A Medical Device Daily

Applied Biosystems (AB; Foster City, California) reported Friday that its president, Catherine Burzik, has resigned to become CEO of Kinetic Concepts (KCI; San Antonio). Burzik will succeed KCI chief executive Denny Ware, who previously reported his intention to retire.

Applied Bio said that Tony White, president/CEO and chairman of Applera, will become interim president.

Burzik also will be appointed to KCI’s board, beginning Nov. 6. Ware will remain with KCI through December for smooth transition and will serve on the KCI board through year’s end.

Burzik’s career spans more than three decades and includes senior positions at Eastman Kodak, Johnson & Johnson as well as at Applied Bio, a unit of Applera. At Kodak, Burzik’s executive positions included president/ CEO of Kodak Health Imaging Systems and general manager/vice president of corporate marketing. Burzik served on the board of Cordis, prior to its acquisition by J&J. At J&J, she ran the Critikon medical technology company business and then was appointed president of J&J’s Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics business.

Most recently, as president of Applied Biosystems’ global business, she led the development of a new business strategy and formation of a strong executive management team.

Burzik said: “Becoming a CEO of a significant public company has been a personal and professional goal of mine for a long time, and in my new role I will return to the medical device industry where I have spent the majority of my career. I am thrilled to be joining KCI, an industry leader with a remarkable history of growth and innovation... . My focus will be on finding new avenues for growth, both via organic growth driven by a strong R&D pipeline, and through strategic acquisitions... . I am also optimistic that we will be able to expand in a number of international markets.”

Applied Bio develops instrument-based systems, consumables, software and services for the life sciences. KCI manufactures products for advanced wound care and therapeutic surfaces.