CONMED Appoints John Gallagher as CFO, Effective July 15
The medical-device maker hired an experienced healthcare finance executive from Certara to replace Todd Garner.
By the FiledFeed automated desk
This summary was generated by AI from the company's SEC filing and may contain errors — always verify against the primary source on SEC.gov.
The short version
CONMED Corporation announced on June 17, 2026, that it has appointed John E. Gallagher as Chief Financial Officer, effective July 15, 2026, succeeding Todd Garner. Gallagher brings nearly three decades of finance experience, including prior roles as CFO of Certara and Cue Health, and senior finance positions at Becton Dickinson.
Filing impact
Filing sentiment
CONMED Corporation named John E. Gallagher as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective July 15, 2026, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 17, 2026. Gallagher replaces Todd Garner, who will remain with the company in an advisory role through November 2, 2026.
Gallagher brings approximately 30 years of experience in finance, including leadership roles at several healthcare and industrial companies. Most recently, he was Chief Financial Officer of Certara, Inc., a publicly traded pharmaceutical technology company, from 2023 onwards. Before that, he was CFO of Cue Health Inc., a healthcare technology company, from 2021 to 2023.
Earlier in his career, Gallagher spent nine years at Becton Dickinson, a large medical device company. He joined BD in 2012 as Corporate Treasurer and later served as CFO of BD's Medical Segment—the company's largest business unit—where he oversaw corporate finance, treasury, financial planning and analysis, and accounting across a global medical technology portfolio. He was also involved in managing two major acquisitions.
Before his roles at BD, Gallagher held various finance leadership positions at General Electric and Ford Motor Company. He earned an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School of Business and a bachelor's degree in finance from Clemson University.
Under the employment agreement filed with the SEC, Gallagher's annual base salary is $650,000, with a target annual bonus of 85% of his base salary. He will receive a one-time sign-on bonus of $34,750 upon meeting employment conditions on December 31, 2026. His long-term incentive compensation includes an initial equity grant worth $2.3 million—comprised of 50% restricted stock units (vesting over time), 25% performance stock units (at target), and 25% stock options—plus a one-time "make-whole" equity grant of $1.5 million in restricted stock units to compensate for awards forfeited from his prior employer. These RSUs will vest in three equal installments over three years. He is also eligible for annual long-term incentive grants beginning in March 2027. Gallagher is eligible for severance benefits under CONMED's executive severance plan at the "Senior Executive Level" and will participate in the company's 401(k) plan, which provides a company match of up to 7% of eligible compensation, capped at $10,000 per year.
CONMED's CEO Patrick J. Beyer said the company was pleased to welcome Gallagher and cited his expertise in healthcare and medical technology, his record in leading global finance organizations, and his experience supporting complex strategic transactions.
Key facts
- CONMED Corporation appointed John E. Gallagher as Chief Financial Officer effective July 15, 2026
- Gallagher succeeds Todd Garner, who remains in advisory capacity through November 2, 2026
- Gallagher's base salary: $650,000 per year
- Target annual bonus: 85% of base salary
- One-time sign-on bonus: $34,750 (if employed in good standing on December 31, 2026)
- Initial equity grant: $2.3 million (50% RSUs, 25% PSUs at target, 25% stock options)
- Make-whole equity grant: $1.5 million in RSUs vesting in three equal installments over three years
- Gallagher was most recently CFO of Certara Inc. (starting in 2023)
- Prior role: CFO of Cue Health Inc. (2021–2023)
- Worked at Becton Dickinson for 9 years (2012–2021), including as CFO of Medical Segment
- Earlier roles at General Electric and Ford Motor Company
- Reporting to CEO Patrick J. Beyer
- Position based remotely
Why it matters
This is a routine CFO transition at a publicly traded medical device company. Gallagher's appointment is material to the extent that CFO changes can affect investor confidence in financial management and strategic execution; his extensive healthcare and medical technology background, combined with prior CFO roles at other public companies, provides some continuity of expertise in financial operations. The overlap period where Garner remains in an advisory capacity until November 2 suggests a managed transition. However, there is no indication of any disruption, governance issue, or material change in company direction—this reads as an ordinary executive succession announcement.
Frequently asked
- Who is CONMED's new Chief Financial Officer?
- John E. Gallagher, who was appointed effective July 15, 2026, and was most recently Chief Financial Officer of Certara Inc., a publicly traded pharmaceutical technology company.
- What is John Gallagher's base salary at CONMED?
- His annual base salary is $650,000, with a target annual bonus equal to 85% of base salary, plus a one-time sign-on bonus of $34,750 and initial equity compensation worth $3.8 million ($2.3 million in the regular equity grant plus $1.5 million in make-whole RSUs).
- Who did Gallagher replace?
- He replaced Todd Garner, who remains with CONMED in an advisory capacity through November 2, 2026.
- What is John Gallagher's background in healthcare and finance?
- Gallagher brings nearly 30 years of finance experience, including prior roles as CFO of Certara and Cue Health, nine years at Becton Dickinson (including as CFO of its largest Medical Segment), and earlier positions at General Electric and Ford Motor Company.
What the filing reported
- 5.02 Departure/Election of Directors or Officers
- 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure
- 9.01 Financial Statements & Exhibits
Source
Based on CONMED Corp's 8-K filed with the SEC on Jun 17, 2026. Read the original filing on SEC.gov ↗