How culture and leadership helped ventilator maker Ventec meet huge demand in COVID-19 response

Bothell-based Ventec Life Systems, one of the few ventilator manufacturers in the U.S., pulled off a massive feat earlier this year when it partnered with General Motors to increase production of ventilators critical for COVID-19 care. All in all, the two entities ended up shipping out 30,000 ventilators, and Ventec grew from 120 employees to nearly 1,000 in the course of a few months. Ventec CEO Chris Kiple attributes the company’s successes this past year to a strong culture and teamwork.