Page 7 - 2019 Fall CMTA Report

WHY I GIVE:

Bruce Chizen

THE CMTA is pleased to announce a second challenge grant
to support the organization’s exciting new Type 2 CMT research
strategy, which you can read more about on p. 4. Bruce Chizen,
a special advisor to the Board of Directors, will match donations
to CMT2 research on a one-to-one basis, up to $500,000.
The former Adobe Systems CEO tells us why he thinks STAR
research is such a good investment.

hen Bruce Chizen born and raised “before it was
was diagnosed with cool.” His mother was a home-
CMT2 in 2016, the maker and his father owned a
CMTA was the first store specializing in radios and
Wplace he turned to for TVs—“the tech of its time.” Bruce the more money that can be raised Bruce Chizen,
help and information. His thought he would be a teacher to help with the research, the special advior to
internist put a name to the symp- after studying health sciences at faster a cure can be had.” He’s the CMTA Board
toms that had bothered Bruce for Brooklyn College, but early on encouraged by STAR’s progress
most of his life, but discouraged discovered a knack for business. in the past several years as he sees
him from having genetic testing He started off as a salesman at “success breeding success.”
because he couldn’t do anything Mattel Toys, selling the first wave Bruce also considers education
about the results. of video games, then and community services a “criti-
Unwilling to Bruce Chizen joined pre-IPO cal” part of the CMTA’s mission.
accept that answer, calls the CMTA Microsoft in the mid- It’s what drew him to the CMTA
Bruce went to the “an extremely eighties as its East in the first place, and he sees the
CMTA website for a focused and Coast sales manager. need for a continued strong pres-
better understanding He moved to Califor- ence in this space.
of the disease. Today he effective nia to work for Claris, Bruce says he is “semi-retired”
says that the help the organization.” a software subsidiary of now, though he admits that his
CMTA provided him Apple, then joined wife might dispute that characteri-
and the potential of finding a cure Adobe for 14 years, seven as CEO. zation. He serves as a senior
for the next generation made him Starting out with nothing left advisor to Permira LLC, a private
want to assist the organization in Bruce “very sensitive” to how non- equity fund, and as a venture part-
any way possible. profits use his donations. “I’ve ner for Voyager Capital, an early
In the past three years, he’s seen a lot of waste,” he says. Hap- stage VC firm. In addition he sits
done just that. His first donation pily, he hasn’t seen it at the on a number of for-profit boards,
to the CMTA led to a breakfast CMTA, which he calls “an including publicly listed Oracle
meeting with CMTA Board Chair extremely focused and effective Corp. and Synopsys Inc. He also
Gilles Bouchard, his Silicon Valley organization.” Bruce praised the continues to advise nonprofit
neighbor. That quickly led to a board’s entrepreneurship, and institutions including KQED,
role as special advisor to the Board likens the business-focused STAR a PBS affiliate, and the Silicon
of Directors, where he brought his model to “what a venture capitalist Valley Education Foundation. h
extensive business and nonprofit would do with a startup,” engag-
experience to the organization’s ing partners to provide needed
search for a new CEO. services and capital. To have your donation in support of CMT research
That business experience “The path to a cure is possible matched, please visit www.cmtausa.org/wearefamily
began in Brooklyn, where he was and probable,” Bruce believes, “so or mail in the form on p. 23 with your check.

FALL 2019 THE CMTA REPORT 7