Frank Witney Joins Ampersand as Operating Partner

WELLESLEY, Mass., Sept. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ampersand Capital Partners, a healthcare-focused, middle market private equity firm, is pleased to announce the addition of Frank Witney, PhD, as an Operating Partner.  Dr. Witney is actively working with Ampersand's investment team to identify and evaluate new investment opportunities as well as assist in the existing portfolio.

Dr. Witney has a long and distinguished career in the laboratory products segment of the healthcare industry. Most recently, he served as President and CEO of publicly traded Affymetrix, a leading provider of genomics and cell biology products acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2016 for $1.3 billion.  Previously, Dr. Witney was President and CEO of Dionex, a public company focused on analytical instruments for the separation sciences market.  Dionex was acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2011 for $2.1 billion. 

Dr. Witney has also held senior leadership positions at PerkinElmer, Packard Bioscience and Bio-Rad Laboratories.  He holds a PhD in molecular and cellular biology from Indiana University. 

Dr. Witney commented: "Ampersand's long history of investing in the lab products sector makes the firm an ideal partner for jointly seeking new opportunities in this industry.  I believe this is an excellent time to invest in lab products companies with differentiated products in attractive segments, and am delighted to be working with Ampersand".

Herb Hooper, Ampersand Managing Partner, added: "Frank is a tremendous addition to our team, and brings a level of operating experience and success in lab products achieved by very few executives in the industry. We are excited to partner with Frank in seeking exceptional new opportunities in the lab products space."

About Ampersand Capital Partners
Ampersand is a middle market private equity firm with a focus on growth equity investments in the healthcare sector.  Over the past two decades, Ampersand has managed more than $1 billion in private equity partnerships.  Ampersand leverages its unique blend of private equity and operating experience to build value and drive superior long-term performance alongside its portfolio company management teams.  Additional information about Ampersand is available at www.ampersandcapital.com.

SOURCE Ampersand Capital Partners