Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Publications and Patents
Timeline
Generic

John Konicek

Estero

Summary

Dynamic manager with a proven track record at Arthrex, Inc., leading teams to enhance biomechanical testing capabilities. Skilled in strategic planning and stakeholder management, I successfully implemented programs to increase the effectiveness of internal product testing and data analysis. Adept at personnel development, I drive project success through effective coaching and mentorship.

Overview

28
28
years of professional experience

Work History

Manager - Biomechanical Testing

Arthrex, Inc.
10.2021 - Current

• Guides and encourages team of 10 engineers, specialists, and supervisors through policy changes, expansion of responsibilities, and turnover in executive leadership
• Planned strategic initiatives and tracked KPIs and produced deliverables on schedule
• Expanded lab capabilities and capacities to match company growth and demand
• Developed plans to reduce reliance on external testing vendors by bringing more capabilities on site, simultaneously reducing costs
• Participates in internal and external quality audits
• Responds to CAPAs and NCRs to improve accountability and reliability
• Completed a process improvement for MRI Safety data collection and reporting
• Accountable to stakeholders in Product Development, Regulatory Affairs, Quality Engineering, Manufacturing, and Product Management
• Presents progress of KPIs and projects to executive leadership and company owner on a regular basis
• Arthrex voting member to ASTM F-04 Medical Devices Committee, and co-chair of ASTM F-04.26 Sports Medicine Sub-Committee
• Participated in a company task force to rework all design verification work instructions and forms

Supervisor - Biomechanics

Arthrex, Inc.
02.2018 - 10.2021

• Responsible for a team of six engineers and technicians, providing training and mentorship to increase individual capabilities and team performance
• Began tracking internal product testing metrics to measure team performance and for planning resources
• Balanced product testing activities, grant-supported research studies, and supervisory responsibilities on a daily basis
• Scrutinized biomechanical study grant requests for quality, cost, and company benefit, and provided weekly recommendations to Director of Research
• Made difficult decisions to re-assign or terminate team members that were underperforming or violating company policy

Research Engineer I/II/Senior

Arthrex, Inc.
06.2007 - 02.2018

• Responsible for more than 500 individual product test activities and reports, dozens of grant-supported research studies, and several product design projects
• Completed design and regulatory release of surgical instrument set created for removal and transplantation of oblong femoral cartilage grafts
• Represented Arthrex at AAOS, ORS, and AANA conferences
• Provided testing results and data analysis for medical devices across all product development teams
• Performed testing utilizing Instron Materials Testing Machines, motion tracking software, a 3D digitizer, and various load cells and transducers
• Adept at cadaveric dissection for isolation of tissues for testing
• Completed trainings for Advance SolidWorks Techniques, GD&T, Project Management, and SolidWorks Simulation

Research Assistant

Akron General Medical Center
10.2005 - 05.2007

• Assist University of Akron faculty and graduate students with a variety of orthopedic research projects including mechanical testing of orthopedic implants and the analysis of data

Teacher

Wickliffe High School
08.2001 - 06.2004

• Organized and instructed the high school’s instrumental and general music programs

Teacher

St. Ignatius High School
08.1997 - 06.2001

• Managed the entire music curriculum including instrumental, vocal, and general music

Education

Biomedical Engineering

University of Akron
Akron, OH
05-2007

Bachelor of Arts - Music Education

The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
06-1997

Skills

  • Team leadership
  • Verbal and written communication
  • Project management
  • Coaching and mentoring
  • Data analysis
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Stakeholder management
  • Peer reviewed publications
  • Strategic planning
  • Biomechanical testing
  • Statistical methods
  • CAD design

Publications and Patents

• Ferreira, C., Konicek, J., Spenciner, D. (2024). ASTM F3690-24: Standard test method for evaluating suture anchor insertion and pull displacement resistance. Vol. 13.02, F04.26.
• Ostrander, R., Jordan, S., Konicek, J, Baldwin, W. (2021). Suture tape - augmented posterior cruciate ligament repair should be tensioned and fixed at approximately 100° knee flexion to prevent loss of full flexion. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation, 3(6), e1811-e1818.
• Paletta, G.A., Crane, D.M., Konicek, J., Piepenbrink, M., Higgins, L.D., Milner, J.D., Wijdicks, C.A. (2020). Surgical treatment of meniscal extrusion: A biomechanical study on the role of the medial meniscotibial ligaments with early clinical validation. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 8(7).
• Melbourne, C., Cook, J.L., Della Rocca, G.J., Loftis, C., Konicek, J., Smith, M.J. (2020). Biomechanical assessment of lateral ulnar collateral ligament repair and reconstruction with or without internal brace augmentation.  JSES International, 4(2), 224-230.
• Lai, V.J., Reynolds, A.W., Kindya, M., Konicek, J., Akhavan, S. (2020). The use of suture augmentation for graft protection in ACL reconstruction: A biomechanical study in porcine knees. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation, 3(1), e57-e63.
• Camp, C.L., Bernard, C., Benavitz, B, Konicek, J., Altchek, D.W., Dines, J.S. (2019). Reconstruction of the medial ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow: Biomechanical comparison of a novel anatomic technique to the docking technique. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 7(7).
• Smith, P.A., Bradley, J.P., Konicek, J., Bley, J.A., Wijdicks, C.A., (2019). Independent suture tape internal brace reinforcement of bone–patellar tendon–bone allografts: Biomechanical assessment in a full-ACL reconstruction laboratory model. Journal of Knee Surgery, 33(10), 1047-1054.
• Kindya, M.C., Konicek, J., Rizzi, A., Komatsu, D.E., Paci, J.M. (2017). Knotless suture anchor with suture tape quadriceps tendon repair is biomechanically superior to transosseous and traditional suture anchor-based repairs in a cadaveric model. Arthroscopy, 33(1), 190-198.
• Burkhart, S.S., Denard, P.J., Konicek, J., Hanypsiak, B.T., (2013). Biomechanical validation of load-sharing rip-stop fixation for the repair of tissue-deficient rotator cuff tears. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 42(2).
• Lubowitz, J.H., Akhavan, S., Waterman, B.R., Aalami-Harandi, A., Konicek, J., (2013).  Technique for creating the anterior cruciate ligament femoral socket: Optimizing femoral footprint anatomic restoration using outside-in drilling. Arthroscopy, 29(3), 522-528.
• Lubowitz, J.H., Konicek, J. (2011).  A 3.5-mm-diameter anterior cruciate ligament tibial retrograde socket drilling pin is more accurate than a 2.4-mm-diameter pin. Arthroscopy, 27(5), 666-671.
• Lubowitz, J.H., Konicek, J. (2010). Anterior cruciate ligament femoral tunnel length: Cadaveric analysis comparing anteromedial portal versus outside-in technique. Arthroscopy, 26(10), 1357-1362.

• United States Patent #9,968,366: Method for Forming Non-Circular Cartilage Grafts (2018).
• United States Patent #11,065,105: Reinforced Biological Construct and Method of Reinforcing Biological Construct (2021).

Timeline

Manager - Biomechanical Testing

Arthrex, Inc.
10.2021 - Current

Supervisor - Biomechanics

Arthrex, Inc.
02.2018 - 10.2021

Research Engineer I/II/Senior

Arthrex, Inc.
06.2007 - 02.2018

Research Assistant

Akron General Medical Center
10.2005 - 05.2007

Teacher

Wickliffe High School
08.2001 - 06.2004

Teacher

St. Ignatius High School
08.1997 - 06.2001

Biomedical Engineering

University of Akron

Bachelor of Arts - Music Education

The Ohio State University

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