Kim Lucas has always loved science, but she was never keen about laboratories. So, after graduating from University of British Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in science, she found the perfect job: working in sales for Stemcell Technologies.
“I loved the science but I did not want to work in a lab,” said Lucas, who is Stemcell’s director of sales for the Americas. “I wanted to work in a business. When I joined, it was about 75 people and we’re 950 now. I lead a team of about 100 people, half of which have PhDs – so a wicked smart, highly scientific team.”
Her team works with customers in the life sciences that use the company’s processes for growing stem cells for research and medicine.
Stemcell is Vancouver’s most successful life sciences company, having experienced tremendous growth in recent years and expanded its reach into Europe, Asia and Australia. Lucas describes her role as “basically constantly leading a team through change.”
Lucas has had key roles in implementing programs and processes needed for the company’s expansion. She most recently was in charge of setting up Stemcell’s first U.S. regional sales office, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
She was also responsible for developing an inside sales team and a regional manager structure, and for rolling out a new customer relationship management system. The key account management and regional manager structures she developed for the company’s Canadian offices have been implemented in other Stemcell offices in Europe, China, Singapore and Australia.
As the leader of Stemcell’s sales division, it’s Lucas’ job to develop strategies for revenue generation. She has achieved 20% revenue growth in fiscal 2016, and over a three-year period, she expanded Stemcell’s sales territory by 55%.
She has managed to do all that and be a mom to two children, aged nine and 10. In addition to her job at Stemcell, Lucas sits on the board of directors for the B.C.-Yukon branch of the Canadian Cancer Society.
Join us to celebrate the 2016 Forty under under 40 Awards January 25, 2017 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. For tickets and event info visit www.biv.com/events/40under40
