Ralph S. Larsen

Ralph S. Larsen (November 18, 1938 – March 9, 2016) was an American businessman. He was the chief executive officer (CEO) of Johnson & Johnson from 1989 to 2002.

Early life and education Ralph Larsen was born in Brooklyn, New York City in a family of five siblings in 1938. His father was a first-generation immigrant from Norway. He joined the United States Navy for a few years. He worked his way through college, taking electrical jobs, and he received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Hofstra University in 1962.

Career Larsen joined Johnson & Johnson as a trainee in 1962, and worked there until 1981. In 1981–1983 he worked as president of consumer products at Becton Dickinson. He was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was on the board of trustees of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.