People are our Chemistry: Gullerud Family

At Eurofins BioPharma Product Testing, we believe that our people provide our strength. Their dedication to quality, professional competence and hard work are the key elements in the company’s success. In this regular feature, we introduce you to some of the people who have helped make Eurofins an industry leader.

Thomas and JeorgeAnn Gullerud met 10 years ago at the Eurofins BPT Columbia, MO, lab and found they had great chemistry. Sharing a lot in common, they eventually began dating and married in 2013.

JeorgeAnn started at ABC Laboratories part time in May of 1998 as a technician while finishing her degree at Columbia College. JeorgeAnn worked her way up, becoming a Group Leader in Stability and Batch Release. JeorgeAnn remained in operations as a Group Leader for about 12 years before taking an opportunity to become a Manager of the Sample Administration Team. She has served as DEA Point of Contact and SME for over 15 years.

Tom joined ABC Laboratories in 2009 as a Senior Scientist and quickly moved into a Group Leader role within both the Stability and Trace Analysis and Structural Chemistry groups during the last 10 years. Tom’s primary expertise is on inhalation drug products where he has collected a total of 20 years of experience in the field.

Together they have four children: Bryce, Rylan, Carlie, and Ashley.

What does your current job entail?

JeorgeAnn: As Manager of Operations, I manage a team of individuals that are responsible for receipt, tracking, and overall management of incoming and outgoing samples and reference materials.

Tom: I’m very excited about being one of the technical leaders supporting Eurofins BPT-Columbia’s initiative to start an inhalation performance testing service line. I also am a member of steering committees that support SOP harmonization and 5S practices. I also serve as a trainer for our summer interns from the University of Missouri Biochemistry department, as well as assisting our recruitment team at job fairs.

What is the scope of your group?

JeorgeAnn: My team services all the BioPharma Groups here in Columbia. In addition to receiving all material, we are responsible for storage and tracking of material. This includes managing stability programs and ensuring our temperature and humidity controlled units remain in compliance with their specified ranges.

Tom: Beyond being one of the technical leaders to start our inhalation service line, most people don’t know that our facility has been the release laboratory for a commercial inhalation drug product for the last five+ years.

What process improvements does your group initiate to serve clients better?

Our site has more formally started 5S initiatives this year. Several processes in our labs have been reviewed and refined, such as balance room inventory management and glassware/dishwashing workflows.

Why should clients trust us with their projects?

Our clients are given the personal touch when they place work at the Columbia facility. Our flexibility to meet unique client needs never ceases to amaze us. No client is treated like a number.

You’ve been here for many years and seen countless changes. Is there anything that hasn’t changed during your tenure?

JeorgeAnn: I have been here for 21 years; one thing that has not changed in the time I have been here is the genuine Midwestern culture. People here care for one another and are always willing to provide a helping hand.

Tom: During my 10 years at the Columbia facility, the one thing that has not changed is the eagerness of staff to learn new techniques and problem-solve unique technical issues for our client base.

What kind of volunteer activities have you been involved with?

JeorgeAnn: Tom and I both volunteer at our children’s schools as well as their extracurricular activities. This includes donating supplies and volunteering to help on field trips. Tom has volunteered as a youth basketball coach and assisted with our oldest son’s summer baseball team.

And when you’re not working?

When we are not working, there is a good chance you will find us at the ballpark! When not at the ballpark, you may find us at the pool, at the family farm, or taking a weekend trip to St. Louis or Kansas City. We try to spend as much time as possible together; however, there are times when we have to divide and conquer. We enjoy watching mostly all sports, and on the rare occasion we have a free weekend, we like to grill out and just relax at home.

How do you balance work-life and home-life by working at the same facility?

We do a very good job listening to each other. We also don’t let the stressors of work invade our home life. Also, our involvement and support with kid’s activities also create a good natural diversion.