Who Is Randy Theken?
Randy Theken (pronounced “taken”) was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. A hard worker from a young age, Theken recalls pumping gas at his family’s service station beginning when he was barely able to reach the top of a gas pump at seven years old. Theken started his first company, Satellite Communication, to install large uplink satellite dishes when he was still in college.
After graduating from high school, Theken spent two years working at a fossil fuel nuclear power company. Theken recalls spending every lunch break hanging out in the office of a programmer who worked on the site. Theken recalls his fascination with the computer and the programmer telling him every day, “Kid, save your money, go to college.”
Which he did.
At the University of Akron, Theken majored in engineering and credits Rick Nemer, an electrical engineering professor, and Glen Njus, Ph.D., a biomedical engineering professor, for setting him on the path to becoming who he is today. Dr. Njus gave Theken a job in his lab that helped him pay for college and instilled in him a love for engineering. Under the tutelage of Dr. Njus, Theken graduated University of Akron with bachelor’s and masters’ degrees in electrical, mechanical, and biomedical engineering.
Theken Companies
In 1992, he founded Theken Orthopaedic, a company that provided mechanical testing, product development, and FDA regulatory services. From 1992 up through about 2000, over 125 orthopedic companies made the trek to Akron, Ohio, to do their implant testing because of Theken.
Six years later, he founded Theken Spine to focus on spinal implant and device development. Theken Spine developed its own extensive distribution network, inventory supply chain, and marketing team—growing to approximately $60 million in revenue.
In 2003, he founded Theken Disc to specifically focus on R&D development of next generation spinal arthroplasty devices. Theken Disc created the first polymer-based artificial disc with embedded microelectronics.
Finally, in July 2005, Theken purchased Therics, LLC, from Princeton, New Jersey-based Tredegar Corporation. Therics designed, developed, and manufactured a variety of synthetic bone substitute products using its 3D-printing patents—Therics was one of the originators of 3D-printing.
In 2009, Integra LifeSciences, acquired three of Theken’s companies (Theken Spine, Theken Disc, and Therics). A new division within Integra was created (Integra Spine) and Theken was appointed its President. Theken operated Integra Spine through 2010, after which point, he had a five-year non-compete within the medical arena.
