Mark Lehto
This Friend of EMS Award Nomination is for a
well-known “savior” to EMS Providers in not only our state, but
Midwest region. This guy never failed to put a smile on our
faces as he walked through the door of our agencies, and his
long tenure truly made him a member of our respective EMS and
public safety families.
Mark Lehto was a 33-year field service veteran at Stryker.
Highly regarded by those in the EMS Industry, he spent many
years as a Senior Field Service Representative (Physio-Control)
and subsequently a Technical Specialist at Stryker in the
Midwest Region. Throughout his career Mark earned numerous
awards, was a constant high performer, and had an unrivaled
passion to serve his customers. Mark was the poster child for
the tremendous pride he took in his work, and as end users of
the fine products that Mark serviced, his dedication to
excellence, integrity and work made the difference in someone’s
life. He recognized that the work he did on lifesaving equipment
was important, and was proud of his personalized Iowa license
plates that said “LIFEPAK”. Early in his career he was given an
“Honorary Paramedic” award for providing bystander CPR that
helped save a life. Mark also mentored and trained countless new
employees along the way, showing them a strong work ethic and a
high level of integrity. He truly loved his job.
On July 5th of this year, Mark Lehto lost his 9-month battle
with cancer and died peacefully at home with his loving family
at his side. Mark is survived by his wife, 4
children, and several grandchildren. For many of us who knew him
well, we recognize that we lost more than a colleague, but a
dear friend. Please keep Mark Lehto’s family in your thoughts
and prayers, as we honor this true hero that served at an
incredibly outstanding level for many years.
