Quest Diagnostics, America's leading provider of diagnostic testing for health problems involving cardiac diseases, cancer and bioterrorism, has named Orissa-born Surya N Mohapatra as its chief executive officer.

The United States-based Fortune 500 company's outgoing chief executive officer Kenneth Freeman announced from Teterboro, New Jersey that Mohapatra will take over as the CEO of Quest Diagnostics from May, 2004.

Mohapatra, currently the president and chief operating officer of the company, is one of the few India-born CEOs of a Fortune 500 firm.

"His strong track record, broad healthcare background and extensive knowledge of medical science and technology uniquely qualify him to be the next CEO," Freeman said, announcing the decision on Monday.

Son of an Orissa government employee, Mohapatra had his Masters in Medical Electronics and a Doctorate in Medical Physics from London. After working with various leading firms, he joined Quest Diagnostics in February, 1999 as senior vice president and chief operating officer and was appointed president in June, 1999.

The Teterboro-New Jersey company, whose annual revenues exceed $3 billion, also offers testing for potentially lethal bioterrorism agents that cause serious disease including anthrax, tularemia, plague and botulism.  It also conducts classified tests for the government.

Mohapatra, who joined  the company  in 1999, has been  its president and chief operating officer for more than three years.

Mohapatra, who has 25 years experience in the healthcare industry, including cardiovascular research, design, manufacturing and marketing diagnostic imaging equipment and managing diagnostic testing, earned his first university degree in India.