The global orthopedic community is mourning the passing of Dr. Bruno Melzi, 72 years old.
Dr. Melzi, president of the Brunenghi di Castelleone Foundation, had been hospitalized at the Humanitas Institute in Milan for coronavirus pneumonia and died on Sunday evening March 29.
Dr. Melzi began his orthopedic career in 1973 with Johnson & Johnson where he eventually became the managing director for all of Italy. In 1990, he joined Zimmer as managing director for Italy and 10 years after that, became president of Zimmer Europe.
Dr. Melzi also held managerial positions with Eucomed, played a key role in Zimmer’s integration of Centerpulse and was a member of LimaCorporate’s board of directors when he died.
Of all Dr. Melzi’s accomplishments, and there are very many, his work in his beloved hometown of Castelleone, which is located just south of Milan, Italy, gave him the most joy. The foundation to which he dedicated himself in his final years operates a 124-bed nursing home for residents of the immediate area.
In 2015 Dr. Melzi said this about joining the Brunenghi foundation: “I love my country […] and I have always had the desire to do something for my fellow citizens—to put my professional experience available to my community. A positive ambition that I always had even when I lived far away. So, when I was offered the assignment, it seemed almost natural to accept, it was the opportunity I had been waiting for, for a long time, almost without knowing it.”
Milan’s vicar general Fr Massimo Calvi wrote a public note in honor and remembrance of Dr. Melzi saying: “I like to remember the active and proactive participation in our meetings, constantly animated in the common reflections by the desire for concreteness and the desire to encourage ever greater collaboration between the various Foundations. I express my deepest condolences and assure you of a fraternal and grateful remembrance in prayer for him and his family members.”
A few months before he fell ill, Bruno Melzi had started his second term as president of the Brunenghi Foundation. And soon after that, Dr. Melzi had been confirmed as a representative of the Diocese of Cremona on the Board of Directors of the Foundation that manages the Castelleone rsa.
According to those who knew Dr. Melzi best, he was blessed with an extroverted and warm, sympathetic personality. He was famous for being able to relate and converse with all people, on an amazingly wide range of subjects whether it was his beloved Milan soccer teams or the latest in orthopedic medicine and corporate work to politics or the economy. His friends say that he had the great ability to put anyone at ease and could switch from the Castellan dialect to Italian to English and more.
His affection for his fellow Castellans, Italians, orthopedists and corporate and medical colleagues around the world is being returned to him many times over.
Dr. Melzi was the passionate, beating heart of orthopedics in Europe so we close with remembrances from his friends and colleagues.
- From Ray Elliott, former chief executive officer at Zimmer Corporation: “Only just gone and I miss you already.”
“Thirty years, first as tough competitors and then as friends and partners at Zimmer but always close, always friends, always honorable. I can still see us now … laughing together so many times.”
“‘Bruno, should we ever move the head office to Roma?’ The response … ‘Roma is a beautiful, romantic city but my bella would divorce me, my son disown me, the employees hate me, my beloved farm gone … you would find me alone, driving in THAT traffic forced to have my pasta WITH red sauce !!!!!’”
“I have been convinced for the longest time that our annual sales goals for Bruno and the European team were consistently lost somewhere between the risotto and the grappa.”
“Under that knowing smile, effortless charm and smooth conversation was a warmth a whole room could feel … what they may not have known is that it came from the fire of a relentless competitor.”
“riposta bene amico mio.”
- From John Cresser-Brown, retired: “Bruno Melzi was like a business father to many of us that worked in his organisation. He inspired success and loyalty, and always had time to guide and direct his team with unwavering leadership. His untimely passing brings great personal sadness and our thoughts are with his family at this tragic time.”
- From Audrey Beckman, former senior vice president, Strategic Quality Initiatives, Zimmer Biomet: “Bruno was a leader who shared stories, all with points to understand and learn from, yet he could lighten a serious atmosphere with just one comment. He knew the diverse European orthopaedic market intimately and worked tirelessly to shape it, with a keen sense of what was needed to improve patient care. He will be remembered always with deep, warm respect for his leadership and kindness.”
- From Michael Humphris, vice president Europe, Retired: “I had the privilege of working alongside Mr. Melzi for 20 years, many of those years reporting directly to him; Bruno was an intensely loyal man, very proud of his European team, a man of natural charisma and leadership, we all have reason to thank him for the successes he shared with us, and for leading us through a period of enormous change in the company and the industry.”
- From Sheryl Conley, former group president, Americas, Global Marketing, and chief marketing officer, Zimmer Biomet: “Bruno was passionate about business, his family and his village. Often, he opened up his home to his friends and colleagues and I had a chance to see what he loved about Castelleone. I can’t count how many times we’d walk through the streets and people would come up to him and ask his advice about politics or other matters. As we walked, he would humbly and proudly show me the historical buildings and cultural landmarks whose restoration he had personally invested. Bruno had the ability to truly make people welcome and he also was a leader who had the ability to assess business issues and drive a team to a conclusion diplomatically and with his great sense of humor. ‘Sheryl’, he often said to me, ‘business is very serious, but there is also the life.’ I will be forever grateful for having Bruno as a mentor, colleague and especially a friend.”
- From Antony Massarella, former vice president, North Europe, Zimmer Biomet: It was a great honour for me to be part of Dr. Melzi’s management team for 15 years. During that time, he led us through some very exciting and challenging events including several acquisitions, periods of economic turbulence, regulatory upheaval and technological disruption. Throughout all of that his intense focus on protecting and growing our business retained a strong emphasis on personal accountability. He was without question a highly demanding manager to work for, but his managerial logic was consistent and fair with a degree of tolerance. I recall his staff meetings in Milan with warmth because, while they could be tough and often highly stressful, they were not without elements of fun given his ever-present and highly idiosyncratic brand of humour. Dr. Melzi was, without question, an inspirational and charismatic leader, I learned a great deal from him and the world of orthopaedics is poorer for his passing.
