8-K

                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, DC  20549

                                  FORM 8-K
                               CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                     the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

      Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):  March 26, 2003

                           HAEMONETICS CORPORATION
           (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

         Massachusetts                 1-10730            04-2882273
         -------------                 -------            ----------
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission File       (IRS Employer
incorporation or organization)         Number)           Identification
                                                             Number)

                    400 Wood Road
                    Braintree, MA                      02184
                    -------------                      -----
            (Address of principal executive          (Zip Code)
                       offices)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code (781) 848-7100





Item 5.  Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure

      On March 26, 2003, the Company announced that effective April 1, 2003
Brad Nutter will join the Company as President and CEO following the
retirement of James Peterson.  Mr. Nutter will replace Mr. Peterson on
Haemonetics' Board of Directors.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

      (c)   Exhibits.

            99.1  Press Release of the Company dated March 26, 2003


  2


                                 SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       HAEMONETICS CORPORATION

Date:   March 28, 2003                 By:  /s/Ronald  J. Ryan
        --------------                      --------------------------------
                                       Ronald J. Ryan, Senior Vice President
                                       and Chief Financial Officer


  3

EX-99

                                                              EXHIBIT 99.1


CONTACT:    Lisa Lopez/Julie Fallon            Helen Shik/Jennifer Barlow
            Haemonetics Corporation            Schwartz Communications,Inc.
            (781) 356-9517                     (781) 684-0770
            jfallon@haemonetics.com            haemonetics@schwartz-pr.com

                 Haemonetics Appoints New President and CEO

Braintree, MA and Greenwood Village, CO, March 26, 2003 - Haemonetics
Corporation announced today that Brad Nutter will join the Company as
President and CEO effective April 1, 2003, following the retirement of
James Peterson.  Mr. Nutter will replace Mr. Peterson on Haemonetics' Board
of Directors.

Mr. Nutter, a graduate of Texas Christian University, has more than twenty-
five years of experience with healthcare product and services companies.
Prior to joining Haemonetics, he was President and CEO of Gambro
Healthcare, a division of Gambro AB, which generated $1.3 billion in
revenues through providing dialysis services internationally.

He began his career with American Hospital Supply Corporation ("AHSC") and
continued with Baxter International after its acquisition of AHSC, rising
through the field organization to become Vice President of Corporate Sales
and President of the Hospitex Division.  He subsequently held top
management positions in several healthcare companies including Executive
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Syncor International, a $500m
in sales provider of radiopharmaceuticals and medical imaging devices.

"Brad Nutter has the ideal combination of healthcare, marketing, and
corporate leadership experience to take Haemonetics to the next phase of
growth.  Throughout his career, he has successfully led corporate teams to
achieve accelerated revenue and earnings growth through operational
leverage, dynamic sales strategies, and acquisitions.  At Haemonetics, he
will lead our efforts to fully capture our broad range of opportunities,
through both organic and external growth," said Ronald Matricaria, Chairman
designate.(1)

Mr. Nutter added, "I'm delighted to join Haemonetics, a transfusion
industry pioneer and leader.  Haemonetics' products play a critical role in
ensuring the safety and availability of blood to meet the ever-increasing
worldwide demand.  The Company's achievements are a testament to its
talented personnel and superior technology, and I look forward to leading
the Company to ensure its continued growth and success.  This is an
exciting time for Haemonetics."

About Haemonetics Corporation

Haemonetics (NYSE:  HAE) is a global company engaged in the design,
manufacture and worldwide marketing of automated blood processing systems.
These systems address important medical markets: surgical blood salvage,
blood component collection, plasma collection, and blood component safety.
Haemonetics has been recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the nation's
best small companies. To learn more about Haemonetics, visit the Company's
web site at http://www.haemonetics.com.

                                    # # #


- -----------------------------------
(1)   Mr. Matricaria joined Haemonetics' Board of Directors in October 2002
      and will assume the position of Chairman of the Board effective April 1.
      Mr. Matricaria was formerly President and CEO and then Chairman of St.
      Jude Medical.