Ralph Thurman

Health Technology Entrepreneur and Investor

Ralph Thurman is a private equity executive in the healthcare sector and a former Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Healthcare. An operating partner for multiple healthcare technology and life sciences companies, he has led or co-led in excess of $2 billion in equity investments, acquisitions, and debt transactions since 2008. Prior to this, Ralph Thurman spent eight years as the founder, chairman and CEO of the medical technology enterprise VIASYS Healthcare, Inc.

Mr. Thurman founded VIASYS Healthcare in 1999 through the acquisition and integration of 23 companies. The company invested over $100 million in research and development to help its major products reach No. 1 in market share. Additionally, the firm was ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the world in respiratory and neurological diagnostics and critical care systems. In 2007, Mr. Thurman sold it to Cardinal Health for more than four times its original enterprise value.

Before he launched VIASYS Healthcare, he functioned as the CEO and board chairman of Corning Life Sciences, Inc., for five years. In this role, he facilitated several acquisitions and integrations and developed the industry's first genomics testing lab. He also served nine years in various executive capacities at Rorer-Poulenc Rorer Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (now Aventis) and substantially increased its return on shareholder equity.

Ralph Holloway Thurman is a former United States Air Force combat and instructor pilot who has a master of arts in management from Webster University and an undergraduate degree in economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute as well as completing the USAF Air Command and Staff College.

Malvern, PA