Margaret Gurowitz, 56, is the chief historian for Johnson & Johnson at its headquarters in New Brunswick, N.J.
What does a chief historian do?
I create and organize exhibits at the company’s museum, “Our Story at the Powerhouse,” which is located in the 1907 Powerhouse building, including developing new exhibits in medical fields where the company has made an impact. One current exhibit is about medicine in World War I, and our main exhibit area includes more than 100 vintage and modern-day Band-Aid brand adhesive bandages tins and packages. It also includes rare surgical artifacts, large-scale vintage advertisements dating back to 1886 — the year the company was founded — and displays of some of the company’s best-known products.
Are there other duties?
I also oversee the company’s more than 19,000 artifacts, and decide on new acquisitions. I also maintain the company’s online museum, ourstory.jnj.com, which uses photographs, music and audio to tell the company’s story, and the company’s historical blog, kilmerhouse.com. We also partner with other museums and institutions to make the company’s history of innovative health care better known to the public.
Gotta say, I don't think those virtual biotechs will have a museum...
"Gotta say, I don't think those virtual biotechs will have a museum..."
ReplyDeleteSure they will. But it's going to be virtual (i.e., a Facebook page).
A company such as this should also have a mausoleum, and hold parades. They outlasted all other totalitarian societies, except for Pfizer.
ReplyDeleteOK, the 1950 Ethicon Cat-A-Log is pretty entertaining (named for one of Ethicon's high-volume products, the catgut suture--which is actually mostly horse or cow).
ReplyDeleteYep they do! Unfortunately, it's not really open to the public. It's a shame. It would really add some character to that part of New Brunswick, being so close to the Rutgers Geology Museum and Zimmerli art museum. The city needs more brainy, high class leisure to balance out Easton avenue's debauchery. Can't complain too much though: J&J really does give a lot back to the city.
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