William "Bill" A. Hawkins (born 1954) was the chairman and chief executive officer of Medtronic from 2008 until 2011. Early life Hawkins received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical and biomedical engineering from Duke University in 1976. He also earned an MBA from University of Virginia's Darden School of Business in 1982. Career Following his graduation from Duke, Hawkins began his medical technology career with Carolina Medical Electronics in 1977. Prior to joining Medtronic in 2002, Hawkins was the president and CEO of Novoste from 1998 to 2002. Hawkins is a member of the board of visitors of Duke's engineering school. In 2016, he was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering for leadership in biomedical engineering and translational medicine. References Living people 20th-century American businesspeople 1954 births University of Virginia Darden School of Business alumni Medtronic people Duke University Pratt School of Engineering alumni