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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowKem Hawkins, who has been president of Cook Group Inc. since 2001, will retire on July 1, the Bloomington-based company announced Tuesday.
Hawkins, 67, will be replaced by Pete Yonkman, whom Hawkins has been grooming as a successor for several years. In late 2013, Yonkman replaced Hawkins as president of Cook Medical, the Cook company that makes medical devices.
In addition to the medical devices, Cook Group’s other companies operate businesses in medical materials manufacturing, real estate, retail services, transportation and travel.
Hawkins joined Cook in 1981 after a career as a band director in the Bloomington schools system. Since he became president, Cook Group’s sales have grown from $500 million to $2 billion, while its global workforce has leapt from 4,000 to 12,000.
“Kem has successfully led the company through challenging times, significant growth, and a shifting global health care landscape,” said Cook Group CEO Carl Cook in a written statement.
Yonkman joined Cook in 2001 as corporate counsel. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from Indiana University in Bloomington.
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