Early Life and Education
Randal J. Kirk was born in Pleasanton, California, on March 1, 1954. His family later moved to Texas and Virginia. He graduated from Pulaski High School in Virginia. Kirk pursued higher education at Radford University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Economics in 1976. He furthered his studies at the University of Virginia, obtaining a Juris Doctor in 1979.
Rise to Success
After being admitted to the bar in 1980, Kirk began his career in Bland County, Virginia, before transitioning into the business world. He co-founded General Injectables and Vaccines (GIV) in 1983, which was later sold to Henry Schein, Inc. for $65 million. Kirk's entrepreneurial journey continued with the founding of New River Pharmaceuticals in 1996. He took the company public in 2004, and it was later acquired by Shire plc in 2007 for $2.6 billion, netting Kirk a substantial profit. In 1999, Kirk established the investment firm Third Security, LLC. He was involved with the biotechnology company Intrexon in the 2000s, becoming its chairman in 2008 and CEO in 2009. He took Intrexon public in 2013, leading to a market cap of $2.5 billion. In early 2020, Intrexon adopted the name of its subsidiary, Precigen, and Kirk stepped down as CEO, with Helen Sabzevari taking over leadership.
Key Business Strategies
Kirk's business strategy emphasizes investing in promising companies and seeing them through to market success. He founded Third Security, LLC, an investment management firm, in March 1999. He has been involved in various companies advocating for genetic engineering, including genetically modified salmon through AquaBounty.
Philanthropy
Following the sale of General Injectables and Vaccines, Kirk donated $1 million to Radford University, creating the Zylphia Shu-En Kirk Endowment named after his daughter. He has also donated substantially to political causes, supporting both Republicans and Democrats.
