Chris Begley, chairman and CEO, brings more than three decades of healthcare experience to Hospira, a leading global hospital products company and the world leader in specialty generic injectable pharmaceuticals. As the company's founding CEO, Begley oversaw Hospira's 2004 spin-off from Abbott Laboratories, and drove the development of Hospira's business strategies, growth plans and the creation of the company's guiding principles—vision, values and commitment. He has served as the chairman of Hospira's board since May 2007.

Prior to Hospira, he served as president of Abbott's Hospital Products Division, president of its Chemical and Agricultural Products Division, vice president of Abbott Health Systems and vice president of MediSense, Inc. Before joining Abbott in 1986, Begley was vice president of marketing for the V. Mueller Division of American Hospital Supply Corp.

Begley serves as a director of Sara Lee Corporation, AdvaMed and the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL), and is a member of the Commercial Club Foundation’s Civic Committee and CEOs Against Cancer.

Born in Chicago in 1952, Begley earned a bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University and a master's degree in business administration from Northern Illinois University.