Larry’s vision for Convergency followed his experiences as a senior executive at two leading mission-driven organizations. At Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), one of the nation’s most successful and active patient advocacy and research organizations, Larry built an advocacy program that was cited by the media as among the most powerful in Washington DC. Larry chaired the successful national campaign to advance stem cell research, and he secured more than $2 billion in mandatory federal diabetes funding, the only disease area to get such funding. He went on to serve as Chief Operating Officer with oversight responsibility for most major activities within the organization.
Following his time at JDRF, Larry served as CEO for the Partnership for a Healthier America, where he worked with PHA Honorary Chair Michelle Obama and PHA Vice Chairs Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) on corporate partnerships that produced win/win outcomes for both public health and company brands and budgets. Larry developed more than 250 such partnerships and raised more than $60 million during his time at PHA.
Lawrence A. Soler is Founder of Convergency. Larry’s vision for Convergency followed his experiences as a senior executive at Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), one of the nation’s most successful and active patient advocacy and research organizations. Following his time at JDRF, Larry served as CEO for the Partnership for a Healthier America, where he worked with PHA Honorary Chair Michelle Obama and PHA Vice Chairs Senator Cory Booker and former Senator Bill Frist on private sector partnerships to make the healthier choice the easier choice for all Americans. Larry was the first full-time employee.
During six and a half years at PHA, Larry developed more than 250 partnerships with leaders in the private sector like Nike, Walmart, and Kaiser Permanente. He also raised more than $60 million to support the organization’s activities, including creating marketing campaigns for water (Drink Up) and fruits and vegetables (FNV). These campaigns redefined public health marketing, utilizing nearly 100 celebrities who volunteered their endorsements.
Prior to joining PHA, Larry worked for 13 years at JDRF, ultimately as Chief Operating Officer. While leading and then overseeing the advocacy program, JDRF was recognized by National Journal as one of the most powerful interest groups in Washington DC. The Wall Street Journal said “not since AIDS activists stormed scientific meetings in the 1980s has a patient group done more to set the agenda of medical research.” Time magazine called JDRF “one of the nation’s most forceful disease advocacy groups.”
At JDRF, Larry took leading roles in high profile, national issues. He created, chaired, and served as national spokesperson for a campaign that successfully convinced President Bush to reverse a campaign pledge to ban embryonic stem cell research. Stem cell research was the subject of President Bush’s first prime time address to the nation. He played a key role in securing House and Senate passage of legislation to codify allowance of stem cell research — one of only two bills passed in the House during that time period without a majority of Republicans supporting it. On funding, he was point person on securing more than $2 billion in mandatory funding for type 1 diabetes research and Native American diabetes treatment programs. Diabetes is the only disease to get such funding.
Larry received a B.A. with honors from Clark University and his J.D. from George Washington University which he attended in the evening. He served on the International Board of Directors of the JDRF where he has served on the Executive Committee and chaired the Nominating and Governance Committee, Audit Committee, and CEO Search Committee. Larry formerly served on the National Institutes of Health Cures Acceleration Network board and has served on several other boards during his career.
Larry and his wife, Sue, have 2 daughters. When not working, you can often find Larry training for the annual JDRF century bike ride.