James R. Berenson, MD,
Chief Executive Officer & President,
Medical & Scientific Director

Dr. Berenson is the founder of the
Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (IMBCR) and has specialized in research related to myeloma and metastatic bone disease both in the basic and clinical areas for more than 20 years. He has been involved in many of the major breakthroughs that have brought new treatments for patients with these diseases resulting in both an improvement in the length and quality of their lives.

He serves as a member of the National Institutes of Health - Center for Scientific Review, Clinical Oncology Study Section. He is a member of the Scientific Boards of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and the International Myeloma Foundation. He serves on both the Foundation and the Scientific Boards of the Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma Society. He also works with many other groups known for their work in multiple myeloma and bone metastases.

After receiving a Bachelor of Science with Distinction from Stanford University, he earned his Doctorate in Medicine from the University of California at San Diego.
Dr. Berenson completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of Utah Medical Center and fellowships in hematology/oncology at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both internal medicine and medical oncology. He has been affiliated most recently with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and served as the Director of the Multiple Myeloma & Bone Metastasis Programs in the Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Berenson has performed research as a member of the Departments of Medicine and Biological Chemistry at the UCLA School of Medicine and has served as Chief of Medical Oncology and Cancer Research as well as Director of Research at the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Administration Healthcare Systems. Dr. Berenson has authored and co-authored numerous books, articles, and abstracts in journals including Blood, Cancer, Cancer Research, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Journal of Clinical Oncology, New England Journal of Medicine, and Science.

In addition to his research interests in myeloma and metastatic bone disease, he also studies antibodies, T-cell receptors, cytokines, cancer genes, viruses and blood vessel development. Dr. Berenson has also conducted numerous clinical trials related to the treatment of multiple myeloma and metastatic bone disease. Because he is internationally known for his expertise and accomplishments in these areas, he has also been asked to give numerous lectures and organize many meetings both nationally and internationally.

Dr. Berenson has a private practice which specializes in the treatment of patients with myeloma and metastatic bone disease. He is also President and Chief Executive Officer of Oncotherapeutics, Inc., a corporation that conducts clinical trials related to myeloma and metastatic bone disease as well as other cancers throughout the United States.

Dr. Berenson was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He is married to Debra and they have two children, Shira and Ariana.

Ronald J. Rogers, Vice President, Development

Mr. Rogers is a founding Member of the Board of the IMBCR.

Ron Rogers is the founder and CEO of The Rogers Group, one of the largest public relations/public affairs and communications firms on the west coast. The firm services a diverse clientele of government and private sector clients. Over his career, Rogers has helped develop strategies and long-term marketing programs for many of the country’s Fortune 500 companies.

Founded in 1978, the agency has always embodied a deep commitment to the community. The Los Angeles native is the driving force behind the agency’s extensive pro-bono work for many non-profit organizations including IMBCR as well as the Children’s Museum of Los Angeles and the Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica – UCLA Medical Center, on whose Board he has served for more than 30 years. In addition, he also serves on the Boards of CORO Southern California, the Los Angeles Police Foundation (founding Board member) and the USC Annenberg School of Communications.

Mr. Rogers is married to Lisa Specht, a prominent Los Angeles attorney. The couple divides their time between Los Angeles and their cattle ranch in Colorado.

George (Geo) Rynn Hartley, Esq, Secretary

Mr. Hartley is a founding Board member of the IMBCR.

Graduating from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst with a magna cum laude in history in May of 1971, he is Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. He then went on to Georgetown University Law Center where he received his Juris Doctor in May of 1974. At Georgetown, he was Phi Delta Phi, Law Review Editor and belonged to the Moot Court Team.

He is a member of the California Bar (1974) and the District of Columbia Bar (1984). He was a practicing attorney for Los Angeles, CA law firms (Musick, Peeler & Garrett; Stroock & Stroock & Lavan and Finley, Kumble, Wagner, Heine, Underberg & Manley).

In the California judicial system, he has been a Los Angeles Superior Court judge.

Mr. Hartley has been Senior Counsel / Senior Vice President of Home Savings of America in Los Angeles, California.

A man of many talents, Mr. Hartley is also known for being the founder and artistic director of “Theatre Geo” in Los Angeles, California. Also in the film/television/theatre realm, he is known for being an acting and interview coach.

He has produced and/or directed 184 plays and musicals as well as being a playwright of 4 plays (“The Care and Custody of Barbara Moon,” “Un-Buttoned,” “Ghost Light” and the musical, “Twisted”).

Mr. Hartley wrote a regular column called “SightLines” for LA Stage Magazine. His credits also include Adjunct Professor of the University of Southern California (USC) College of Theatre.

Mr. Hartley currently resides in Washington, District of Columbia and Charlestown Beach, Rhode Island.

Roger Townsend, Treasurer

Roger Townsend has over 30 years of business experience including 10 years of financial management in private industry and 20 years in public accounting.  He has worked with a variety of different companies, including the Automobile Club of Southern California, Hon Development Company, Stayner Development Company and Health Industries, Inc.  He is a former land developer and currently is the owner of a productive avocado farm in San Diego County.  

He has worked with IMBCR on its Audit Committee since 2008 and has held other civic positions within his community.

Roger served during the Vietnam War as a LTJG in the Navy and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and graduate studies in accounting and business from UCLA.

Roger is married to Mary Townsend, a former director of the Orange County Department of Education.  The couple has two children and when they’re not participating in extreme sports, they quietly reside in San Clemente, California. 

