James LeVoy Sorenson

American Innovator and Entrepreneur  

Sorenson's ultra-successful career is extraordinary, especially given his humble beginnings. Born in Rexburg, Idaho, in 1921 and growing up in California during the worst years of the Great Depression, Sorenson was slow of speech and dyslexic. His first grade teacher told his mother he was mentally deficient and would probably never be able to read. With his mother's support, he did not give in, and now views his "disability" as a stepping-stone to his creativity. Hard work, frugality, and an entrepreneurial spirit came naturally. He sold newspapers and collected wind-fallen almonds from nearby orchards, reselling them for a dime per bucket door-to-door. Sorenson learned there are two ways of thinking: "I can't do it. And I can't do it -- yet."

His school work improved and Sorenson was accepted into medical school, but his path was detoured first by a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and then by World War II, during which he enlisted in the U.S. Maritime Service, earned an officer's commission and served a pharmacy internship. After the war, Sorenson accepted a pharmaceutical sales position with the Upjohn Company. While making sales calls, he closely observed healthcare delivery problems routinely encountered by physicians and began to ask himself, "Isn't there a better way? There's got to be a better way!" This simple, persistent inquiry drove his creative problem-solving and led to the invention and development of breakthrough healthcare devices that helped pioneer today's biotechnology industry.

Between sales calls for Upjohn, Sorenson scouted homes and property for investment, trying to predict where Salt Lake would grow next. True to his dedication—and frugality—he produced excellent sales results without spending the entire $30-$40 he was given each week to entertain physicians. With money saved, he made small, systematic investments in real estate. Even before his later success as a medical device inventor and manufacturer, he had amassed a million-dollar real estate portfolio. Eventually, Sorenson stopped selling pharmaceuticals for Upjohn, but he kept buying land. Today, he owns more than 70,000 acres, primarily in Utah.

Breakthrough Ideas in Technology and Business

After leaving Upjohn, Sorenson co-founded Deseret Pharmaceutical in 1957. His astute observation of physician's healthcare delivery problems continued, leading to the invention and development of the first disposable paper surgical mask and the first modern intravenous catheter, a thin-walled stainless steel needle that could thread a tiny plastic catheter into the vein. Both innovations were immediate successes and became standard equipment in the healthcare industry.

Sorenson sold his share in Deseret Pharmaceutical in 1960 and purchased a garment manufacturer he renamed LeVoy's. LeVoy's was one of the nation's first successful direct marketing businesses, selling modest lingerie through a network of women who engaged in door-to-door sales and sponsored home parties.

In 1962, he launched Sorenson Research from the back room of LeVoy's. Sorenson once again focused on his passion for medical innovation. By 1972, the company offered nearly 500 healthcare products, employed 1,700 people and was the most innovative biotechnology company in the country. Sorenson sold his company to Abbott Laboratories in 1980, and Sorenson Research became Abbott Critical Care Systems - one of Abbott's most profitable divisions - and was later spun off as a company named Hospira. Sorenson became, Abbott's and Hospira's largest single private shareholder.

Many of Sorenson's inventions revolutionized the healthcare industry. Known foremost for devising the first cardio-vascular lab computer system to monitor the human heart in real-time, Sorenson has more than forty medical patents, and it's likely that a Sorenson medical innovation is at work in nearly every operating room in the United States. Abbott CEO Miles White said, "Jim Sorenson is one of the world's most prolific and productive pioneers of medical devices. His inventions had a monumental impact, and they've stood the test of time."

Sorenson's medical device success was a byproduct of his passion, and that passion continues to drive him to undertake new endeavors, including non-profit work through the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. He has said of this undertaking, "If I wanted to be remembered, it would be that I had a hand in helping the world become a more peaceful place."

A Lasting Legacy

The James LeVoy Sorenson Center for Discovery and Innovation Studies at the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business will provide a unique interdisciplinary learning and research experience focused on the exploration of innovative ideas and the discovery of new processes and emerging technologies. Designed as a legacy to the prolific inventiveness and dynamic entrepreneurship of James Sorenson, the center will encourage and support University of Utah professors and researchers who develop creative ideas and tools to improve the lives of others and the world in which we live.