Mara AspinalPresident and CEO, Ventana Medical Systems

Aspinal, who holds an MBA from Harvard, joined Ventana as president and CEO in 2011. She founded the European Personalized Medicine Association and advised the Obama and Bush administrations on diagnostics and genomics.

Surprising fact: “I will attend any live sporting event – from baseball to rodeo – any chance I get.”

Biggest challenge: “My approach to my first leadership role in manufacturing was that I asked lots of questions, studied our business vs. competitors and put a strong team in place. In three years, we turned the business around and had the industry’s best profit margins. The lesson for me is not to be afraid of new challenges, take the time to learn and then trust the data alongside your gut.”

Fifty Most Influential Women in Arizona Business – Every year in its July/August issue Arizona Business Magazine features 50 women who make an impact on Arizona business. To see the full list, read the digital issue >>