John Urheim ’62

Biotechnology executive and Cornell life trustee John Urheim ’62 died Jan. 1. He was 73.
Urheim earned a degree in economics and political science at Cornell before pursuing a master’s degree in economics at the University of Iowa. He worked for Abbott Laboratories, Owens-Illinois Corporation, G.D. Searle, and Gynex Inc. before becoming vice-chairman and CEO of Atrix Laboratories Inc. in Fort Collins, Colo.
Urheim credited his Cornell education with his success, saying that despite having no training in biotechnology—he once noted the term hadn’t even been coined when he graduated—the critical thinking and analysis skills he learned at Cornell gave him the ability to learn anything he needed to.
Urheim was instrumental in the creation and funding of Cornell’s Delta Phi Rho Endowed Lecture Series. In 2002 he was given Cornell’s Leadership and Service Award. After serving from 1997–2006 and from 2012–13 on the college’s Board of Trustees, he was made a life trustee.
Urheim is survived by his wife, Maxine Weiselberg Urheim, and two daughters.