2009 HBA Honorable Mentor
Mr. Alex Gorsky
The HBA’s 2009 Honorable Mentor is Alex Gorsky, Worldwide Chairman for the Surgical Care Group and member of the Executive Committee at Johnson & Johnson. He will be formally recognized at the 20th annual HBA “Woman of the Year” Luncheon on Thursday, May 7, 2009, the premier event of the year for the healthcare community attended by over 2,000 industry leaders.
“I have always believed a leader's performance is best judged by how many individuals he or she has personally touched and developed along the way and, throughout my career, I have aspired to be that kind of leader,” said Mr. Gorsky, who serves on the HBA Global Advisory Board.
I am humbled to be named Honorable Mentor this year by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, and am very proud to be associated with this strong industry organization that nurtures and inspires women to lead others.”
The HBA created the Honorable Mentor Award in 2001 to recognize one individual each year who demonstrates long-term support of the advancement of women in the healthcare industry, has a personal dedication to developing, mentoring and promoting women in the industry, and who has been supportive of the HBA.
“Alex was selected as the 2009 HBA Honorable Mentor because of his deep personal commitment to the advancement of women in the healthcare industry," said Ceci Zak, President of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association. “We are grateful for all of his contributions to our organization and to the countless women he has motivated, mentored and encouraged to be great leaders in business.”
Mr. Gorsky began his Johnson & Johnson career as a sales representative with Janssen Pharmaceutical Inc. more than 20 years ago, and advanced through positions of increasing responsibility in sales, marketing and management. In 2003, he was promoted to company group chairman for the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies pharmaceutical business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Alex left Johnson & Johnson in 2004 to serve as Chief Operating Officer for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. In 2005 he was named Head of Pharma North America and Chief Executive Officer for Novartis. Mr. Gorsky returned to Johnson & Johnson in 2008, as Ethicon’s Group Chairman and Worldwide Franchise Chairman, and was appointed to his current position earlier this year.
After earning a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., Mr. Gorsky spent six years in the U.S. Army, finishing his career with the rank of Captain. During that same time, he earned the Ranger Tab, Airborne Wings, and served in Europe, the United States, and Panama. He obtained a master's in business administration from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Gorsky is actively involved in the National Alliance on Mental Illness, The National Alliance on Aging, the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the Doylestown Hospital Board and the Boy Scouts of America.