Eric Kruse, BS, ACS, RDCS, RVT, FASE

Assistant regional director of heart and vascular imaging services at University of Chicago Medicine 

Eric Kruse has spent more than a decade quietly reshaping what leadership in cardiac imaging looks like. Mentored by the late Dr. Roberto Lang, a giant of global echocardiography, Kruse absorbed a standard of excellence that now defines his own impact as a director, educator and innovator. 

Today Eric oversees imaging operations across a complex, high-volume academic medical system. But his influence extends far beyond administration. He is among the most recognized non-physician educators in cardiovascular imaging. He’s been an invited speaker at ASE Scientific Sessions and international conferences, and is the creator of “Learning Labs,” a tactile, hands-on educational system that has earned widespread recognition for making advanced echo concepts accessible and memorable. 

His service to the American Society of Echocardiography spans more than a decade and includes the inaugural cohort of the ASE Leadership Academy (2020), co-chairing the Awards and Scientific Sessions Program Committees and representing the profession on the JRC-CVT, the body that shapes cardiovascular technology education nationally. His research in 3D echocardiography and strain imaging has been published in JASE and presented on international stages. 

Colleagues describe Eric as a leader who leads by listening—one whose collaborative presence makes breakthrough ideas possible.  

Eric Kruse is proof that the future of cardiovascular medicine belongs to those who elevate everyone around them.