NEW YORK – Jim Peterson, an Ilwaco High School graduate who has been a key benefactor of educational enrichment activities for Peninsula students, recently announced his retirement as CEO and president of Haemonetics Corp. effective March 28 after a 22-year career with the global medical device company.

Peterson, whose mother continues to live in Ilwaco, is a member of IHS’s Wall of Fame in recognition of his many professional accomplishments and his long sponsorship of the annual Swiss internship, in which an IHS graduate is selected to spend the summer in Europe working for Haemonetics there.

Peterson joined Haemonetics in 1980 from Hewlett Packard Corp. With extensive international marketing experience, Peterson was charged with implementing an international business for Haemonetics. Under his leadership, the international business grew to over $200 million in annual sales, representing over 60 percent of Haemonetics’ worldwide sales, and worldwide sales reached $330 million. The company ships 12 million blood collection disposable products annually and is recognized as the leading manufacturer of technology that improves the safety and availability of life saving blood components.

Peterson co-led a leveraged management buyout of the company from American Hospital Supply Corp. in 1985; he was then part of the senior executive group that took the company public in 1991. Peterson has served on the company’s board of directors since 1985.

In 1998, Peterson was appointed CEO and president of Haemonetics. At that time, he refocused the company on two important initiatives: the Customer Oriented Re-engineering for Excellence (“CORE”) program that used Total Quality of Management methodologies to improve business practices and new growth initiatives, including development of two revolutionary blood collection devices: The automated red cell collection device and an autotransfusion device for use in orthopedic surgeries.

On announcement of Peterson’s retirement, Sir Stuart Burgess, Haemonetics’ Board chairman, commented, “Jim has contributed greatly to the success of Haemonetics. He leaves the company well positioned for the future with a reinvigorated product line, strong balance sheet, and improved processes for capturing structural cost reductions.”

Peterson also serves as chairman of the Cambridge, Mass., Chapter of the Center for Quality of Management and is a member of its International Board of Directors. He is a trustee of the National Blood Foundation and trustee of the Joslin Diabetes Center.

Haemonetics is currently conducting an executive search for a new CEO, and Peterson will remain available to assist during the transition to new leadership.