[Muskego, WI, 4/12/2024] – BREAKTHRU Family of Companies is ecstatic to announce the promotion of Rachel Bahr as the new CEO of BREAKTHRU’s private investment companies, including Xiogenix (Muskego, WI), Ardent Animal Health (Lexington, KY), Vendura (Madison, WI), and the newly expanded BREAKTHRU Leadership U (BLU) (Muskego, WI).
Rachel will scale, transform, and serve a broader range of clients and market sectors, including companion animals, equine, human cell and gene therapies, hard and soft tissue processing, and surface materials primarily for hospitals, CDMOs, and research organizations. Her experience and proven expertise as a dynamic, transformational leader make her the ideal candidate for this role.
Ready to make a difference, Rachel states, “I am thrilled to leverage my passion for developing leaders and my talents for building high-performing teams as I transition from leading Xiogenix to overseeing each of our companies within our family. My new role allows me to expand my reach and make an even greater impact.” One could attribute Rachel’s success to attracting, developing, and identifying talent based on values and BREAKTHRU initiatives aligning with the overall growth strategy of the company.
Rachel brings 20+ years of leadership experience, including international sales, business development, marketing, acquisitions, and general management in the automotive, aerospace, architectural, and biosciences industry verticals. She has worked in traditional, family-owned, start-ups, publicly owned, and employee-owned businesses. Her transformational leadership style fosters an innovative, collaborative environment that empowers employees and streamlines processes.
Jerry Jendusa, founder of BREAKTHRU and BLU, and major investor and chairman of the board for in Xiogenix, Ardent Animal Health, and Vendura, comments, “Combining passion with purpose and development of leaders for our next generation of growth. I couldn’t be more delighted with the launch of BLU and with the leadership announcement of Rachel Bahr over all of our valued staff. I have watched her career grow since our Emteq days together, and she is one of the best transformational leaders I know who Keeps it Real™️.” Jerry continues to use his platform to make the world better, one leader at a time, and knows Rachel is the perfect fit. Jim Harasha and Jerry Jendusa are the lead investors and former co-founders of EMTEQ and Jerry serves in an advisory capacity through BREAKTHRU.
In 2022, the headquarters for Breakthrough Strategies Inc. opened on Commerce Center Parkway in Muskego. Following this, Xiogenix is developing a new clean room and are soon to be announcing a global expansion.
BLU, focused on Habits, Mindset, and Team Development with the use of the BLU Growth Operating System, continues to expand. BLU is launching new website, new playbook, and a new app. They have trademarks on BLU MINDSET™️, BLU HABITS™️, BLU GROWTHPATH™️. Let’s Keep it Real™️, business doesn’t have to be all that complicated and starts with your values.
BREAKTHRU and the Jendusa family are excited about their philanthropic partnerships, including their collaboration with the Pat Connaughton Foundation and Make-A-Wish Wisconsin. The Jendusa Family and the Pat Connaughton Foundation are also collaborating on gifting an outdoor basketball court for the Mukwonago Community.
The core values of BREAKTHRU are based on growth through vision and belief in their people. Rachel’s leadership and interpersonal skills will propel this mission forward, through her pursuit of greatness for all the right reasons. They follow the concept of doing more together with everyone they touch along the way – employees, community, customers, suppliers. As Jerry Jendusa aptly puts it, “These platforms will be used for the greater good in all that we do.”
This announcement marks a significant milestone for BREAKTHRU Family of Companies, and they look forward to continued growth and success under Rachel’s leadership.
For more information, contact Morgan Plagenz, Business Coordinator of BREAKTHRU Family of Companies, at morganp@realbreakthru.com.
Family of Companies – BREAKTHRU (realbreakthru.com)
“As a strong network of entrepreneurial businesses, diverse industries, and niche experts, we are united by a single driving force: realizing potential together. In our family of companies, every employee has a voice. By creating and growing together, we help you realize your story, your mission, your purpose. Within the BREAKTHRU Family of Companies, we are uniting world changers, all with the core mission of improving the lives of people and pets. United. Unstoppable. Untapping Human Potential.”
