Fullerton’s Beckman Coulter Inc., a maker of medical testing gear for labs and researchers, named Betty Woods, an 11-year veteran of the company’s board, as non-executive chairman on Tuesday.
Woods replaces retiring executive chairman John P. Wareham. Earlier this year, Wareham handed over the chief executive title to Scott Garrett, effective Feb. 21.
She’s set to become the only woman chairman of a major Orange County public company.
The chairman appointment is set to take effect April 7 at Beckman’s annual stockholder’s meeting.
Woods served as president and chief executive officer of Premera Blue Cross, formerly Blue Cross of Washington and Alaska, and as chief executive of Premera, the holding company of Premera Blue Cross.
She is chair of Beckman’s organization and compensation committee.
Woods also is on the board of trustees of Western Washington University and Seattle University, and is a founding member of the National Institute for Health Care Management.
