Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson was named president of the Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council (MassMEDIC) in July 2018. An accomplished author, media entrepreneur, Brian serves as the association’s second chief executive officer in its history, managing its day-to-day operations and working with medical device industry executives in developing its policy agenda. Since its establishment in 1996, MassMEDIC has grown to 300 member companies – manufacturers and developers of medical products, suppliers, research institutions and academic health centers – and has advanced the public policy interests of the New England medical device sector on Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill, and before various federal agencies.
In 2007, Brian conceived and later launched MassDevice.com, where he been responsible for the strategic vision of the company, from inception through the summer of 2018, including leading the company through an acquisition in 2015 by WTWH Media.
As publisher, Brian spearheaded the growth of MassDevice from 0 to 100,000+ readers each month and led the company to profitability in just 3 years and more than $2.8M in annual sales. In 2011, Brian conceived and launched DeviceTalks, a live-interview series featuring leaders in medicine. The event, which is held three times annually in Boston, Minnesota and Orange County, California, has attracted thousands of medical device executives to date and featured leaders from some of the world’s largest medical technology companies. Since 2015, Brian also founded and launched two additional magazines, Medical Design & Outsourcing and Drug Delivery Business News, bringing total readership under his supervision to over 1.5 million.
Under Brian’s direction, MassDevice and its associated properties were widely recognized for its commitment to quality journalism. The editorial boards of the New York Times, NPR, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post have cited MassDevice’s coverage of issues pertaining to the medical device industry. In 2012, MassDevice won a prestigious Communicator award in 2012 for excellence with its live web video series “Disruptors.”
An experienced reporter and author, Brian has worked for The Associated Press, Boston Globe digital and The Eagle-Tribune newspaper, covering business and economics, local government and crime. In 2017, his critically acclaimed first novel “MWD: Hell is Coming Home” was released by Candlewick Press.
Brian resides in Brookline, Massachusetts with his wife and two young children.