Health Care 2024: RONY THOMAS

Bill Anderson, who founded the Eastern Virginia Tissue Bank in 1982, died in a car accident in 2002 at the age of 50. His death left the organization now known as LifeNet with an uncertain future, Thomas said in a 2023 speech.

Under Thomas’ leadership since 2004, the nonprofit that provides organ, tissue and cell transplants seems to have weathered the road bumps nicely. Today LifeNet employs more than 1,400 employees globally. In 2023, the organization worked with a record 259 people donating 686 organs for transplant.

While it’s better known for organ transplants, LifeNet Health also distributes nearly 800,000 allografts, tissue implanted from one person to another, every year. LifeNet Health Sciences provides human primary cells, tissues and 3D models for scientific research, drug discovery and safety testing. In May 2023, LifeNet purchased Bioventus’ wound care business for $85 million, including $35 million in cash at the time of purchase.

Previously, Thomas served as CEO at USA Instruments. He has an MBA from Case Western Reserve University and a master’s degree in engineering and bioengineering from the University of Akron.