Richard M. Arons, ScD

Richard M. Arons, ScD, has been on the Board of ECRI since 2017, and has served as Chairman since 2018. He retired as managing director at Korn Ferry in 2019 after 25 years with the firm. His expertise was working with client companies whose future is highly dependent on technology. His work focused in two different primary areas: 1) medical device and diagnostics companies across all executive functions within the global life sciences market; and 2) research, development, and engineering leadership across all industries.

Arons’ medical device and diagnostics expertise encompasses medical and surgical devices, medical equipment and instrumentation, diagnostics both clinical and consumer, and drug delivery systems. He has worked with Global 1000 and Fortune 500 companies, as well as start-up and fast growth companies. Many of his assignments have been global: recruiting outside the United States for a key position or for US leadership of a division of a company headquartered outside the United States.

As a past research and engineering leader, Arons' industry and consulting experience and understanding of the product development process enable him to clearly identify the competencies and critical success factors that create a company’s competitive advantage. He has personally led over 100 RD&E executive recruitment assignments for companies such as GE, Johnson & Johnson, Honeywell, and United Technologies, as well as start-ups and smaller companies.

Before entering the executive search business, Arons was chief operating officer for the PA Consulting Group in North America where he concentrated on product and process development, emphasizing the innovative use of enabling technologies. He also worked for Celanese Research Company and Argonne National Laboratory.

Arons holds a doctorate of engineering science from Columbia University and a bachelor of science from Lehigh University. He is also a graduate of Columbia University’s Coaching Certification Program at the PCC level, the highest offered by the program and consistent with International Coaching Federation standards.