPE, and what are some great memories you have of being involved?
I became a general ISPE Member sometime in the early 90’s. I attended a few conferences, read the publications, and started to meet some nice people. I decided to get more involved beyond general membership and reached out to Bob Chew voicing this interest. He suggested that I join a committee and pointed me in the direction of the education committee, who were looking for new members. It was the start of a long run of heavy participation in numerous committees, many which I have chaired or co-chaired. One great memory, that I will hold fondly forever, is the 2006 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. I can remember Bob Best (then CEO/President and inspirational leader) telling me that this was going to be a great meeting for me. Two days later, at the membership lunch I was awarded the prestigious Max Seales Yonker Member of the Year Award. It was a true honor and I still display the award proudly in my CRB Philadelphia office.
What are you working on now (at work)?
As the Associate/Director of Pharmaceutical Processing for CRB, I am the firm’s OSD subject matter expert and am involved with our clients in the planning and design of OSD facilities. This includes general consultation, front end planning, as well as detailed design and engineering. I recently have been involved with a large OSD facility built in the northeast, completion of a site master plan for a large generic pharmaceutical company, and the process/facility design for a pharmaceutical nutritional supplement firm. In addition, to client project specific work, I am also involved in internal peer reviews, quality checks, and general advising of project teams throughout the CRB network.
What are working on with ISPE (as a volunteer)? How’s it going?
I am currently the chair of the Facility of The Year Awards (FOYA) Committee. Additionally, I am an active Member and advisor to the OSD Community of Practice, a CoP that I was involved in the creation of many years ago. Something I am quite proud of is the recent release of the ISPE Baseline Guide OSD – Third Edition. I was the co-lead and steering committee manager for this multi-year rewrite project that involved nearly 100 professionals from around the world. It was an extremely challenging effort that took more energy and time than I anticipated, but is a guidance document that will serve the industry well. I will be speaking at several ISPE sessions in 2017, including both the ISPE Europe Annual Conference in Barcelona, as well as the 2017 Annual Meeting & Expo in San Diego.
Any other comments about volunteering, ISPE, or the future of the industry?
I believe the future of the pharmaceutical industry is bright and despite the many negative connotations and heavy pressures we are under, we in industry are making significant contributions to society and mankind. The R&D efforts we are undertaking, process designs we are developing, facilities we are building, and products we are manufacturing are clearly providing lifesaving, life extending, and life improving elements to many that need them. I, for one, am proud to say that I work in the pharmaceutical industry.
