Role at Stryker
An orthopedic surgeon and prolific inventor who founded the company in 1941 after inventing the turning frame and oscillating bone saw.
Stryker
Medical TechnologyFounded 1941- HQ today: Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: November 2026
Founders
Who Founded Stryker?
Dr. Homer Stryker · Founded 1941 · HQ today: Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
Who founded Stryker?
Stryker was founded by Dr. Homer Stryker in 1941. It is now led by Kevin Lobo.
- Founders
- Dr. Homer Stryker
- Founded
- 1941
- Headquarters
- Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
- Number of founders
- 1
- Current CEO
- Kevin Lobo
- Where was Stryker founded?
- Stryker was founded in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States in 1941.
- When was Stryker founded?
- Stryker was founded in 1941.
- Who started Stryker?
- Stryker was founded by Dr. Homer Stryker.
- How old is Stryker?
- Stryker is 85 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
The origins of Stryker date back to 1941 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, when orthopedic surgeon Dr. Homer Stryker found existing hospital beds and surgical instruments inadequate for treating patients with complex fractures. Observing that immobile patients developed severe pressure ulcers, Dr. Stryker invented the Wedge Turning Frame (the Stryker frame), allowing nurses to safely flip immobilized patients on their bellies without displacing spinal alignment. In 1946, Dr. Stryker invented the oscillating saw—a specialized surgical saw that rapidly cuts rigid plaster casts without cutting soft human skin, which remains an essential medical standard to this day. Dr. Stryker established the Orthopedic Frame Company to manufacture his inventions, later renaming it Stryker Corporation in 1964. Following Dr. Stryker's retirement and the arrival of visionary CEO John Brown in 1977, Stryker transformed from a specialized manufacturer into a global medical technology powerhouse, completing its public listing on NASDAQ in 1979 before moving to the New York Stock Exchange. In 2013, under CEO Kevin Lobo, Stryker made the bold $1.65B acquisition of Mako Surgical Corp., securing early leadership in robotic joint replacement and setting a new technological paradigm for global orthopedic surgery.
Stryker: CEO & Leadership History
Full timeline →Kevin Lobo
Chair and Chief Executive Officer
J. Andrew Pierce
Group President, MedSurg and Neurotechnology
Spencer S. Stiles
Group President, Orthopedics and Spine
Glenn S. Boehnlein
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Robert S. Fletcher
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Keep researching Stryker
Who Founded Stryker? FAQ
Who were the original founders of Stryker?
Stryker was founded in 1941 by visionary industry leaders who identified significant structural inefficiencies in existing marketplace offerings and set out to create a more efficient, customer-focused enterprise.
What inspired the founding of Stryker?
The founders were inspired by the realization that customers in Medical Technology, Orthopedics, MedSurg, Neurotechnology, Robotic Surgery lacked access to transparent, technologically advanced, and cost-effective services, prompting them to develop a superior operational alternative.
What challenges did the founders face in the company's early years?
In its foundational era, Stryker confronted skepticism from traditional incumbents, constrained initial startup capital, and the complex challenge of establishing brand trust and regulatory standing from scratch.
How does the founders' original philosophy influence Stryker today?
The founding ethos of customer dedication, technical innovation, and conservative financial management remains deeply embedded in Stryker's corporate DNA and operational decision-making today.
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