South Jordan-based Merit Medical Systems Inc. has named Martha Aronson as its new president and CEO, effective Oct. 3. She will replace Fred P. Lampropoulos, who will remain chairman of the board.
Lampropoulos has been president and CEO of Merit Medical since its founding in 1987.
Merit Medical is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of proprietary disposable medical devices used in interventional, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, particularly in cardiology, radiology, oncology, critical care and endoscopy.
“I am pleased to welcome Martha to Merit,” said Lampropoulos. “I believe the company has never been in a stronger position. Martha is uniquely qualified to lead Merit into the future and drive its continued success. Her keen intellect and proven track record of empowering global teams through collaborative excellence, consistent with ‘The Merit Way,’ makes her the ideal leader for Merit’s next stage of growth. With Martha’s experience and capability, I look forward to supporting her vision while she charts Merit’s course forward.”
Aronson has extensive experience in global health care. Her business management experience includes overseeing global health care businesses ranging in size from $500 million to $1 billion. She was the executive vice president and president of global health care for Ecolab Inc. of St. Paul, Minnesota, and previously served as the senior vice president and North America president for Hill-Rom Holdings Inc. in Chicago. Prior to that, she spent nearly 20 years at Medtronic in various general management and leadership roles. She has served on the boards of several national and international technology companies.
Aronson holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Wellesley College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
“I am excited to join Merit and truly honored to take on this role,” said Aronson. “Fred has built and grown an extraordinary company over the past four decades, starting with one single idea and building it into the incredibly successful global company that it is today. Working with the talented team at Merit, I look forward to building upon his remarkable legacy and leading the company into a future of continued excellence and innovation.”
“On behalf of Merit’s board of directors, we extend our deepest appreciation to Fred Lampropoulos for his 38 years of leadership and dedication to Merit,” said Dr. F. Ann Millner, lead independent director on Merit’s board. “Fred is a visionary leader committed to medical innovation, employee well-being and community involvement. Equally admirable is Fred’s philanthropic work, reflecting his deep dedication to the well-being of others. As Merit’s founder, he has advanced patient care and significantly improved health outcomes worldwide. Fred’s genuine leadership reaches beyond the workplace and has touched communities around the globe.”