He earlier served as the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Jostens, Inc., from 1994 to 2004 and as chairman from 1998 to 2004. Before joining Jostens, Buhrmaster spent 18 years at Corning, Inc., serving in various roles, including senior vice president and general manager of several businesses, corporate controller and director of strategic planning.
“Serving as a board member has been a very rewarding experience for me. I will greatly miss the interactions with such a highly accomplished group of professionals and community leaders,” said Melrose. “I am honored to pass the chairmanship to Bob Buhrmaster, who brings tremendous depth of experience and keen business insights to his new role. His strategic sense and practical judgment have been important assets for the board and the management team. I have great confidence in Bob, the entire board, and the management team’s ability to continue leading SurModics toward its vast potential in developing and commercializing life-enhancing technologies and products.”
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead the SurModics board,” said Buhrmaster. “It will be a privilege to succeed Ken Melrose, an outstanding chairman, in this role. I look forward to working even more closely with Bruce Barclay and his talented management team.”
“I want to thank Ken for his 20 years of tireless efforts on behalf of SurModics,” said Bruce Barclay, president and CEO. “His contributions to the success of this company are immeasurable, and he has been critical in helping drive our tremendous diversification and growth. We are extremely fortunate to have Bob Buhrmaster, an experienced advisor and skillful business leader, to succeed him. I look forward to teaming with Bob as SurModics continues to pursue its vision of extending and improving the lives of patients through technology innovation.”