- Great American Business Leaders of the Twentieth Century
James E. Burke
Johnson & Johnson Company
1976 - 1989
Healthcare
| Military Service | Navy |
|---|
b. 1925
| Education |  |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | Holy Cross College |
| Graduate | MBA, Harvard University |
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Born-Died | 1925 |
| Birthplace | Vermont (VT) |
| Race | White |
| Father | White Collar Worker |
When Burke took over Johnson & Johnson, the company had thousands of products including Tylenol, which had a 35% share of the analgesic market. Two incidents of cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules dropped Tylenol’s market share to 7%. Burke’s dramatic and swift actions resulted in Tylenol regaining its 35% market share. While leading Johnson & Johnson, Burke also invested in new products such as Retin-A and disposable contact lenses.