D r. Gary K. Michelson is an American billionaire, retired orthopedic and spinal surgeon, and a prolific inventor. He holds hundreds of patents for medical devices, instruments, and methods related to spinal surgery. His innovations have revolutionized the field, making spinal procedures safer and more effective for millions of patients.

He made his immense fortune in 2005 when he received a massive $1.35 billion settlement from the medical device giant Medtronic, resolving a long and bitter legal battle over his patents. Since then, he has dedicated his life and his fortune to philanthropy. He and his wife, Alya, have signed the Giving Pledge and run several charitable foundations. Their work is focused on a wide range of areas, including medical research (the Michelson Medical Research Foundation), animal welfare (the Michelson Found Animals Foundation), and intellectual property education. He is a rare example of a surgeon whose inventions have made him one of the wealthiest people in the medical field.