- Alton Shader, CEO of Viant Medical®, to become CEO and join the Board of Directors, effective May 26, 2026
- Chairman and CEO Michael B. Petras, Jr. will serve as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors
CLEVELAND, May 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sotera Health Company ("Sotera Health" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:SHC), a leading global provider of mission-critical end-to-end sterilization solutions, lab testing and advisory services for the healthcare industry, today announced the appointment of Alton Shader to the role of Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of the Company, effective May 26, 2026, as part of a planned leadership transition. Mr. Shader will succeed Michael B. Petras, Jr., Chairman and CEO and will join the Sotera Health Board of Directors (the "Board"). Mr. Petras will serve as Executive Chairman of the Board and will work closely with Mr. Shader to ensure a seamless and successful leadership transition. He will remain engaged and be actively involved in investor relations, as well as commercial and litigation strategy, and will continue as a full-time employee for the foreseeable future.
Mr. Shader has served as CEO and director of Viant Medical, LLC ("Viant"), a global medical device design and manufacturing services provider, since 2019, and brings over 20 years of deep medical industry experience, a commercial-centric focus rooted in customer-first collaboration and innovation and a proven track record for driving growth across a range of companies. At Viant, he successfully led the company through a period of accelerated growth by expanding the global manufacturing footprint and strengthening its end-to-end capabilities through targeted acquisitions. During his tenure, Viant enhanced operational excellence, quality, and sustainability, positioning the company as a scaled, strategic partner to leading medical device original equipment manufacturers. Prior to Viant, Mr. Shader served as President of Hill-Rom's global Front Line Care business, which included Welch Allyn, where he led the company's fastest growing and most profitable global business. Prior to joining Hill-Rom, Mr. Shader held several senior positions at Baxter International Inc. in Europe and the United States including General Manager of its North America Renal business. Mr. Shader has a bachelor's degree in economics and psychology from Claremont McKenna College and an M.B.A. from Stanford University.
Mr. Petras joined the Company as CEO in 2016 and provided outstanding strategic, operational and visionary leadership. Under his leadership, the Company grew revenue every single year, from $630 million in 2016 to $1.164 billion in 2025, and Adjusted EBITDA grew more than $300 million in that same period. Mr. Petras' strategic vision drove the transformation from three autonomous businesses units to one Company, positioned under the Sotera Health brand with a unifying mission of Safeguarding Global Health®. Mr. Petras successfully led the organization through an initial public offering (IPO) with Sotera Health's listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market in 2020. Mr. Petras will continue to provide guidance on strategic initiatives to support the Company's longstanding track record of growth.
"The transition to Alton has been carefully planned to ensure Sotera Health's continued success," said Mr. Petras. "Alton's strong commercial experience and track-record of driving growth in the healthcare industry makes him a great fit for Sotera Health. I look forward to supporting him and the leadership team in my new role as Executive Chairman to continue to grow and strengthen the Company."
Vincent Petrella, who will remain in his position as Lead Independent Director of the Board, said "We are deeply grateful for Michael's commitment to excellence for nearly a decade. The strength of Sotera Health's position is a testament to his strategic and operational leadership. We are confident that Alton is the right leader to guide Sotera Health in its next chapter, and this transition underscores the strength and continuity of our leadership team."
Mr. Shader added, "I am excited to join Sotera Health, a true leader in delivering critical services to its customers. It's an honor to join the Company and to build on the successful track record that the team has established as we continue to deliver value well into the future."
Earnings Webcast
Today, the Company will host a conference call and live webcast to discuss the Company's operating highlights and financial results at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. A live webcast of the conference call will be accessible at this link or via the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at Presentation & Events | Sotera Health, along with accompanying materials. A replay of the webcast will be archived on the Company's website.
About Sotera Health
Sotera Health Company is a leading global provider of mission-critical end-to-end sterilization solutions, lab testing and advisory services for the healthcare industry. Sotera Health goes to market through three businesses – Sterigenics®, Nordion® and Nelson Labs®. Sotera Health is committed to its mission, Safeguarding Global Health®.
Updates on recent developments in matters relevant to investors can be found on the Investor Relations section of the Sotera Health website at Investor Relations | Sotera Health. For developments related to EO, updates can be found at Ethylene Oxide | Sotera Health.
INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT
Jason Peterson
Vice President Investor Relations
IR@soterahealth.com
MEDIA CONTACT
Kristin Gibbs
Chief Marketing Officer
kgibbs@soterahealth.com
Source: Sotera Health Company
