Partner Spotlight: Zimmer Biomet

In 1957, just a few years after its founding, OREF issued its first appeal to encourage corporate support for its new orthopaedic research grant program. Zimmer Manufacturing Company was one of the first companies to respond, and the contribution marked the beginning of a long and enduring partnership to improve clinical orthopaedic practice and the lives of patients experiencing chronic and acute musculoskeletal conditions.

From the early days with the Zimmer Manufacturing Company, and now through Zimmer Biomet and the Zimmer Biomet Foundation, Inc., Zimmer Biomet has been proud to support OREF’s research and education programs.

Over the last decade, Zimmer Biomet has supported numerous OREF grant programs, including the prestigious OREF Career Development Grant, the OREF New Investigator Grant and the OREF Resident Clinician Scientist Training Grant, as well as OREF collaborative grants, including the OTA Trauma Research Grant, the Hip and Knee Research Grant, the  J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society (JRGOS) Diversity Grant and the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society (RJOS) Diversity Grant. Zimmer Biomet has also provided support for OREF’s grant management activities and the OREF Resident Research Symposia.

OREF has also been honored to have three Zimmer Biomet leaders serve on its Board of Trustees, including former Biomet CEO, Jeffrey Binder, former Zimmer Biomet CEO, David Dvorak, and current Zimmer Biomet Chairman, President and CEO, Ivan Tornos.

Mr. Tornos joined the OREF Board this spring. In discussing his appointment to the board, Mr. Tornos expressed a strong commitment to OREF and musculoskeletal (MSK) research. “I am thrilled to be joining the OREF board. Now more than ever, it’s important we move with a sense of urgency and deep purpose to ensure that musculoskeletal research advances at a much faster pace and delivers even bolder solutions. There are countless patients currently waiting on the sidelines who could benefit from the meaningful work that we will do together, and I’m committed to doing all I can to reduce the current gaps in this area.”

The generous support of OREF by Zimmer Biomet, its leadership past and present, and the Zimmer Biomet Foundation, is testament to its enduring commitment to fostering innovation, equity and excellence in orthopaedic research and patient care. OREF is grateful for Zimmer Biomet’s commitment to OREF and to MSK research.