Today, as we continue to evolve the Company to face the changing healthcare markets of the future, we’re working harder than ever to operate as one company whose strength is in our broad and deep collective skills. Any business operating today knows that external change is a constant. Yet it’s the character of our employees and our ability to adapt to an ever-increasing rate of change that defines Stryker as a medical technology leader for the long haul.
Our responsiveness and hard work have helped us turn innovation and consistency into strong financial performance in 2011 and have positioned us well for 2012 and beyond. But the real payoff is the number of lives we help improve and the number of patients we help heal as we achieve our own transformation. Now more than ever, we’re in a prime position to deliver the life-changing innovation that will drive forward the frontier of healthcare delivery. Although the recent announcement of a CEO transition creates a level of uncertainty, I am confident that the core values of this great Company, the stability of our employees and leadership teams, and the trust of the Board of Directors and their commitment to our strategy have this Company on a clear path that will remain unchanged moving forward.
I am excited about our future and our prospects for continued growth. To borrow a quote from John W. Brown, Chairman Emeritus, which graced these pages several years ago, “I am still long on Stryker.”
Sincerely,
Curt R. Hartman
Interim Chief Executive Officer and
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer