2025 ICON AWARDS DINNER
NOVEMBER 6, 2025THREE TOP LOUNGE AT THE SALT SHED
For 13 years, the iBIO iCON Awards have been Illinois’s premier life sciences celebration, recognizing entrepreneurs, researchers, and civic leaders who are driving growth in our life sciences community, while providing unparalleled opportunities to meet community leaders and fundraising to support iBIO’s STEM mission of inspiring the next generation of innovators.
n November 6th, guests gathered at Three Top Lounge — the newest event space atop The Salt Shed — for an unforgettable evening overlooking the Chicago skyline. Leaders from across the life sciences ecosystem came together for a night of celebration, networking, and recognition as we honored this year’s iCON Award recipients.
The atmosphere was full of energy as entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry pioneers connected throughout the night. Attendees enjoyed meaningful conversations and the chance to celebrate the individuals and organizations whose work is driving innovation and making a lasting impact in Illinois.
2025 HONOREES
Timothy P. Walbert
CIVIC iCON Award
Harry D. Rowland
iCON Entrepreneur Award
Brad Merrill, PhD
iCON Innovator Award
State Senator Adrianne Johnson
iCON Patient Advocate Award
Portal Innovations
iCON Community Impact Award
Biography
The Civic iCON Award, which acknowledges outstanding contributions to the innovation-based economy in Chicago, Illinois, and the Midwest, will be presented to Timothy P. Walbert, former chairman, president and chief executive officer of Horizon Therapeutics.
Walbert’s recognition reflects both his remarkable success in building Horizon Therapeutics into a global biopharmaceutical leader and his profound dedication to supporting the entire Illinois life sciences ecosystem. His leadership has extended far beyond his own company’s success—he has been instrumental in creating the infrastructure and support systems that enable countless other entrepreneurs to thrive. Walbert’s personal experience as both a patient and caregiver has made him a champion for patients and a model for all companies to follow in putting patient needs at the center of everything.
Biography
The iCON Entrepreneur Award, recognizing an active business leader within the Illinois innovation ecosystem acknowledged by peers as a visionary in developing and scaling technology-driven ventures, will be presented to Harry D. Rowland.
Rowland recently served as co-founder, CEO, and President of Endotronix, where he led a team that created the Cordella System, raised more than $150 million in financing, built a 150+ person organization, completed the PROACTIVE-HF trial, and achieved FDA PMA approval, resulting in acquisition by Edwards Lifesciences in 2024. Dr. Rowland joined Edwards for the following year, supporting Cordella’s receipt of CMS national coverage and CE Mark.
Biography
The iCON Innovator Award, recognizing an active researcher/scientist within life sciences education who is acknowledged by peers as a leader in biotechnology teaching and scholarship, will be presented to Brad Merrill, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at the University of Illinois Chicago.
Dr. Merrill specializes in stem cell biology and CRISPR-based synthetic biology tools. He co-founded Syntax Bio with former PhD student Ryan Clarke to develop a modified CRISPR platform for generating therapeutic cells from stem cells. The company has raised $15 million, demonstrating the powerful intersection of academic excellence and commercial innovation.
Biography
Rebecca Voight is a teacher at the Andrew Magnet Elementary School in Waukegan Illinois where Ms Voight is a member of the Instructional Leadership Team and has led the school’s engagement with the STEMGirls Camp program for the past three years.
Biography
The iCON Community Impact Award, recognizing an individual or organization within Illinois who is acknowledged by peers as a leader in addressing critical community needs, will be presented to Portal Innovations.
Portal Innovations is a life sciences venture development platform that invests in and supports early-stage science-based companies. Through its “Crafted Capital” model, Portal provides physical capital, financial capital, and human capital through fully-equipped lab space, investments in early-stage startups, and access to a global network of partners to accelerate an entrepreneur’s path from research to fundraising, to commercialization. Portal was founded with a mission to amplify and elevate innovation in Chicago by building great companies while fostering idea sharing, delivering tailored programming, and building a community rooted in collaboration. Headquartered in Chicago, with a growing international footprint, Portal has become a catalytic force for the Midwest’s life sciences ecosystem—attracting talent, investment, and high-impact companies.
