PROVIDENCE – Bob Cormier, who has more than 25 years of medical-device and healthcare experience, has been nominated to be the CEO and president of the R.I. Life Science Hub.
If approved the by the R.I. Senate, he will succeed Mark A. Turco, who stepped down as the hub’s CEO and president on March 11. R.I. Commerce Corp. said 15 candidates were interviewed during its three-month search for Turco’s replacement.
It was not immediately clear whether interim President Lilia Holt, who formerly served as vice president, will remain with the hub.
“We are pleased to nominate [Cormier] for the role of president and CEO,” said Will Tsonos, chairman of the R.I. Life Science Hub. “With the recent opening of Ocean State Labs, investment in promising technologies and therapies and the growth of the industry across Rhode Island, this is an exciting time. Bob’s extensive experience, energy and hands-on approach will continue to drive forward the momentum of RILSH and Rhode Island’s life sciences.”
A Rhode Islander for more than 30 years, Cormier most recently served as CEO of Sentec, a privately held Swiss-American respiratory and critical-care monitoring company with operations across North America and Europe.
During his tenure, Cormier led the establishment of Sentec’s U.S. headquarters in Lincoln. He also led the company’s multiyear transformation, driving substantial revenue and company growth, including managing multiple acquisitions and integrations, transitioning to direct commercial models, strengthening clinical engagement, securing FDA and EU approvals across multiple product lines and advancing global go-to-market capabilities.
“Rhode Island’s life science industry has been a key focus sector for my administration and our investment is paying off,” said Gov. Daniel J. McKee. “RILSH is a vital part of this work, and I am confident Bob will build upon the strong foundation that has been laid to date.”
Prior to joining Sentec, Cormier was a founding member of the health-analytics startup Health Data Analytics Institute in Dedham, Mass.
He has additionally held senior roles at Covidien as well as adviser and employee roles across small, midsize and large companies, including Aspect Medical Systems in Newton, Mass., and Tyco Healthcare in Mansfield, Mass.
“Years of work have brought Rhode Island to this point, and it shows – the research, the talent and the momentum are all here,” Cormier said. “After 25 years in the industry – seeing products reach patients and companies scale – I understand what it takes to carry this foundation forward, and I'm honored to do that work here at home with RILSH. Together we can build a self-sustaining, nationally recognized life science economy where companies choose to hire, grow and stay.”
