Stephen A. Block

Stephen A. Block is a member of the Tech Coast Angels, Southern California’s largest angel investing group.  He serves on the Orange County Network’s Executive Committee and is its representative to the TCA Board of Governors.  He is also a partner in Venture Farm, LLC, an early stage execution and funding organization.  Mr. Block is a member of the Board of Directors of Senomyx, Inc., a public biotech company based in San Diego, California, serving on its Audit and Nomination and Governance Committees, and as Chairman of the latter.  He is also a director of Chromadex, Inc. and Allylix, Inc., privately held companies. Mr. Block retired as the Senior Vice President and General Counsel of International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. in December 2003, having served in that position for 12 years.  He has 38 years of broad legal, management and executive experience at Fortune 500 corporations and a major New York law firm. He has previously served on the Boards of Directors of both private and public companies and on the Boards of Governors of several industry trade associations and as the President of one of those groups.  In addition to his legal background, Mr. Block has had extensive experience in domestic and international mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures.  He has also drafted legislation, lobbied at both the state and federal levels, and testified before Congressional and state legislative committees concerning various government affairs issues. He has taught Securities Regulation at Pace University Law School and lectured in continuing legal and business education programs.  Mr. Block holds a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from Yale University.  He resides with his wife, Evelyn, a psychologist, and two sons in Manhattan Beach, California.