AdvaMed Names Vince Forlenza 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

WASHINGTON, D.C.-AdvaMed®, the Medtech Association, today announced Vincent A. "Vince" Forlenza, former chairman and CEO of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), as the recipient of the 2026 AdvaMed Lifetime Achievement Award. Forlenza will receive the award during The MedTech Conference in Boston Oct. 18-21.

AdvaMed's highest honor recognizes pioneers whose sustained leadership and contributions to medical technology have had a profound impact on patients' lives and the industry.

"Vince's career epitomizes what the AdvaMed Lifetime Achievement Award is meant to recognize: visionary leadership, service to patients, and an unwavering commitment to strengthening the entire medtech industry," said Scott Whitaker, AdvaMed president and CEO. "He transformed BD, helped build AdvaMedDx, led our industry's work on consequential policy issues, and returned to serve when the COVID-19 pandemic created an urgent need for diagnostic testing. Our industry is stronger and patients are better served because of his leadership."

Forlenza spent over 40 years at BD, holding leadership positions in the United States and Europe before becoming president in 2009, chief operating officer in 2010, CEO in 2011 and chairman of the board in 2012. He retired as CEO in January 2020, continued as executive chairman and retired from BD in April 2021.

Under Forlenza's leadership, BD evolved from a medical supplies manufacturer into one of the world's leading medical device, diagnostics and life sciences companies. From fiscal 2011 to fiscal 2020, the company's annual revenue more than doubled, while its market capitalization more than tripled. His tenure included greatly expanding BD's global reach and the acquisitions of CareFusion and C.R. Bard, which significantly broadened BD's capabilities and business portfolio.

Forlenza served as chairman of the AdvaMed Board of Directors from December 2014 to March 2017, served seven years on the Board and Executive Committee, and chaired the association's Board Committee on Technology and Regulation and its Legal Committee. He also served as chairman of the board of AdvaMedDx and was instrumental in expanding the diagnostics division.

As AdvaMed board chair, Forlenza helped lead industry advocacy that secured a two-year suspension of the medical device excise tax, supported collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration on cybersecurity, and helped negotiate the fourth Medical Device User Fee Amendments agreement.

After retiring from BD, Forlenza returned to support AdvaMed's pandemic response, leading an ad hoc committee of COVID-19 test manufacturers working to improve the availability of diagnostic testing. Throughout his career, he also helped create public-private partnerships to combat HIV and improve vaccination rates globally.

The AdvaMed Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals with lengthy careers of demonstrated industry leadership, a sustained commitment to patient care and medical innovation, and distinguished service to the medtech community. Previous recipients include Mike Mussallem, Caroll H. Neubauer, William H. Longfield, Lester B. Knight, Edward Ludwig, Ron Dollens, Cathy Burzik, Vernon Loucks Jr., Jack Wareham, John Abele and Peter Nicholas, Dr. Thomas Fogarty, Earl Bakken, and John Brown.

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