Kevin Conroy

CLAUD R. ERICKSON DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD    

Kevin Conroy has clearly distinguished himself as a technical leader, entrepreneur, and innovator in his field. He is chairman and chief executive officer of Exact Sciences Corp., a company that strives to change lives through earlier detection and smarter answers for cancer patients.

During his 11-year tenure as CEO, Exact Sciences collaborated with Mayo Clinic to develop Cologuard, a noninvasive DNA based colorectal cancer screening test, and grew from three employees to more than 4,000. In 2019, Exact Sciences’ acquisition of Genomic Health, Inc., united two of the industry’s strongest brands, Cologuard and Oncotype DX, and established the company’s position as the global leader in advanced cancer diagnostics.

Before joining Exact Sciences, Mr. Conroy served as president and chief executive officer of Third Wave Technologies, a molecular diagnostics company, which developed innovative DNA and RNA analysis products until the company’s acquisition by Hologic, Inc. Mr. Conroy also held leadership positions at GE Healthcare, a global leader in medical imaging and information technology.

 Mr. Conroy serves as a director of the biopharmaceutical company Epizyme, Inc. and Adaptive Biotechnology Corporation. He serves as a director of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce and on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor’s Advisory Council. He also has served as chair of The United Way of Dane County’s 2016 annual campaign, board member of Overture Center for the Arts, and Badger Advocates, a non-profit organization that represents the interests of improving and expanding support for the University of Wisconsin.

Among his many awards, he was honored with the 2019 In Business Madison – Person of the Year; the 2018 Wisconsin Biohealth – Business Achievement Award; the 2018 Best in Biz Awards – Large Company Executive of the Year; the 2015 In Business Madison – Large Company Executive of the Year; and in 2014 was presented the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Midwest Biotechnology.

In 2016, he and his wife, Sheila Brennan Conroy, established the Senator Joe and Mary Conroy Endowed Scholarship at MSU, in honor of his parents. The scholarship supports engineering students from the Flint area, Kevin’s hometown and the constituency that Senator Conroy represented as a state senator.

Mr. Conroy holds a BS degree in electrical engineering from Michigan State University and earned his juris doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School. All four of his siblings, Colleen, Kelly, Tim and Christine are proud Michigan State graduates.

He and his wife were classmates at the University of Michigan Law School. They live in Madison, Wisconsin, and are the proud parents of Meghan, Grace, and Molly Conroy and share their home with their dog “Izzo.”

The Claud R. Erickson Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor presented to an alumnus by the college. It recognizes professional accomplishment, volunteer service, and distinguished service to the college and the engineering profession. Mr. Erickson was a 1923 graduate of the college. The award was first presented in June 1982.