In this week’s DeviceTalks Weekly Podcast, Nicole J. Walker, the newest managing partner at Arboretum Ventures, recalls the persistence that landed her first job in the medical device industry. This inspiring story – complete with explosion – demonstrated how Walker has been able to build a career in the industry – working for Guidant and […]
Guidant Corp.
Miles White’s fearless strategy for growing Abbott
With strong leadership and a taste for risk-taking, outgoing CEO Miles White left no stone unturned as he grew Abbott into one of the world’s largest medical device companies. Few medical device companies have seen the growth and transformation that Abbott (NYSE:ABT) has seen under the leadership of Miles White. During his two decades as […]
From Frankenstein to Medical Alley: Earl Bakken remembered
Earl Bakken was eight years old when he saw the movie Frankenstein and became fascinated with the connection between electricity and life. He went on to invent the wearable external pacemaker and co-founded Medtronic in 1949. In 1967, he hired Manny Villafaña to head the company’s international sales division. In 1972, Villafaña started a competing pacemaker […]
Aegea Medical picks up former Cardiokinetix, Concentric Medical CEO Sainz | Personnel Moves – May 14, 2018
Aegea Medical said last week it tapped former Cardiokinetix prez & CEO Maria Sainz as its new president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Sainz will replace former CEO Don Gurskis, who has held the corner office since 2013. Gurskis will remain on as member of the Redwood City, Calif.-based company’s executive management team. “Maria is […]
Medtronic logs wins in overcharging lawsuit, defibrillator case fees
Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) logged a series of legal wins this week after a federal judge dismissed a whistleblower lawsuit against the medtech titan and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a bid over legal fees in a long-running patent spat, upholding Medtronic’s victory from April last year. In a lawsuit brought against Medtronic, Cavallino Consulting alleged […]
Spinal Elements lifts former COO Blain to the corner office | Personnel Moves November 30, 2017
Spinal Elements, previously known as Amendia, said this week it is lifting co-founder and current prez & COO Jason Blain to the position of prez & CEO, effective immediately. Prior to coming on to co-found Spinal Elements, Blain served in various roles with medtech companies Smith & Nephew (NYSE:SNN), Alphatec (NSDQ:ATEC) and NuVasive Inc. (NSDQ:NUVA). Blain is replacing […]
MRI Interventions taps ex-Philips exec Burnett as prez, CEO | Personnel Moves – Oct 19, 2017
MRI Interventions (OTC:MRIC) said early this month it tapped former Royal Philips (NYSE:PHG) neuro diagnostics & therapy biz GM Joseph Burnett as its new prez & CEO, effective November 7. Burnett will replace Frank Grillo who will stay in his role until November 6 and will continue to serve as an executive advisor afterwards, the Irvine, Calif.-based […]
Abbott whistleblower Colquitt loses appeal in off-label lawsuit
The whistleblower behind a decade-old lawsuit against Abbott (NYSE:ABT) lost his bid for a new trial after a federal appeals court this week denied his appeal. Former Guidant sales rep Kevin Colquitt sued Abbott, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) in 2006 for $219.4 million, claiming that they marketed the use of biliary stents to treat peripheral artery disease. (The magistrate overseeing the lawsuit, […]
Appeals court upholds Medtronic win in $6m legal fees spat with Mirowski
The estate of Dr. Michel Mirowski, who helped invent the implantable defibrillator owes Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) $6 million to cover legal fees in their long-running patent spat, a federal appeals court ruled today. Mirowski Family Ventures represents the estate of CRM pioneer Dr. Michel Mirowski. The group, which controls several patents related to ICDs and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices, has been […]
Ex-Abbott exec Simhambhatla is new Alphaeon CEO | Personnel Moves August 26, 2016
Ex-Abbott exec Simhambhatla is new Alphaeon CEO Healthcare and social commerce company Alphaeon said last week it tapped former Abbott (NYSE:ABT) senior veep Dr. Murthy Simhambhatla as its new CEO and president, replacing Robert Grant who was recently appointed as vice chair of the company’s board of directors. Dr. Simhambhatla previously operated as a senior partner Strathspey […]
Mirowsky fights $6m legal tab in Medtronic spat
Mirowski Family Ventures, on the hook for a $6 million tab for Medtronic‘s (NYSE:MDT) legal costs, told a federal appeals court last week that a lower court misconstrued a 24-year-old deal with Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY). The long-running case involves patents licensed to Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX). MFV represents the estate of Dr. Michel Mirowski, who helped invent the implantable defibrillator. The group, which controls several patents related […]
