Healthcare >> CEO Interviews >> September 30, 1999
KEVIN RYAN is Chairman of the Board and CEO of Wesley Jessen VisionCare,
Inc., the leader in the premium specialty soft contact lens segment of
the vision care industry, and the oldest and fourth largest
international contact lens manufacturer. Mr. Ryan started in the soft
contact lens business in 1978 as president of the Barnes Hind division
of Revlon and introduced extended wear lenses to the market. He served
president and group president of Revlon's eye care division throughout
the 1980s, leaving the company after it was acquired by Pilkington. Mr.
became president of Wesley Jessen in June 1995, after it was acquired by
Bain Capital and members of the company's management. In the Fall of
1996, he oversaw the acquisition of the contact lens division of
Pilkington, PLC, Barnes Hind. Mr. Ryan has extensive senior management
experience in the health care field, including pharmaceuticals and
biotechnology. Mr. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. Profile
Wesley Jessen, just to kind of set the stage for the readers?
Mr. Ryan: Wesley Jessen was founded by two Chicago
