J. Taggart McGurrin, CPA, MBA, JD
Morristown
Summary
Chief Financial Officer who has created over $350M in enterprise value. Believes in leading by example and empowering others to seize opportunities and strive for excellence. Combines passion, vision, resilience, and pragmatism to cultivate and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with key stakeholders while driving nimble and capital efficient operations. Executes on mission-driven decisions to generate meaningful inflection points and aligns organizational excellence with long-term financing strategies to capture shareholder value.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer / Board Advisor
DEFENDER PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
01.2025 - Current
- Report directly to the CEO and Board of Directors (special advisor to the Audit, N&G, and Compensation Committees).
- Develop financial strategies to optimize cash flow and reduce operational costs.
- Drive commercial market research to produce detailed forecasts, including TAM analysis, GTN calculations, competitive evaluation, line extension identification, and patent estate expansion to extend LOE runway.
- Manage commercial launch preparation, including pricing, ramp rates, sales team, and manufacturing and distribution across hospitals, PBMs, and direct contracts.
- Raised over $8M through both equity and debt offerings driving the company to a $250M valuation.
- Oversee a pipeline of three development programs including depression, motion sickness, and countermeasures.
- Restructured the company's financial models, pro forma P&Ls, and equity compensation practices.
- Responsible for corporate and financing strategy, complex financial modeling and deal structure, business development and licensing, M&A and IPO prep, accounting, audit, IP portfolio management, legal, HR, compensation strategies, commercial readiness, and corporate governance policies.
- Responsible for all financial, accounting, audit, risk, regulatory, HR, legal, R&D, IP, financing, and strategic operations.
- Financial modeling, including budget management, revenue/expense forecasts, and cash burn analysis.
- Corporate financing, including preparation of CIMs, investor presentations, and innovative capital raise strategies.
- IPO and M&A analysis, including complex financial modeling (NPV & IRR calculations).
- Financial statement preparation, legal review of all contracts and MSAs, market risk analysis, and creation of corporate governance and compensation (cash and equity) policies.
- Management of all accounting functions including 409A valuations, GAAP compliance, operational and technical accounting, bank reconciliations, cash management, tax matters, SEC filings, and PCAOB audits.
- Company's representative to financial institutions, investors, auditors, regulatory agencies, and strategic partners.
- Implementation of scalable processes, streamlined operations, internal controls, governance and compliance, corporate infrastructure, and resource allocation and utilization.
- Investor relations and capitalization table management, including composition of all quarterly investor updates and investor scenario modeling.
- Regulatory affairs, clinical, regulatory, and financial risk management/mitigation, oversight of clinical development operations, and management of patent estate/IP portfolio.
President, Chief Financial Officer, & Chief Business Officer / Board Advisor
NEUMENTUM, INC.
01.2021 - 01.2024
- Reported directly to the CEO and Board of Directors while scaling the company to >$100M valuation.
- Raised $45M through both equity and debt offerings acting as the company representative for all investors.
- Executed a $53M out-licensing deal for the rights to develop and commercialize the company's lead asset in China.
- Executed an in-licensing deal valued over $1B with J&J for global rights to a suite of novel chemical entities.
- Led strategic planning initiatives to align organizational goals with market trends.
- Cultivated partnerships with key stakeholders to enhance business development opportunities.
- Lead partnerships throughout the Asia-Pac region across China, Japan, Singapore, and Australia, including the implementation of infrastructure and financial accounting for AUS tax credits.
- Drove detailed crossover, IPO, reverse merger, SPAC, and acquisition processes, timelines, and analysis.
- Managed a pipeline of four drug candidates, particularly the development of the company's lead asset from preclinical through a Phase 3 pivotal clinical trial.
- Increased organizational headcount from 2 to over 50+ individuals.
- Returned ~$5M to shareholders through New Jersey's Angel Investor Tax Credit Program.
Senior Accountant
BAKER TILLY VIRCHOW KRAUSE, LLP
01.2016 - 12.2016
- Researched state tax issues including nexus determinations, taxability analyses, and quantification of potential liabilities.
- Prepared memoranda on state and local tax issues for corporations, partnerships, and LLCs.
Summer Associate
KPMG US
01.2015 - 12.2015
- Participated in both sales and use and income franchise tax engagements with an array of different clients.
- Coordinated with the M&A tax team to perform diligence on client state tax filings ancillary to a proposed acquisition.
Attorney General Legal Intern- North Carolina Department of Revenue
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
01.2014 - 12.2014
- Researched and prepared department memoranda regarding lien-stripping under Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy proceedings and on 'responsible persons' for tax purposes in the event of corporate dissolution under NC law.
Finance Management Associate- Corporate Tax
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
01.2012 - 12.2013
- Assisted in the analysis, research, and implementation of worldwide tax and audit requirements across the Federal, SALT, AFIT, Federal Provision and Insurance Footnote, International, and Planning and Strategy groups.
Finance Management Associate- Global HR Long-Term Equity
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
01.2011 - 12.2012
- Planned, forecasted, and reconciled account expense and managed executive equity compensation reports and analysis.
- Partnered with executive compensation and third-party vendors to drive management reporting objectives.
Kania School of Management Graduate Teaching Assistant
UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON GRADUATE COLLEGE
01.2010 - 12.2011
- Assisted faculty members in the teaching and delivery of course content and provided academic support services.
Congressional Intern for Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski
RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, CAPITOL HILL
01.2010 - 12.2010
- Responded to constituent mail through letters and assessed the status and content of legislation.
- Prepared briefings on congressional committee and informational hearings.
Financial Accounting Co-op
JOHNSON & JOHNSON MCNEIL NUTRITIONALS, LLC
01.2008 - 12.2008
- Provided budget support and account analysis for nine administrative departments.
- Assumed monthly and quarterly balance sheet and SOX responsibilities.
Education
Juris Doctor - Law
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY BEASLEY SCHOOL OF LAW
Philadelphia, PA05-2016
Masters of Business Administration (MBA) - Accounting And Finance
UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
Scranton, PA05-2011
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
Scranton, PA05-2010
Skills
- Strategic financial planning
- Financial management
- Financial policy creation
- Mergers and acquisitions experience
- Audit coordination
- Budget development
- Strategic business planning
- Risk management
- Executive leadership
- Cash flow management
- Investor relations management
- Corporate governance
- Capital raising
- Board collaboration
- Contract negotiation
Certification
Certified Public Accountant, 01/01/12, Present
Timeline
Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer / Board Advisor
DEFENDER PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
01.2025 - Current
President, Chief Financial Officer, & Chief Business Officer / Board Advisor
NEUMENTUM, INC.
01.2021 - 01.2024
Senior Accountant
BAKER TILLY VIRCHOW KRAUSE, LLP
01.2016 - 12.2016
Summer Associate
KPMG US
01.2015 - 12.2015
Attorney General Legal Intern- North Carolina Department of Revenue
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
01.2014 - 12.2014
Finance Management Associate- Corporate Tax
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
01.2012 - 12.2013
Finance Management Associate- Global HR Long-Term Equity
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
01.2011 - 12.2012
Kania School of Management Graduate Teaching Assistant
UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON GRADUATE COLLEGE
01.2010 - 12.2011
Congressional Intern for Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski
RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, CAPITOL HILL
01.2010 - 12.2010
Financial Accounting Co-op
JOHNSON & JOHNSON MCNEIL NUTRITIONALS, LLC
01.2008 - 12.2008
Juris Doctor - Law
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY BEASLEY SCHOOL OF LAW
Masters of Business Administration (MBA) - Accounting And Finance
UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON
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