WASHINGTON, DC. – The Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) today announced that Catherine “Cathy” M. Burzik, an industry veteran with executive leadership experience across the medtech industry, will receive the 2019 AdvaMed Lifetime Achievement Award at the industry’s premier annual gathering – The Medtech Conference – Sept. 25 in Boston.

Burzik’s storied career has intersected with some of the greatest medical technology innovations in recent decades. She began her career as a software developer, working in the early stages of dry slides at Kodak Clinical Chemistry. She eventually rose to become CEO and president of Kodak Health Imaging Systems. Burzik served as president of J&J’s Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Division, overseeing the merged businesses of J&J’s blood safety products and her former employer Kodak’s Clinical Chemistry products.

Next, Burzik was president of Applied Biosystems, a firm that pioneered the sequencing of the human genome and the measurement of gene expression that is enabling the personalized medicine revolution. Burzik also served as president and CEO of Kinetic Concepts, Inc., a leading wound care company. During her tenure, KCI’s stock price doubled, and she led a significant expansion and diversification effort into the regenerative medicine space with a $1.7B acquisition of LifeCell.

Following the acquisition of KCI in 2012, Burzik has focused on early-stage investments in companies developing groundbreaking or disruptive health care technologies, and she serves as chair of the American College of Wound Healing and Tissue Repair. Burzik is also on the board of several health care companies including BD, Haemonetics Corporation, StemBioSys Inc., Gemini Bioproducts Inc., and Xenex Disinfection Services.

“Cathy is the epitome of the AdvaMed Lifetime Achievement Award, as she has dedicated her life to medical innovation and improving patient outcomes,” said Vincent A. Forlenza, chairman and CEO of BD. “I am continually impressed by Cathy’s insight and passion for the health care industry, and since joining the BD Board in 2013, Cathy’s insights and counsel have been uniquely valuable as we have transformed the company into one of the largest and most respected medical technology companies in the world. In addition to her role at BD, I have had the privilege to serve alongside Cathy on the AdvaMed Board of Directors, and I have long appreciated her commitment to developing strong organizations that are built on fostering inclusive and diverse cultures.”

“Cathy has been on the cutting edge of innovation since her first job out of college as a software engineer,” said Scott Whitaker, president and CEO of AdvaMed. “From imaging to diagnostics, to DNA sequencing and regenerative medicine, she has successfully led companies across the spectrum of our industry. And throughout her long and distinguished career she has always been guided by the desire to put technology at the forefront of health care, all with the aim of helping patients.”

AdvaMed’s Lifetime Achievement Award honors the accomplishments of pioneers in the medical technology sector whose contributions have had a significant impact on patients’ lives and the industry as an essential part of America’s economy. The 2019 award will be presented during The Medtech Conference Sept. 23-25 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.