The Convergence of Life Sciences and Healthcare Delivery
This event is part of BioBuzz’s Insights to Impact Series, a curated program designed exclusively for life sciences industry leaders and ecosystem builders. Our guest list is intentionally built to foster a high-quality, peer-driven experience.
Overview
Greater Philadelphia is one of the country's most complete life sciences and healthcare ecosystems. Yet the people driving it forward rarely share a room: the researchers, the health systems, the biotech operators, the capital, and the clinical infrastructure that turns science into care.
This event brings that full ecosystem together — not biotech founders talking to biotech founders, but the entire chain from discovery to delivery, and the patients who ultimately benefit.
Across two connected conversations, we'll trace a single story: why this region matters, what's changing, how organizations collaborate, what the future looks like, and how patients win.
Why attend
See the whole ecosystem in one room — research, health systems, pharma, capital, and clinical infrastructure, together.
Executive-level conversation grounded in the region's real oncology and clinical trial momentum.
Practical takeaways on making Greater Philadelphia a faster, more collaborative place to run trials and deliver care.
The connections that don't happen anywhere else — the partners across the value chain you've been meaning to meet.
Agenda
4:00PM — Check-In + Networking
5:00PM — Welcome + Opening Remarks
5:05PM — The State of Life Sciences & Healthcare Innovation in Greater Philadelphia [Fireside Chat]
A regional, executive-level look at where the ecosystem stands and where it's headed — anchored by the clinical trial and oncology infrastructure taking shape across the region, and what it means for underserved communities and health equity.
Featuring keynote remarks from George E. Norcross III, Executive Chairman of Conner Strong & Buckelew and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Cooper University Health Care and MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper — who led the effort to bring MD Anderson to Camden and build the region's oncology and clinical trial capacity.
The conversation, in an intimate fireside format, turns to a question every biotech in the region is asking: how can health systems become better partners to the companies running trials here — easing the path from Phase 1 to Phase 2 and beyond?
5:35PM — Modernizing Clinical Trials Through Health System Collaboration [Panel]
The tactical counterpart: how the region reduces friction in clinical trials through technology, access, and operational partnership.
The discussion spans recruitment and retention in underserved and community settings, decentralized and hybrid trial models, the workforce realities behind clinical operations, and the cost and data challenges of running trials at scale — bringing CRO, health system, pharma, and technology voices to the same table.
6:15PM — Networking
Speakers
George E. Norcross III
George E. Norcross III serves as Chairman of Conner Strong & Buckelew, one of the nation’s largest insurance, risk management and employee benefits brokerage and consulting firms. Norcross served as head of Conner Strong & Buckelew and predecessor companies since founding the firm in 1979 in a basement office in Camden, New Jersey.
Norcross serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Cooper Health System, Cooper University Hospital, and MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, all in Camden, NJ. He has served as Chair and/or a Trustee of Cooper University Hospital for 34 years. Under this leadership, Cooper has grown into a top-tier academic health system and is the only state-designated Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey. With more than 14,000 employees across the region, Cooper is the one of the largest healthcare systems in New Jersey, the largest employer in Camden County and one of the largest employers in South Jersey. Annually, nearly two million patients from across all 50 states and 35 countries visit Cooper’s 800-plus physicians practicing in 75 specialties at more than 100 convenient medical offices and three urgent care centers. In June 2025, S&P Global Ratings raised Cooper University Health Care’s bond rating to “A+”, the highest it has been in its history, citing its strong financial management and successful strategic initiatives.
As Chair, Norcross led Cooper as it launched the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, the first new medical school in New Jersey in 30 years and opened the MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper. In January 2025, five New Jersey Governors joined with Norcross and Cooper executives to break ground on “Project Imagine”, the largest health care development project in New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania history. The $3 billion project will dramatically expand the academic health system’s Camden campus to meet the current and future projected demand at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper and Cooper University Hospital.
