Longtime Vident CEO Wayne Whitehill has retired, effective August 1.
He will stay on as a Vident board member and consultant for the near term. President Fred Ketcho has taken over as the new CEO.
Whitehill, along with Ray Morrow and Vern Hale, launched Vident in 1984 to represent the Vita product line in the U.S. All three had worked with Vita in one capacity or another and were looking to partner with the dental laboratory industry, laying the groundwork for the founding of Vident, according to the company.
First year sales for Vident were nearly $3 million. Today, Vident has almost 100 employees and has experienced strong growth at a phenomenal rate, increasing sales more than eight times during the last 20 years.
In 2009, Vident began to actively seek a candidate for president of the company and after a nationwide search, Ketcho was hired in April 2010 to fill the role.
"When we were looking to fill the position of president, we did so with the knowledge that the candidate would one day be stepping into the job of CEO," Whitehill stated in a press release. "We were looking for an individual with the right background, education, and experience, and Fred was the clear choice. His broad professional experience, leadership abilities, and energy, along with his strong focus on customer relationships made him the perfect candidate."
