Stephen E. Eichmann , BS

Director
Research and Development
Cincinnati, OH

2006-07 Innovation Fellow
Steve Eichmann graduated from the University of Cincinnatis internationally recognized College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning with a B.S. in Industrial Design and a minor in Marketing. Upon graduation, Steve accepted a position in Worldwide Research & Development at Johnson & Johnsons Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.

Since joining EES, Steve has lead Ethnographic Research, Unmet Need Identification, Concept Development and Preference Testing, Intellectual Property Strategies, Product Usability, Ergonomics, Human Factors, and Product Brand Development activities within the new product development teams. Steve has been involved in 13 product launches and is a recipient of three BusinessWeek IDSA International Design Excellence Awards for the Echelon Laparoscopic Stapling Device (silver), the ultrasonically-powered Harmonic FOCUS Curved Shear (bronze), and a Research categorgy Gold award for Ethnographic Research approach which was designed to identify and uncover unarticulated opportunities within surgical procedures. Additionally, the Harmonic FOCUS product was recognized by R&D Magazine as one of the top 100 most technologically significant products.

In 2007, Steve completed a fellowship in Stanfords Biodesign Surgical Innovation Program. While in the program Steves team identified numerous unmet surgical needs and developed viable product solutions to improve patient care. One of the teams ideas, a concept for safe, accurate, and effective delivery of regional anesthesia, was a recipient of an NCIIA grant, a NSF grant, a finalist in the E-BASES Business Plan competition, and is now InSite Medical Technologies is a venture-backed start-up in the Bay area.

Steve returned to Johnson & Johnson in 2007 to focus on Surgical Product Innovation as a WW R&D Design Director in EESs New Product Development organization. Since his return, Steve has been instrumental in shaping the Front End of Innovation framework at EES as well as helping to establish an Open Innovation strategy.