Medical devices pioneer Sorenson dies

James L. Sorenson, who overcame a childhood learning disability and built a fortune in pioneering medical devices and real estate, died of cancer Sunday. He was 86.

Sorenson was Utah's wealthiest man with a fortune estimated at $4.5 billion, according to Forbes magazine's 2007 rankings. He known both for his wealth — and for choosing not to flaunt it.

Sorenson was considered one of the most generous philanthropists in the state, giving millions of dollars to medical facilities, religious organizations and other causes.

"Jim Sorenson was dedicated to making people's lives better," Gov. Jon Huntsman said in a release Sunday.

David Parkinson, a spokesman for Sorenson Companies, said funeral arrangements were pending Sunday. Instead of flowers, the family requested that donations be made to the many organizations Sorenson assisted, including the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.

Sorenson is survived by his wife, Beverley, eight children, 47 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.

Sorenson's company biography describes the difficulties he had growing up at the height of the Great Depression in central California. Sorenson had dyslexia, a condition that can make words and letters look jumbled and makes reading and writing difficult.

Sorenson overcame the challenge and went on to become an astute problem solver, a talent that bolstered him throughout his career.

Sorenson started in pharmaceutical sales in the 1950s. While calling on doctors, he noticed problems and came up with solutions, starting with a disposable surgical mask that replaced less-sanitary cloth masks, which had to be laundered.

His other medical inventions included the first real-time computerized heart monitoring systems and the automated intravenous drug pump.

Early in his career, Sorenson bought goat pasture in the hills above Salt Lake City for $25 an acre. The former grazing land is now home to some of the area's most plush neighborhoods, overlooking the Salt Lake Valley from the Wasatch Mountain foothills.

Later, Sorenson developed an interest in genetics and established Sorenson Genomics, a company that assisted with DNA identification after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.

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On the Net:

http://www.sorensoncompanies.com