Ms Helen Ryan

Helen Ryan is Chief Executive at Creganna Tactx Medical, Ireland's largest indigenous company in the medical device sector and ranked among the global top 10 outsourcing providers to the medical device industry. 

Like many new graduates in the mid-1980's, Helen worked abroad on large civil engineering projects in both London and Massachusetts before returning to Ireland and joining DeBeers in Shannon in 1989 in a facilities management role. 

Helen's career in medical devices started with C R Bard, Galway in 1991 at a time when little was known of the industry in Ireland. She spent eight years designing and commercialising medical products with Bard and later Medtronic for markets in US, Europe and Asia before taking up a position with Tyco-Mallincrot that introduced her to the sales and marketing aspect of the industry and allowed her developed a valuable understanding of a very broad range of medical products and clinical procedures. 

In 2003, Helen joined Creganna, a locally-owned company in Galway. Established in 1980, initially to provide a range of engineering solutions to the electronics industry, Creganna had diversified over the years and began to provide products and services into other industries including the fast-growing medical device industry. By the time she joined the company and its 100 employees, it had divested its operations in all other industries to focus solely on the medical device industry and Helen's first task was to establish a new Contract Design Services division. 

In a relatively short time, Helen was appointed CEO of Creganna in 2005 and has since steered the company through continued year-on-year growth. Creganna is recognized by its customers for product quality, reliability and customer service and under her leadership, has received numerous industry awards including being named in Europe's Top 500 in 2006 (for significant job creation), IMDA Excellence Award 2007 (for outstanding achievement in productivity, cost reduction and education through Lean Manufacturing), Frost & Sullivan Innovation Award 2007 (in recognition of Technology Innovation in the Minimally Invasive Surgeries Market), Stevie International Business Award 2008 (for Best Product Development Team), Lifescience Exporter of the Year Award 2008 (in recognition of growth and development of export markets) and Deloitte Fast 50 Award in 2007, 2008 and again in 2009 (in recognition of the impressive growth in staff and revenue). 

At the very heart of Creganna's success is innovation. In 2010, Creganna announced the acquisition of Tactx Medical Inc. to become Creganna-Tactx Medical. Combined sales of the two merged firms in 2009 amounted to $110m. Of the acquisition, Helen says "This was a lesson learned. The strategy from the outset was to go global”. 

Today, Creganna-Tactx Medical is an established expert in minimally invasive delivery systems, employs close to 1,000 people globally (including over 550 in Galway) and is a leading supplier of products, technologies and servicesto medical device and lifescience companies. It creates, designs and builds innovative products and technologiesand hasspecialist expertise in solutions for advanced catheter and specialty needle applications. The company has its head quarters in Galway with facilities in California, Minnesota Massachusetts and Singapore. Helen adds "Establishing strong relationships with our customer base has enabled Creganna-Tactx Medicalto develop innovative technologies closely aligned to our customers needs.” 

A qualified Civil Engineer, Helen is a fellow of the Institute of Engineers of Ireland and a past Chairperson of the Irish Medical Devices Association. She is currently a member of the governing body of NUIG, a director of Molecular Medicine Ireland and a member of the Advisory Board of Innovation Fund Ireland. 

Helen has a long and close association with Limerick. Her Grandfather, a life-long "soda cake”, was a fitter in the Ardnacrusha power station and her Limerick relatives have had a long involvement with business, politics and education in the city. 

After completing a Master's Degree in Project Management at the University of Limerick where she graduated with Honours in 2000, Helen has since remained involved with the Centre for Project Management at UL as a member of the Course Advisory Board. 

Married to George Delaney, Helen has three children and lives in Clarinbridge, Co Galway. She describes herself as "an enthusiastic dingy sailor … but I prefer to fly when overseeing the growth of Creganna globally!”. 

The above text is an extract from the 2010 UL Alumni Awards Souvenir Booklet.