Title: Executive Chairperson and Technical Advisor
Company: Origins FTD Inc. & Origins FTD Foundation, Inc.
Location: Portland, Oregon, United States
Richard Sass, Executive Chairperson and Technical Advisor at Origins FTD Inc. and Origins FTD Foundation Inc., has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements and leadership in Health Care.
Mr. Sass has carved a distinguished career in the field of entrepreneurship and medical devices, marked by his innovative spirit and dedication to social impact. As the executive chairperson and technical advisor for Origins FTD Inc. and its nonprofit arm, Origins FTD Foundation Inc., since 2017, he has been instrumental in developing a unique business model that combines for-profit and nonprofit elements. Mr. Sass’s vision includes sharing profits with pregnant women and their significant others, establishing a special type of preferred stock that is transferred to offspring at birth, and providing a well-being dividend to support education through high school graduation.
To break the cycle of disease, Mr. Sass has created a concept that involves a new standard of care for mothers and their babies, leveraging innovative technologies to enhance quality of life for humanity. This model involves treatment for both mother and child during the First Thousand Days (FTD) and includes a mHealth cloud-enabled behavioral health platform focused on the fetal origins of disease. Because the first 1,000 days following conception is a critical period, FTD focuses on nutrition and birthing practices to break the cycle of disease and lessen the chances of illness throughout the child’s lifetime.
Before the launch of FTD, Mr. Sass began holding several influential positions. Since 2008, he has served as the managing director of the Biomed Innovation Fund, with a focus on advancing medical technologies. Additionally, he has chaired the Contact Wellness Foundation since 2010, where he continues to advocate for wellness initiatives.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Sass’s leadership at iSense Continuous Glucose Monitoring from 1995 to 2008 was pivotal in developing a continuous glucose monitor that significantly impacted diabetes management. Under his guidance, iSense invested $18 million as a global distribution partner before being acquired by a health care firm in 2008.
Mr. Sass joined MicroHelix Inc. as chairperson from 1997 to 2001, where he oversaw the development of an electrical wiring system for use throughout the human body with support from the National Institutes of Health. The company went public shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks and is now owned by Abbott Laboratories. Mr. Sass’s entrepreneurial journey began much earlier with the founding of Precision Interconnect in 1972, which became a world leader in medical ultrasound and test and measurement hand-held probe cable technology under his leadership until its sale to AMP Inc. in 1991.
A graduate of Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1965, Mr. Sass attributes his success to his education, curiosity and persistence. These qualities have enabled him to build meaningful relationships throughout his career, which he considers his most notable achievement.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Sass is actively involved in educational, industry-related and civic organizations. He is a member of the Institutional Biosafety Committee at Oregon Health & Science University. His contributions to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation underscore his commitment to improving diabetes management and care. Moreover, Mr. Sass is a member of Rotary International and the American Diabetes Association, holds a fellowship with the RSA, and has served as the chair of the Haven Foundation.
Mr. Sass’s dedication to advancing medical knowledge is evident through his contributions to journals published by the American Diabetes Association. He has also been recognized with an award from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Eager for the future, Mr. Sass is focused on continually establishing Origins FTD Inc. and Origins FTD Foundation Inc., creating a medical library, and forming a Wellbeing Collaborative at the University of Washington and the University of Victoria in British Columbia. Through these initiatives, he aims to make a lasting social impact by enhancing maternal health services and building a behavioral health network that benefits humanity.
For more information, please visit:
Contact Mr. Sass:
