Our Blood Institute Announces COO Transition

Our Blood Institute (OBI), an AABB institutional member serving Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, recently named Jesse McCool, PhD, as the organization’s next chief operating officer. McCool will succeed Kim van Antwerpen, MBA, who will retire in May after two decades with OBI, including the last five years as COO.

McCool brings nearly 30 years of leadership experience in biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing to OBI. In 2020, he co-founded Wheeler Bio, an antibody contract development and manufacturing organization, and led the company from inception to the buildout and commissioning of a state-of-the-art GMP biomanufacturing facility. He previously held leadership roles at Cytovance Biologics, Lonza and Asahi Kasei, and has been a fixture in the Oklahoma biotechnology sphere since relocating to the state in 2013.

van Antwerpen joined OBI in 2004 as vice president of technical operations and became COO in 2019. During her tenure, she played a key role in shaping the organization’s culture of excellence, compliance and care. Her accomplishments include establishing Testing Labs United, strengthening industry partnerships and guiding OBI through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Over the past two decades, I’ve had the privilege of watching Our Blood Institute evolve as the industry has changed, built on a foundation of integrity, innovation, and compassion. I’m incredibly proud of the teams we’ve built, the lives we’ve touched, and the resilience we’ve shown—especially through challenges like the pandemic. As I step into retirement, I do so with immense gratitude and full confidence in Jesse McCool’s ability to carry forward our mission. His leadership will help ensure that OBI continues to evolve, lead, and serve with purpose for generations to come.” van Antwerpen said.