Charles B. Hensley

Charles B. Hensley
Born	Charles Benjamin Hensley (1953-10-12) October 12, 1953 MacAlester, Oklahoma, US
Residence	Los Angeles
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of Southern California (PhD, 1988)
Occupation	Entrepreneur - Venture Capitalist

Charles B. Hensley is an American entrepreneur, scientist, author, lecturer and venture capitalist. He is Chairman of The Hensley Group, Inc., a collection of corporate entities created primarily though his idea incubator “The Next Big Thing Factory” spanning the pharmaceutical, technology, biotechnology and entertainment sectors. Hensley attributes his success's to his mother's influence which led to his super drive to succeed, the discipline and focus instilled by his training as a molecular biophysicist, and a highly developed propensity to engage in creative out of the box thinking, take risks and go all in.

He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California in Physiology and Biophysics. Hensley completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Southern California School of Medicine where he specialized in the regulation of gene expression, molecular cardiology and drug development.

In the early 1990s, Hensley left the security and stability of academia and set off on his own and in the mid-1990s, invented and developed Zicam cold remedy. Hensley then created his first corporate venture in order to market and sell the product and Zicam went on to become one of the most highly successful over-the-counter products and brands in the decades that followed.^[1]

Business ventures

Pharmaceuticals

Zicam, LLC.

In 1997, Hensley and his business partners formed BioDelivery Technologies in order to develop and market new pharmaceutical delivery systems. While at BioDelivery Technologies, Hensley invented Zicam cold remedy, one of the most successful OTC remedies for the common cold on the market. As a means to fast track Zicam to the marketplace, Hensley co-founded Gel Tech, LLC. (now Zicam, LLC.),^[2] a joint venture between BioDelivery Technologies, Inc., and Gum Tech International (now Matrixx Initiatives, Inc.).^[3] Zicam continues to be one of the most successful over-the-counter brands and forever changed the way homeopathic products were viewed by the American public. In 2001, Hensley sold his stake in Gel Tech, LLC. to Matrixx Initiatives for an undisclosed amount of cash, stock and ongoing royalties on the sales of Zicam.

PRB Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

In 2001, Hensley formed PRB Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to develop anti-viral cocktails aimed at emerging viral disease. While at PRB Pharmaceuticals, Hensley invented and developed an antiviral technology platform which was based on strategically combining natural anti-viral compounds with each targeting different aspects of a particular viruses life cycle. From this platform, Hensley was able to develop strategies against emerging viral diseases such as SARS and Avian Influenza. During the Taiwan SARS epidemic of 2003, the government of Taiwan requested PRB Pharmaceuticals to assist in the SARS crisis by providing antiviral technologies to front line health care professionals. PRB Pharmaceuticals and Hensley worked at the epicenter of SARS in Taipei for the duration of the SARS epidemic before moving the company's operations to Hong Kong. During this time, the company produced the anti-viral VIRA 38 and it quickly became a popular alternative to the influenza drug Tamiflu which was touting for the use against avian influenza and had garnered support from various government agencies to achieve their marketing objectives. In 2005, a clinical trial comparing the effects of VIRA 38 and Tamiflu conducted at the Prince of Wales Hospital was halted by a lobby effort by a large multi-national pharmaceutical corporation and subsequently government agencies brought a halt to the production and marketing of Vira 38.

Nasal Therapeutics, Inc.

In 2007, Hensley founded Nasal Therapeutics, Inc. to develop and market homeopathic nasal spray technologies and products. That same year, Hensley licensed the marketing rights to THERAMAX Cold and Flu Relief and THERAMAX Allergy Relief to Therabiogen, Inc. (TRAB.OB) in a deal estimated at $30,000,000.

Venture Capital and Business Incubation

"The Next Big Thing Factory

In 2013, Hensley formed "The Next Big Thing Factory", an idea incubator and venture fund for the development and funding of entrepreneurial creations. “The Factory” is a place where an idea or even a thought can turn into a billion dollar company or an entirely new industry. “The Factory's” slogan is "create, develop, sell." Hensley has described the factory as an "entrepreneurial haven where out-of-the-box ideas are generated, molded, turned inside/out, evolved and then either tossed on the reject woodpile or taken to the next level towards reality." Hensley is adamant about keeping “The Factory” open to all fields such as art, music and cinematography and not just technology.

Philanthropy

In 2013, Hensley founded the Youth Entrepreneurial Program located at The Bradley Milken Family Source Center in South Central Los Angeles. The program provides "at risk" youths the opportunity to acquire direction and motivation by providing them with exposure, mentorship and the development of skill sets, all of which could lead to a career as a business entrepreneur. Activities include seminars featuring special guests from the entrepreneurial community, workshops and one on one business mentoring.

In 2014, Hensley joined Reverend Bill Minson to help with families who survived the killer tornados in Moore, Oklahoma and he is assisting with a program to build shelters further protecting youth, families and the elderly in Oklahoma. Hensley has also agreed to put together an executive roundtable that will support and address youth and families in The Coalition for Christ juvenile prison ministry in NJ and Atlantic City, NJ homeless ministry.

Recently, Hensley has committed his full support and resources to help establish THE WATSON INITIATIVE who's namesake is former Ambassador in the Clinton administration and retired Member of Congress, the honorable Diane Watson. The initiative addresses the growing threat of human trafficking.

References