Healthcare >> CEO Interviews >> September 7, 1998
RONALD A. MATRICARIA has been the CEO of St. Jude Medical, Inc. since
April 1993. He was elected chairman of the board of directors in January
1995. Prior to joining St. Jude Medical, Mr. Matricaria spent 23 years
with Eli Lilly and Co., Inc. His last position was executive vice
president of the Pharmaceutical Division of Eli Lilly and Company and
president of its North American operations. He also served as president
of Eli Lilly International Corporation since July 1991. A native of
Connecticut, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1966 from the
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and was also awarded an honorary
Doctor of Science degree in Pharmacy in recognition of his contribution
to the practice of pharmacy. Mr. Matricaria participated in the
executive development programs at the University of Michigan Graduate
School of Business and the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth
College. Mr. Matricaria joined Eli Lilly in 1970 as a sales
representative and over the next 14 years had several assignments in
sales and marketing. In June 1984, he was named president and CEO of
Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc. , of St. Paul, MN, a subsidiary of Lilly.
During his tenure at CPI, Mr. Matricaria saw the business triple in size
and oversaw the realignment of CPI from a pacemaker supplier to a leader
in cardiac rhythm management, including bringing the market the first
FDA approved implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Such devices
now represent a leading product of CPI and its parent Guidant
Corporation in a market valued at nearly $1.5 billion. Mr. Matricaria is
a member of the boards of directors of Centocor Inc. and Ceridian
Corporation and a board member of the Health Industry Manufacturers
Association (HIMA). He has served on the board of trustees of the
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and is currently a member of the
University of Minnesota Foundation board of trustees. Mr. Matricaria
chaired the Biomedical Engineering Institute Campaign, which raised an
operating endowment for the Institute at the University of Minnesota. Profile
Medical.
Mr. Matricaria: St. Jude Medical is a 22-year-old company. We're in
several business platforms, three to be
