SCbio 2025 will showcase leading experts driving the development of South Carolina’s infrastructure, innovation districts and laboratory hubs. Hear from two professionals who play key roles in shaping the growth and development of the life sciences industry in the Southeast.
Learn more about the conference speakers, then register for South Carolina’s largest life sciences event at The Gaillard Center in Charleston, S.C., February 18-20.
Vinnie Durand
Director of Life Sciences, Savills, Raleigh/Durham
Durand represents the Savills Raleigh, N.C. office, working with a diverse group of local and multinational clients. The company is known for its expertise in real estate and for helping organizations find solutions to ensure employee success. With services in tenant representation, capital markets, workforce and incentives strategy, project management and occupant experience, the company has enhanced workplace potential worldwide for over 160 years.
Durand leads the firm’s Southeast Life Sciences Practice and provides his clients with strategic planning services, portfolio optimization, financial analysis, transaction management, lease negotiations, renewals, expansions and subleases. Since 2019, he has supported clients ranging from pre-seed to Fortune 500 companies in industries such as life sciences, healthcare, medical devices, technology, financial and professional services.
Accomplishments include receiving the Triangle Business Journal’s Deal of the Year Award in 2023 and the CoStar 2024 Deal of the Year Award for his role in securing Baxter Pharmaceuticals relocation to Raleigh. As a former captain of the N.C. State Men’s Soccer Team, he was awarded the Larry Gross Leadership Award and the N.C State Athletic Department’s prestigious Heart of the Pack Award.
Durand holds a Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies from North Carolina State University.
Ashley Richardson
Deputy Director, Charleston County Economic Development
Richardson began her career with Charleston County Economic Development in 2016, an organization dedicated to recruiting new organizations, growing existing industries and improving the Charleston Business Climate. Now serving as deputy director, she oversees daily operations and steers the department’s strategic initiatives, focusing on industry recruitment, business retention and cultivating a pro-business climate in Charleston County.
As a visionary leader in marketing and communications, Richardson spearheaded the department’s award-winning rebranding in 2021, further strengthening Charleston County’s competitive position. Her leadership has directly supported the success of over 100 business expansion projects, contributing to sustained economic growth in the region. Her contributions to economic development have earned her numerous awards, including being named “Top Forty Under 40” by the Charleston Regional Business Journal in 2015, recognized as a “Woman of Influence” in 2023 and listed as one of North America’s top 50 economic developers by Consultant Connect. Richardson holds a master’s in business administration from The Citadel and a bachelor’s in marketing from the University of Alabama. She is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma and the Leadership Charleston program from the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, she is certified as a diversity leader.