David L. Martin

Guidant Corp. manufactures cardiovascular therapeutic devices. The company also provides cardiac and peripheral vascular repair surgical systems. It operates in Europe and Japan. Guidant was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in St. Paul, MN.

CardioThoracic Systems, Inc., located in Cupertino, Calif., is a leading developer of proprietary technologies in minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery. CTS introduced its first generation system for minimally invasive beating heart bypass surgery in January 1997. Since that time, over 11,000 beating heart bypass procedures, including midline and thorocotomy approaches, have been performed using CTS' propriety instruments. CTS is also developing technologies in the area of minimally invasive valve repair. CardioThoracic Systems, Inc., has been acquired by Guidant in 1999.

RITA Medical Systems, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets ablation technology products used by physicians to treat patients with solid cancerous or benign tumors. The system consists of a radiofrequency energy generator and disposable accessories. The RITA systems have been approved to treat liver cancer and are sold in Asia, Europe and the US. The company develops the use of the system for the treatment of various other cancers. Investors in RITA Medical include Apax Partners and Morgan Stanley. RITA Medical is in the process of merging with Horizon Medical. RITA Medical Systems has been acquired by Angio Dynamics, inc. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Fremont, CA.

FoxHollow Technologies, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and sells medical devices for the treatment of peripheral artery disease. The company's products include Rinspirator, Seath, and SilverHawk plaque excision system. Its products are used for disposable catheter system that removes plaque and reopens blocked arteries. The company was founded by John B. Simpson in October 1996 and is headquartered in Redwood City, CA.

Access Closure, Inc. manufactures and distributes medical devices for cardiovascular and peripheral vascular markets. Its products include Mynx ace, Mynx grip, Mynx sealant technology and flash ostial system. The company was in founded in 2002 by Farhad Khosravi and is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA.

Apieron, Inc. manufactures and distributes medical devices for asthma care. The company was founded by Bhairavi Parikh in 2001 and is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA.

Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. manufactures and sells cardiopulmonary products. It designs, develops and markets clinical devices for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. The company is located in St. Paul, MN.

Cardiovention, Inc. manufactures cardiovascular equipment. The firm develops, manufactures, and markets circulatory support system that offers clinicians the opportunity to deliver high-quality medical care. The company was founded by Thomas A. Afzal and is located in Santa Clara, CA.

National Association of Corporate Directors provides online and print information services to directors of public companies. It offers in-boardroom education, evaluation, governance reviews, board composition and succession planning, board recruitment, ongoing advisory, insights, and analytics services. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Arlington, VA.