Healthcare >> CEO Interviews >> April 6, 2005
SPENCER R. SIAS is Vice President, Corporate Communications and Investor
Relations at Varian Medical Systems, Inc. Mr. Sias came to Varian
Medical Systems, Inc., in 1999 when it became one of three independent
businesses created by the spinoff of Varian Associates, Inc. As a member
of Varian Medical Systems' corporate staff, Mr. Sias manages investor
relations and corporate communications including public relations,
employee communications and community relations for the company. Mr.
Sias works directly with the financial community and reports to Elisha
W. Finney, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the
company. Mr. Sias has concentrated on building awareness of advances in
radiation therapy that are showing the potential to substantially
improve cure rates and reduce complications in cancer treatment. Mr.
Sias' background is well suited to his role. He holds a Bachelor's
degree from San Francisco State University, where he was the 'Most
Honored Graduate' in Journalism in 1975. He was an award-winning
journalist who spent 10 years reporting and editing for daily
newspapers, including Gannett Newspapers, before joining a high-tech
public relations firm in the Silicon Valley. As an agency public
relations executive for five years, Mr. Sias supported companies,
including Varian Associates, Hewlett-Packard, Tektronix and Sun
Microsystems. Prior to joining Varian Medical Systems, Mr. Sias worked
for nine years as Director of Public Relations at Raychem Corporation,
with responsibilities in public and media relations, investor relations,
employee communications and community relations. He is the winner of
several communications awards, including two for the Varian Medical
Systems 1999 and 2000 annual reports. Mr. Sias is a member of the
National Investor Relations Institute, the Public Relations Society of
America and a past member of the Society of Professional Journalists. He
has also served his community on numerous Commissions and Boards,
including two terms as an elected member of the Ross Valley School
District Board of Trustees, which he chaired in 1994 and 1996. Profile
followed by a picture of things as they are now.
Mr. Sias: Varian Medical Systems is the product of a spinoff of
