Hillenbrand mourns loss of first CEO
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Batesville-based Hillenbrand Inc. is remembering Kenneth Camp, the company’s first president and CEO. Camp passed away Friday at the age of 78.
Camp became president and CEO of Hillenbrand after the company was spun off from Hill-Rom in 2008. However, he had been with the company for a total of 32 years before his retirement at the end of 2013.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Hillenbrand CEO Kim Ryan called Camp a visionary leader who began the company’s transformational journey into the global industrial company it is today.
“Ken saw that Hillenbrand had more opportunities ahead of it and helped transform the company from a North American deathcare company to a global industrial company. He went on to lead the acquisitions of K-Tron in 2010, Rotex in 2011 and Coperion in 2012. Ultimately, his leadership and strategic vision provided us with a foundation for our future growth.
He was a leader who developed leaders. He believed in his team and pushed people out of their comfort zones to continue to learn beginning early in their careers. He believed that it is a leader’s responsibility to empower and grow the next generation of talent.
Ken’s legacy will forever be imprinted on Hillenbrand. He was known for his relentless pursuit of excellence and his passion for creating the foundation that we continue to build upon.”
Prior to joining Hillenbrand, Camp served in the U.S. Army as a rotary wing aviator, retiring with the rank of Captain, according to his obituary.
Services for Camp are scheduled for Friday in Sarasota, Florida.