In addition to his roles at Conner Strong and Cooper, Norcross has been recognized for his personal philanthropy and support of the larger South Jersey community, especially the City of Camden, where he and his brothers were born. Through Norcross’s family foundation, and in partnership with Conner Strong & Buckelew and the Cooper Foundation, Norcross focuses much of his charitable efforts on improving education for youth, funding research to help cure diseases, supporting the arts and culture, improving the community’s safety, and helping people with disabilities in the Camden area. Over the last decade, the groups have collectively donated to more than 700 groups across the region and state. As part of their commitment to education and opportunity, Norcross and his family have endowed scholarships at the Cooper Medical School at Rowan University (CMSRU), Drexel University and New York University.
In 2022, the Norcross family purchased the iconic Formica’s Bakery, a South Jersey institution and baker of the “World Famous Atlantic City Bread”. He added Freitag to the company’s name to honor his great grandfather’s legacy as a baker in Camden. In 2025, it was announced his family had become the largest shareholders of Mid Penn Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: MPB).
He formerly served on the Board of Directors of Holtec International, a global leader in power generation technologies, on the Board of Directors for Delta Risk, a firm that provides high impact cybersecurity and risk management services to government and private sector clients worldwide, and on the Board of Directors for the Coriell Institute for Medical Research. Norcross was a member of the Board of Directors of Commerce Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: CBH) and Lead Director of the $7.8 billion sale of the bank to TD Bank Financial Group. Norcross was Chairman and majority shareholder of U.S. Vision, a large national retailer of optical products and services, which he later sold. In 2012, Norcross and other local business and civic leaders purchased Interstate General Media (IGM), the parent company of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, and Philly.com, the region’s largest and most popular online news source. In 2014, Norcross, the majority-owner, sold his shares to the minority owners.
Norcross was named a 2020 “Champion of the C-Suite” by ROI-NJ for “making the impossible possible” and the 2018 Business Leader of the Year by the LeBow College of Business at Drexel University for his successes as a business and community leader.
Norcross has won wide praise for his leadership of Cooper and has been repeatedly named one of New Jersey’s top healthcare leaders by NJBiz, recognized as one of New Jersey’s Top Influencers in New Jersey Biotech by BioNJ, Trustee of the Year by the New Jersey Hospital Association, and Trustee of the Year by the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals. For his leadership in creating Cooper’s Veterans VIP Priority Program, Norcross was awarded the prestigious Seven Seals Award given by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Employer Support for National Guard and Reserves. Norcross accepted the Susan G. Komen Beacon of Hope Award on behalf of Cooper University Hospital/Cooper Cancer Institute. In 2025, Norcross was awarded the Community Planning & Advocacy Council Lifetime Achievement Award, the March of Dimes Service to Humanity Award and The Walter Rand South Jersey Award by the New Jersey Alliance for Action, all for his work with Cooper.
Norcross serves as chair of The Cooper Gala, which is one of the largest single event charity fundraisers in the greater Philadelphia-South Jersey area each year and has raised almost $30 million to benefit Cooper University Health Care, including a new record of almost $4 million in 2024. In addition to supporting The Cooper Foundation, Norcross committed $5 million to Cooper as the first commitment in a $50 million capital campaign to help fund the rapid expansion of one of New Jersey’s preeminent academic medical centers.
As part of his leadership role in Camden, Norcross serves as a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee for the Camden Community Partnership, a non-profit corporation dedicated to planning and implementing high-quality urban redevelopment projects to revitalize the City of Camden. To increase employment among Camden residents, Norcross announced an innovative job training and apprentice program as part of Cooper’s Project Imagine and in partnership with the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters to increase opportunity for city residents and diverse businesses. He has also led the creation and funding of Camden Works, along with NAACP, Latin America Economic Development Association, Center for Family Services, Hopeworks and Camden County Workforce Investment Board. Through the Norcross Foundation and in conjunction with The Cooper Foundation and in partnership with the non-profit TEAM Schools of New Jersey, Norcross led development of the KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy which delivers world-class public education to 2,500 children, grades K-12, in Camden. A KIPP Cooper Norcross High School opened in the fall of 2020. In 2026, Norcross donated funding for the Camden police department to purchase a new drone so that the department has the newest technology as it continues to create a safer community.
The United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey awarded Norcross and his family the Haas Regional Champion Medal for their commitment to the United Way’s mission and embodying the entrepreneurial spirit of the legendary philanthropist, John Haas. Norcross has been honored by the New Jersey March of Dimes at the organization’s Born to Shine Gala and by Chabad Lubavitch, awarded the Annual Champion of Children Award by the Camden Children’s Garden and the Tree of Life Award from the Jewish National Fund for his philanthropic and community leadership.
In partnership with AmeriHealth New Jersey, the Cooper Foundation and the Norcross Foundation he founded and provided $1 million to create the Camden Health and Athletic Association (CHAA) to expand youth sports programs and health initiatives in the City of Camden. Since its kickoff, CHAA has helped more than 1,000 Camden children participate in more than 30 sports programs across Camden. Conner Strong & Buckelew was a founding sponsor of a $1 million grant program for Camden City based non-profit organizations committed to making Camden a healthier place to live, work, learn and play.
Norcross has been a long-time benefactor of the Larc School in New Jersey, a special education school for children with disabilities, and he and his family were recognized for their commitment when the schools name was changed to the Larc Norcross School in 2024. His involvement includes serving as Chairman of the Cooper Norcross Run the Bridge, the largest 10K run in the tri-state area and the Larc School’s most significant fundraising event. Through the Run and other initiatives, Larc School has been the beneficiary of over $5 million in fundraising dollars.
A student of history who has visited almost every presidential museum, with his family, Norcross purchased a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence in 2021, which is being lent to the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, and was displayed beginning in the spring of 2023. It will also be displayed at Cooper Hospital.
Norcross, a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Camden, NJ and Basilica of St. Edward in Palm Beach, FL has two married adult children.
Venue
Conner Strong
As one of America’s largest and most admired insurance brokerage and consulting firms, our mission is to provide innovative solutions to businesses facing complex risks and challenges—helping them prevent losses, manage claims, support employees, and drive growth.
An autonomously operated member of insurance brokerage holding company, BroadStreet Partners, Conner Strong & Buckelew is a private firm with roots dating back to 1959. Collectively with BroadStreet we are among the top 13 brokerages in the United States.
Guided by our core values, we achieve excellence by:
Advancing expertise through a culture of learning
Delivering unparalleled service to clients, each other, and our community
Fostering collaboration for exceptional results
A strong proponent of moving the industry forward through technology, we are a founding member of BrokerTech Ventures, the first program specifically for investors and innovators building next generation InsurTech solutions.
The Conner Strong & Buckelew team is also passionate about giving back to the community — volunteering thousands of hours and donating to hundreds of organizations every year to improve youth education, fund disease research, support the arts and culture and lend a hand to those in need.
Learn more at connerstrong.com.
Partners
This event is made possible by the support of our sponsors:
Conner Strong & Buckelew (connerstrong.com)
Heffron (heffroncompany.com)
Kymanox (kymanox.com)
Minaris (minaris.com)
Workforce Genetics (workforcegenetics.com)
Important Information
We encourage you to share this with those in your network who are passionate about strengthening the Philadelphia Region’s biotech ecosystem and would benefit from attending.
NOTE TO VENDORS + SERVICE PROVIDERS
Vendor and Service Provider attendance is limited to ensure a high-quality, peer-driven industry experience. A select number of Vendor / Service Provider tickets ($75) are available using access code VENDOR.
Vendors and Service Providers operating in the same category as any of our sponsors will require pre-authorization from the associated sponsor. BioBuzz reserves the right to restrict registration and entry as necessary. Refunds will be provided when tickets cannot be honored.