Four area leaders were voted into the BioForward board of directors at its annual meeting held Wednesday at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery.

Serving a 2016-18 term from Madison are Wellbe CEO James Dias, FujiFilm-Cellular Dynamics Chairman and CEO Kaz Hirao, University of Wisconsin Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Marsha Mailick and Gilson CEO Nicolas Paris, plus Spaulding Clinical CEO Randy Spaulding of West Bend, Wis.

“It’s an exciting time of growth and collaborative potential in health care and the biosciences in Wisconsin,” BioForward CEO Lisa Johnson said in a statement. “Our new Board members, coupled with our re-energized efforts across the state, set the stage for a very positive and collaborative 2016.”

GE Capital Life Science Finance Managing Director Joseph Hammer will serve as chair of the 20-member board of directors.