Medical device industry giant Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) took time on Twitter today to recognize its 65th anniversary, citing April 29, 1949, as the day when a fateful partnership gave rise to the world’s largest pure-play medical device company.
Medtronic was founded as a medical equipment repair shop by Earl Bakken and brother-in-law Palmer Hermundslie, operating out of a garage in Minneapolis. Their 1st month in business the duo made $8 for repairing a centrifuge. For a while the company also repaired television sets to make ends meet.
From those humble beginnings came the birth of the 1st battery-powered external pacemaker and, eventually, an implantable pacemaker. Medtronic is now a company with 46,000 employees and $16.6 billion in revenue.
On 29th April, 1949, a partnership to service electrical medical equipment was formed. Happy 65 years to #Medtronic and all our employees.
— Medtronic News (@Medtronic) April 29, 2014
The company and its leadership frequently touts noteworthy occasions on Twitter. CEO Omar Ishrak noted his own 1st day on the job with a Tweet, saying that he had a "great start" on June 14, 2011, and he’s been a prolific presence on the social media site ever since. He took to Twitter to mark his 1-year anniversary, tout the company’s mission statement, and more.
Happy 65 years to #Medtronic and all our employees!
— MedtronicJobs (@MedtronicJobs) April 29, 2014