From a Stryker executive to the founder of Globus Medical, eight Americans who earned their wealth from orthopedics- and spine-related ventures have been named to Forbes' annual "World's Billionaires List."
Eight orthopedics billionaires in 2023:
Reinhold Schmieding ($7.7 billion) started orthopedic surgical tools company Arthrex in 1981 and still owns more than 90 percent of the company.
Ronda Stryker ($6.9 billion) is a director of medical equipment company Stryker Corp.
John Brown ($5.7 billion) ran Stryker Corp. for 32 years.
Jon Stryker ($4.3 billion) inherited a stake in Stryker Corp.
Pat Stryker, $3.2 billion, inherited a stake in Stryker Corp.
Gary Michelson, MD ($1.8 billion), is a retired orthopedic and spine surgeon who holds more than 340 U.S. patents.
Amy Wyss ($1.8 billion) worked at medical equipment firm Synthes for years before it sold to Johnson & Johnson to become DePuy Synthes.
David Paul ($1.5 billion) is the founder and executive chairman of spine implant manufacturer Globus Medical.