Eric "Rick" P. Ankerud ’78

Rick Ankerud has dedicated his personal and professional energies to providing improved health and wellness opportunities to others. A 1978 graduate of St. Lawrence, he earned honors while majoring in economics, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Epsilon, the economics honorary. Following his time in Canton, he earned a law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

The Hollis, NH native has since built an impactful career of more than 30 years in pharmaceutical and medical device innovation to keep patient wellness at the forefront. He served as Executive Vice President at medical technology incubator Incept, LLC, before founding his own biotechnology consulting company, Anchor BioTech Consulting, to continue to pave the path of progress in healthcare.

However, the story of Rick’s passion for wellness began with a life-changing chapter in 1985 when he married Lori. She was born with a complex, congenital heart defect (CHD) at a time when most babies did not survive past the first year. CHD is a serious, life-long medical condition for which there is no cure, but in 2019, the Ankerud’s established the charity, Heartfelt Dreams Foundation and have been tireless in their support of CHD patients ever since. The foundation provides access to appropriate treatment and care, regardless of a person’s location or ability to pay, and it is the only charitable organization in the country dedicated to the dual mission of improving the CHD treatment experience for patients and families while advancing education within the medical community. 

Through the Ankeruds, the Heartfelt Dreams Foundation offers emotional support, education, and financial assistance, including free transportation and hotel accommodations, to CHD patients. Through a nursing scholarship program, the foundation provides financial assistance to deserving cardiac nurses as they pursue advancing their careers to better serve CHD patients. Similarly, the foundation provides financial grants to advanced CHD fellows as they are rising stars in the care of CHD patients. 

While Rick and Lori continue to support their foundation, they also prioritize St. Lawrence. Rick has been a career mentor for students and the couple funded the Ankerud Alumni Lounge as part of the Appleton Arena renovations, providing a modernized gathering space for hockey alumni to connect and for coaches to highlight in recruiting. Hockey has played a major role in Rick’s life, both as a player and coach, and he and Lori regularly don the Scarlet and Brown in support of the Skating Saints.