Pat Mackin, President of Medtronic CRDM, to Keynote SEMDA 2013 Gala

ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwire - Oct 30, 2012) - Pat Mackin, Senior Vice President and President of the Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management (CRDM) Division at Medtronic Corporation, will speak at the 2013 SEMDA Conference during the Gala Dinner.

The seventh annual SEMDA Conference will be held on February 19-20, 2013, at the Georgia Tech Global Learning Center. Applications for presenting companies are currently being accepted, and sponsorships are available. The Gala Dinner will take place on February 19 at the elegant Biltmore Ballroom.

"We are thrilled to have Mr. Mackin join us at the SEMDA 2013 Conference as the keynote speaker at our Gala Dinner," said Art Spalding, Chair of the 2013 Conference and Founder of TAMM Net, Inc.

"Whenever there are major changes in a market, like we are seeing in global healthcare, there are tremendous risks and opportunities. Those companies that uncover the largest problems and then solve them in a simple and cost-effective way will create valuable and sustainable businesses in the new world order," said Mackin. "I support industry organizations like SEMDA that help fund and commercialize those seeking to uncover these solutions and look forward to speaking at their annual gala."

Mackin has been responsible for the overall strategic direction for CRDM and its day-to-day operations since August 2007. He first joined Medtronic as Vice President and General Manager of the company's Endovascular business in October 2002 where he was responsible for Endovascular Innovations, which included both Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Thoracic Aneurysm/Dissection technologies. In July 2004 he was named Vice President of the company's vascular business in Western Europe where he launched the company's drug-eluting stent, Endeavor. Mackin returned to the United States in November 2006, as Vice President, CRDM Commercial Operations. In this role, he was responsible for the day-to-day activities of CRDM research, product development, quality, operations, and sales and marketing.

Prior to joining Medtronic, Mackin served Genzyme BioSurgery in several leadership and management roles including Senior Vice President/General Manager of the company's Cardiovascular Surgery and Biotechnology Businesses; