Donald E. Panoz
Don Panoz’s distinguished career formerly began in 1961 when he and Army buddy and fellow West Virginal University alum Milan “Mike” Puskar founded Milan Pharmaceuticals in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., making Panoz the youngest president of a pharmaceutical company in the United States. Milan evolved into Mylan, a company that now sells an estimated 1,300 products to more than 140 countries and territories worldwide.
In the 1970s Panoz created Élan Corp. in Ireland, which became a leader in drug delivery products and technology. Panoz led a research team that created time-release medication through a transdermal patch, commonly used today as the nicotine patch. Élan Corp. was the first Irish company to be publicly listed on the U.S. stock exchange, and today Panoz retains over 300 pharmaceutical industry patents.Other accomplishments include founding Élan Technologies, which includes Élan Composites, Élan Power, Élan Precision and Élan Fabrication; and the Panoz Institute at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, which houses the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
In 1997 Panoz commissioned and campaigned the Panoz Esperante GTR-1, the first successful front-engine prototype race car in more than 30 years of racing. That same year he founded the Panoz Motor Sport Group, the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) endurance racing series, and the Petit Le Mans endurance sports car race, one of the largest car races on earth. From 1997 to 2002 Panoz Le Mans prototype race cars won eight endurance sports car championship races.
Panoz also is a hybrid racing pioneer. In 1998 he debuted the world’s first successful hybrid race car, which won its class at the 1998 Petit Le Mans race. In 1999 Panoz was named co-winner of Autosport magazine Technology Award, and he is the founder of the Women’s Global GT Championship. Panoz Indianapolis race cars won the famed Indy 500 in 2000, 2003 and 2004. In 2002 a Panoz Esperante GT LM race car won both the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Panoz was awarded the coveted “Sprit of Le Mans award by L’Automobile Club d L’Ouest.
He also is chairman of the board for NanoLumens, a designer and manufacturer of large-format LED display solutions in any size, shape or curvature, and founded SICOR Inc., a California-based pharmaceutical company. Panoz also founded international resorts such as Chateau Élan in Georgia, The Vintage Golf Club in Australia, Diablo Grande Winery & Resort in California, and St. Andrews Bay Resort and Spa in Scotland.
Today Panoz is managing partner of DeltaWing Project 56 LLC and chairman of DeltaWing Technologies Inc, a Georgia-based automotive technologies company committed to helping automotive manufacturers deliver fuel efficient and emissions-reducing technologies that benefit everyday drivers and commuters.
In 2013, Panoz became just the 29th inductee into the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, joining entrepreneurs such as Andrew Carnegie; Thomas Edison; Henry Ford; Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics; Bill Gates; Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies; Richard Branson; Sara Blakely, founder and owner of Spanx Inc.; Ted Turner; and Warren Buffet. He is a 2014 recipient of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America’s Bob Russo Heritage Award. In 2015 he has received the La Bella Macchina Award at Concorso Italiano in recognition of his contributions to the automotive and motorsports industries.
In 1997 Panoz commissioned and campaigned the Panoz Esperante GTR-1, the first successful front-engine prototype race car in more than 30 years of racing. That same year he founded the Panoz Motor Sport Group, the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) endurance racing series, and the Petit Le Mans endurance sports car race, one of the largest car races on earth. From 1997 to 2002 Panoz Le Mans prototype race cars won eight endurance sports car championship races.
Panoz also is a hybrid racing pioneer. In 1998 he debuted the world’s first successful hybrid race car, which won its class at the 1998 Petit Le Mans race. In 1999 Panoz was named co-winner of Autosport magazine Technology Award, and he is the founder of the Women’s Global GT Championship. Panoz Indianapolis race cars won the famed Indy 500 in 2000, 2003 and 2004. In 2002 a Panoz Esperante GT LM race car won both the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Panoz was awarded the coveted “Sprit of Le Mans award by L’Automobile Club d L’Ouest.
He also is chairman of the board for NanoLumens, a designer and manufacturer of large-format LED display solutions in any size, shape or curvature, and founded SICOR Inc., a California-based pharmaceutical company. Panoz also founded international resorts such as Chateau Élan in Georgia, The Vintage Golf Club in Australia, Diablo Grande Winery & Resort in California, and St. Andrews Bay Resort and Spa in Scotland.
Today Panoz is managing partner of DeltaWing Project 56 LLC and chairman of DeltaWing Technologies Inc, a Georgia-based automotive technologies company committed to helping automotive manufacturers deliver fuel efficient and emissions-reducing technologies that benefit everyday drivers and commuters.
In 2013, Panoz became just the 29th inductee into the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame, joining entrepreneurs such as Andrew Carnegie; Thomas Edison; Henry Ford; Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics; Bill Gates; Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies; Richard Branson; Sara Blakely, founder and owner of Spanx Inc.; Ted Turner; and Warren Buffet. He is a 2014 recipient of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America’s Bob Russo Heritage Award. In 2015 he has received the La Bella Macchina Award at Concorso Italiano in recognition of his contributions to the automotive and motorsports industries.