UB Mourns the Passing of Wilson Greatbatch, UB Alumnus and Inventor of the Implantable Cardiac Pacemaker

"Our University at Buffalo community mourns the passing of Wilson Greatbatch and extends our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the Greatbatch family.

It is impossible to quantify just how deeply Greatbatch has impacted our university and our community over the years. Far beyond our own region, his invention of the implantable cardiac pacemaker has improved and saved millions of lives around the world. Our UB community is tremendously proud of his long and multifaceted association with our university--as a distinguished alumnus and former member of our engineering faculty, a longtime university friend, and a source of inspiration to generations of faculty and students at our university.

The same can be said of the powerful company he has built in Western New York--Greatbatch, Inc. Like its founder, Greatbatch, Inc. has been a strong and committed partner of the University at Buffalo over the years, supporting the research of our faculty and students, and helping to foster the next generation of engineering pioneers. And UB and Greatbatch are partners in building a vital life sciences economy in our region—and in seeking out the biomedical solutions and discoveries that will improve the quality of life for individuals around the world.

Today, we are proud that one of our eminent faculty--SUNY Distinguished Professor Esther Takeuchi--holds the Greatbatch Professorship in Advanced Power Sources in the UB Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Electrical Engineering, a position endowed by the Greatbatch, Inc. company.

Truly, we have countless reasons to be grateful to Greatbatch's enduring legacy. His achievements and contributions will continue to enrich our university and our community for many generations to come."

-- Satish K. Tripathi, President, University at Buffalo