Ronald Dean Henriksen

Ronald Dean Henriksen

1939 – 2019

Ronald Dean Henriksen, of Avon, passed away Sunday, June 30, 2019 at IU Health Methodist Hospital.

He was born in Armstrong, Iowa, the son of Clifford and Helen Henriksen. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Penny Henriksen.

In addition to Penny, Ron is survived by his son John Henriksen of Newark, his brother Bob (Ilona) Henriksen of Armstrong, Iowa, and his favorite cat, Larry. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Anne and his former wife, Judy.

Ron graduated from Iowa State University and joined the U.S. Navy, serving on a guided missile cruiser during the Cuban Missile Crisis, an experience that he said helped him become a responsible leader. He graduated with distinction from Harvard Business School, always knowing he would return to the Midwest. He worked for many years at Eli Lilly International Corporation, later helping the company invest in new biotechnology opportunities and guiding its investment strategy in the tech and medical space. Later he continued deal-making in biotech, helping create startups in California and at home in Indiana, becoming CEO of the Indiana University Research and Technology Corp in 1999, and helping found cellular science research firm EndGenitor within the IU Emerging Technology Center. He would sometimes say he was drawn to medical innovation in part because of the loss of his daughter Anne in a surgical mishap. Ron was known for being humble and approachable, often at work in jeans and baseball cap, and was quoted once by a reporter as saying the secret to his success in deal-making was to “act as a facilitator and not some big boss.”

Growing up on a farm, Ron had a strong draw to the countryside throughout his life. He enjoyed farm work, woodworking, caring for animals, and mowing on his and Penny’s land in Avon.

Memorial contributions may be made to Best Friends Animal Society (www.bestfriends.org) or to the Alzheimer’s Association of Indiana (www.alz.org/indiana/donate).