A. Thomas Bender served as CEO of The Cooper Companies from May 1995 until his retirement in November 2007. He was integral in the company's growth, leading them for 13 years and overseeing their vision in the medical device field,...

A. Thomas Bender served as CEO of The Cooper Companies from May 1995 until his retirement in November 2007. He was integral in the company's growth, leading them for 13 years and overseeing their vision in the medical device field, specifically in contact lenses through CooperVision. Before joining Cooper, he had a solid career at Allergan, where he held various positions and became Senior Vice President. While at The Cooper Companies, he took on the role of Chairman of the Board in 2002 and remained active in the company's direction even after stepping down as CEO. After retiring, Bender continued to contribute to the industry by serving on boards, including Allegro Ophthalmics and Mission Hospital Foundation. With over 50 years in the field, his experience shapes his insights into the business and regulatory landscape of the medical device industry. In 2007, his total compensation was around $958,810, which included his salary, other benefits, but did not reflect stock options or grants since those were not awarded due to his retirement that year.