John Ende was recently named Great Lakes new president and chief executive officer. Mr. Ende assumed his new role July 1, 2022 and will oversee the company’s strategic planning and business development.

Mr. Ende’s commitment to the healthcare industry spans across decades, from his career start as a Clinical Sales Representative at Johnson & Johnson to senior management positions leading prominent organizations and brands. Most recently, Ende served as executive vice president for Global Sales and Marketing at Rhinomed, an Australian innovator responsible for Mute snoring products and Rhinoswab diagnostic swabs. He also served as president and general manager for North America at Nelsons, the maker of RESCUE Remedy. Prior to that he held executive leadership roles at oral care startup Hello Products and The Mentholatum Company. At each organization Ende played a key role in the successful launch of new healthcare brands and products, including Mute, RESCUE Plus Sleep, Hello, and Rohto Eye Drops.

Mr. Ende also served on active duty as an engineer officer in the United States Army, serving in the Buffalo District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Third Infantry Division in Germany. He earned an MBA from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York and a BS in Environmental Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Great Lakes, an employee-owned company, provides products, laboratory services, and both in-house and online appliance fabrication training to members of the orthodontic, prosthodontic, restorative, and general dental professions worldwide.

Great Lakes corporate headquarters is located at 200 Cooper Avenue in Tonawanda, New York.