Eugene "Gene" Berman

Mr. Berman is currently the principal broker at For Buyers Only Realty, an exclusive buyer’s brokerage, and Truth-in-Lending Mortgage, both in Santa Rosa, California.   He has been a real estate broker in the North Bay region of California since 2001 and an active real estate professional since 1999.  He has also been an adjunct faculty member at Santa Rosa Junior College since 2005.

Prior to his career in real estate, Mr. Berman was a senior management executive at an Omnicom-owned San Francisco advertising agency; managing director at Lowe McAdams SF, and president at Grey Advertising SF.  During his 16 years in advertising, he handled major U.S. and global accounts including: American Cancer Society, Baxter and Gillette brands (including Oral–B Laboratories and Braun), Johnson & Johnson’s Lifescan division, Smithkline Diagnostics, Lifetime Medical TV, Meridien Hotels, 24-Hour Fitness and VISA.

Gene’s accomplishments include receiving the “Best-of-Show” Addy and EFFIE, numerous Gold “In Awe” Awards from the Medical Marketing Association; GD Crain Public Service Gold Award for the San Francisco Child Abuse Council and has served on advertising juries in numerous local and regional competitions.

Mr. Berman received his Bachelor of Science degree from Tulane University in 1970 and is married to Enid Berman.  Gene has one son.  Enid, with a B.S. in Journalism from the New School, NY, is former non-profit board of directors’ president of American Communications Foundation.  Enid continues as a valued consultant to non-profits, for-profits, city and county governments, in internal communications and team-building. The Berman’s reside in Santa Rosa, California.

Roger Fischer

Roger Fischer is the founder of FischerHealth, a Porter Novelli Company, a member of Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC). Roger is a 25 year veteran in healthcare marketing and communications strategy with a primary focus on medical devices & diagnostics, health services and health information technology. FischerHealth has been named “Healthcare PR Firm of the Year” and “Creative Agency of the Year” by the Holmes Report.

Mr. Fischer is an associate member of AdvaMed, the world’s largest medical technology trade association, a member of the Medical Marketing Association, the Southern California Biomedical Council and the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development of the American Hospital Association. He is also an advisor to City of Hope and is active in the Public Relations Society of America at both the national and local chapter levels.

Roger received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Ethan Horwitz

Ethan Horwitz is a partner in King & Spalding’s Intellectual Property practice and is resident in the New York office. Mr. Horwitz maintains a diverse practice and has over 25 years of experience in the full range of intellectual property law. He has advised clients and has litigated patent, trademark, trade dress, copyright and false advertising cases in the United States and internationally. Mr. Horwitz’s practice includes worldwide acquisition and enforcement of intellectual property and advising clients on the enforcement of their intellectual property.

For the past 30 years, Ethan has been an active board member and is a past president of Dorot. He also serves as a trustee of The Shalom Hartman Institute and of the Plaza Jewish Community Chapel.

Mr. Horwitz received his Juris Doctorate from St. Johns University, a Masters of Science from New York University and undergraduate degree from Brooklyn Polytech.

Michael F. Richman, MD

Dr. Richman is the Director of The Center for Cholesterol Management. He is a diplomate in the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American College of Chest Physicians. In 2002-2003, he was listed by the Consumers' Research Council of America in the "Guide to America's Top Surgeons."

After completing his medical degree at Georgetown University, Dr. Richman moved to his native home of Los Angeles to complete his general surgery residency at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Medicine. He then completed a fellowship in cardiothoracic and vascular surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital at the University of Miami.

Having performed nearly one thousand cardiac bypass procedures throughout his career, Dr. Richman has always maintained a strong interest in the preventative aspect of cardiac care, namely cholesterol (lipid) management. As a long-standing member of the National Lipid Association, Dr. Richman’s work now focuses exclusively on preventative care and management for those who may be at
risk for heart disease.

Geoffrey M. Gee, Esq, Executive Director

Born in England, Mr. Gee practiced law first in London and then in Sydney, Australia. In Sydney, while engaged in his legal practice, he was also involved in the world of business and was active in the management of several corporations, including a medical facilities’ management company. Mr. Gee has spent a considerable amount of time engaged in charitable work both within and outside the Jewish community during and after his retirement from his legal practice and the business world.

In 1985, he relocated to Los Angeles, California. He has served on the Board of the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, Western Region and worked with the American Society of Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and United Jewish Appeal.

Mr. Gee is a past President of University Synagogue and served as President
of the Friends of Fox, a community-based organization that has helped to ensure
Twentieth Century Fox’s continued occupation of its Pico Boulevard studio lot. He also serves on several non-profit Boards and has volunteered as a ‘mentor’ at Shenandoah Elementary School.

Mr. Gee has previously worked with several non-profit organizations that have included Save the Children Fund, UCLA’s “Imagination Workshop”, The Wellness Community, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, HIV/AIDS Legal Services Alliance, Cure FD Foundation,
The Wall-Las Memorias Monument Project, Temple for the Arts and the Los Angeles County Library Foundation as well as many others. He has also helped raise funds for the Israel Humanitarian Foundation, an organization that undertakes humanitarian projects both in the United States and in Israel.

Mr. Gee is married to Steffanie, who was born in Los Angeles, California. He has
one married son, Adam, a daughter-in-law, Deborah, and two grandchildren, Hannah and Daniel, who all still live in Sydney, Australia.