Rockwell Medical Promotes Jesse Neri to Chief Financial Officer

WIXOM, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024--

Rockwell Medical, Inc. (the "Company") (Nasdaq: RMTI), a healthcare company that develops, manufactures, commercializes, and distributes a portfolio of hemodialysis products to dialysis providers worldwide, today announced that Jesse Neri was promoted to Chief Financial Officer.

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"Over the past year, Jesse has been instrumental in strengthening Rockwell's financial infrastructure, reshaping our financial strategy, and developing a stronger public company financial organization and presence within the investor community," said Mark Strobeck, Ph.D., President and CEO at Rockwell Medical. "His promotion to CFO is a testament to his invaluable contributions and leadership within Rockwell and underscores our focus on driving long-term strategic growth and exercising strong fiscal discipline."

With nearly 25 years' experience leading finance functions at both public and private companies, Mr. Neri joined Rockwell Medical in October 2023 as SVP, Finance to oversee all aspects of the Company's finance organization. Prior to joining Rockwell Medical, Mr. Neri was the Executive Director of Finance at Hemavant Sciences and Aruvant Sciences, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical companies that are members of the Roivant portfolio that develop therapeutics to improve the lives of patients with blood disorders and hematological malignancies. Previously, Mr. Neri served as Senior Vice President of Finance at Zyla Life Sciences, a public pharmaceutical company with annual revenue of $80 million. As a member of the senior management team, Mr. Neri was responsible for all aspects of its finance organization including SEC reporting, audit, controllership, and strategic planning. While at Zyla, he played a pivotal role in multiple product acquisitions, financings, commercial product launches and regulatory approvals, along with Zyla's acquisition by Assertio Therapeutics in May 2020. Prior to Zyla, Mr. Neri served as Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis at Symphony Health Solutions, a private equity-backed market research company with revenue of over $200 million. Mr. Neri received a B.S. in Business Administration of Finance from Villanova University and an M.B.A. from Drexel University LeBow School of Business.

About Rockwell Medical

Rockwell Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: RMTI) is a healthcare company that develops, manufactures, commercializes, and distributes a portfolio of hemodialysis products for dialysis providers worldwide. Rockwell Medical's mission is to provide dialysis clinics and the patients they serve with the highest quality products supported by the best customer service in the industry. Rockwell is focused on innovative, long-term growth strategies that enhance its products, its processes, and its people, enabling the Company to deliver exceptional value to the healthcare system and provide a positive impact on the lives of hemodialysis patients. Hemodialysis is the most common form of end-stage kidney disease treatment and is typically performed at freestanding outpatient dialysis centers, hospital-based outpatient centers, skilled nursing facilities, or in a patient’s home. Rockwell Medical's products are vital to vulnerable patients with end-stage kidney disease, and the Company is relentless in providing unmatched reliability and customer service. Certified as a Great Place to Work ® in 2023 and 2024 and named Fortune Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production TM in 2024, Rockwell Medical is Driven to Deliver Life-Sustaining Dialysis Solutions TM. For more information, visit www.rockwellmed.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as, "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "could," "can," "would," "develop," "plan," "potential," "predict," "forecast," "project," "intend," "look forward to," "remain confident," “are determined,” “are on track,” “are resolute in our vision,” “focus” or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward looking statements. While Rockwell Medical believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties (including, without limitation, those set forth in Rockwell Medical's SEC filings), many of which are beyond our control and subject to change. Actual results could be materially different. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to those risks more fully discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as such description may be amended or updated in any future reports we file with the SEC. Rockwell Medical expressly disclaims any obligation to update our forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.

Jesse Neri - Chief Financial Officer at Rockwell Medical, Inc. (Photo: Business Wire)

Fewer grandparents were living with and taking care of grandchildren, there was a decline in young children going to preschool and more people stayed put in their homes in the first part of the 2020s compared with the last part of the 2010s, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday, reflecting some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest figures from the most comprehensive survey of American life compares the years of 2014-2018 and 2019-2023, timeframes before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the virus' spread. The American Community Survey data show how lives were changed and family relationships altered by the pandemic and other occurrences like the opioid crisis.

The survey of 3.5 million households covers more than 40 topics, including ancestry, fertility, marital status, commutes, veterans status, disability and housing.

The decrease in grandparents' taking care of their grandchildren is most likely the result of a decline in opioid-related deaths during the more recent timeframe since substance abuse is a leading reason that grandparents find themselves raising grandchildren. A reduction in the number of incarcerated women also likely played a role, said Susan Kelley, a professor emerita of nursing at Georgia State University.

“It's very rarely for positive reasons that grandparents find themselves in this situation. Usually, it's a tragic situation in an adult child's life, either a death, incarceration or mental health issues which correlate with substance abuse," Kelly said. "Many grandparents thrive in that role, but there are still socioeconomic and emotional burdens on the grandparents."

A stronger economy in the most recent period also may be a reason that the number of grandparents living with their grandchildren declined from 7.2 million to 6.8 million by making it less likely that adult children with their own children were seeking housing help from their parents, she said.

The decline in the number of young children enrolled in preschool stemmed from an unwillingness to send young children to school and the closure of many schools at the height of the pandemic, according to the Census Bureau.

“These data show how the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on patterns of early childhood education,” the bureau said in a separate report. "Future research will show if this was the start of a long-term trend or if enrollment will bounce back to prior levels."

Americans continued to get older, with the median age rising to 38.7 from 37.9 and the nation's share of senior citizens up from 16.8% from 15.2%. The share of households with a computer jumped to almost 95% from almost 89%, as did the share of households with a broadband connection to almost 90% from 80%.

Additionally, fewer people moved and more people stayed put in the most recent time period compared with the earlier one, in many cases because of rising home values and the limited availability of homes to buy.

Home values increased by 21.7% and the percentage of vacant homes dropped from 12.2% to 10.4%. The median home value jumped from $249,400 to $303,400 nationwide.

In some vacation communities popular with the wealthy, the bump was even more dramatic, such as in the county that is home to Aspen, Colorado, where it went from $758,800 to $1.1 million, and in the county which is home to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, where it jumped from $812,400 to $1.1 million.

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FILE - Gabriel Swift, 7, second left, wins a bike race against his brother, Isaiah Swift, 5, and his grandparents, Kim and Steve Swift, as they ride their bikes around the loop in the empty parking lot on Monday at One Faith Fellowship in the 1300 block of Tamarack in Owensboro, Ky., on April 1, 2024. (Alan Warren/The Messenger-Inquirer via AP)/The Messenger-Inquirer via AP, File)

FILE - Aaliyah Floyd, 10, right, selects school supplies with volunteer Cindy Blomquist, left, at the annual Back to School Distribution Day at The Pantry, Friday, July 29, 2022, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Pantry works with grandparents who are the primary caregivers for their grandchildren, offering free backpacks, lunch boxes, school supplies and sneakers. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

FILE - Third-grader Dallin Curry, 8, smiles as he talks with his grandmother, Mary Durr, Sept. 6, 2024, during a Grandparents Day celebration in the lunchroom at Burns Elementary School in Owensboro, Ky. (Alan Warren/The Messenger-Inquirer via AP, File)