Dennis R. Shaughnessy is the current Executive Professor of the General Management Group at Northeastern University. He was appointed to the position of Executive Professor within the College’s General Management Group in January 2005, after having served as an adjunct faculty member since 1998. He has over twenty-five years of experience in positions of responsibility in business, law and government. He teaches courses in business law and ethics, intellectual property, business planning and strategic entrepreneurship, biotechnology management, and the creation and growth of technology-driven ventures. He is also a strategy consultant and legal advisor to early stage technology businesses, and serves as a director of both private and publicly held companies.

Prior to joining the faculty, Mr. Shaughnessy was a senior executive with Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE), a Massachusetts-based company that provides enabling products and services to the global pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries. Mr. Shaughnessy was the company’s senior executive responsible for corporate development and strategic growth, through acquisitions, strategic alliances, joint ventures, technology licensing, and new venture creation. During his tenure, Charles River advanced from less than $100 million in annual revenues in a single mature market, to more than $1 billion in revenues from a series of high growth markets. Mr. Shaughnessy was also responsible for the global legal affairs of the company, including corporate governance and compliance, and intellectual property management.

Mr. Shaughnessy was a principal in $3 billion in capital market transactions while at Charles River, including his company’s leveraged buy-out and initial public offering, which were recognized as among the most successful LBOs and IPOs in 1999 and 2000. He identified, managed and led more than $500 million in strategic acquisitions and new ventures (24 small “platform” transactions over 15 years), and in 2004, he managed the company’s transformational $1.5 billion acquisition of a leading European competitor. Charles River and its management have received numerous rewards reflecting the company’s successful strategic growth initiatives, including The Boston Globe’s #1 Public Company in Massachusetts in 2002, and Forbes magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year for 2003.

Prior to joining Charles River in 1988, Mr. Shaughnessy was a corporate lawyer specializing in venture capital investments, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, and IP/technology licensing. He also acted as legal counsel to numerous growth businesses in the information technology and life sciences industries. From 1979 until entering legal practice in 1984, he worked in Washington, DC in public service capacities.

Mr. Shaughnessy holds an MBA from Northeastern’s High Tech MBA Program, a JD (Doctor of Law) from The University of Maryland, an MSW/Management from The University of Michigan, and a BA from The Pennsylvania State University.