After the death of the founder's son in 1976,  John Brown took the position as the chief Executive Officer of Stryker Corporation. He then served as the CEO and President of the company for 32 years thereby developing it from a $17-million hospital bed maker into one of the leading suppliers of medical technology in the globe today. Stryker Corporation also specializes on producing surgical equipment, medical devices and orthopedic implants. In 2011, the company has generated $8.3 billion revenues. John Brown has an estimated net worth of $2.4 billion in May 2016 according to Forbes.

After his retirement in 2009, John Brown became the Chairman emeritus. He was replaced by Stephen P. MacMillan who currently serves as the President, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Stryker Corporation.