From Aerospace to Oncology: Building Teams, Products, and Purpose w/Gary Thomas-SVP Manufacturing Onkos Surgical

In this episode, we sit down with Gary Thomas, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and Product Development at Onkos Surgical, a company delivering breakthrough innovations for musculoskeletal oncology. With over 30 years of experience in MedTech—much of it in the ortho-spine space—Gary shares his remarkable leadership journey, beginning in aerospace and culminating in the fight against cancer-related infections.

We cover:

• How discipline, fitness, and early morning rituals drive high performance
• His transition from aerospace into MedTech—and why he still recruits from that world
• Lessons from launching high-stakes products under pressure
• The moment his career accelerated and the mindset that got him there
• The key differences between directors and VPs—and why some don’t make the leap
• How he evaluates leadership potential in technical professionals
• Why culture isn’t just a buzzword—and how high-performing teams self-correct
• What makes Onkos Surgical’s NanoSap™ technology a game-changer for infection prevention

Gary’s practical insights on leadership, talent development, and execution make this a can’t-miss episode for anyone aspiring to lead at the highest levels in MedTech.

Gary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-thomas-00a8a533/

Onkos Surgical on the web: https://onkossurgical.com/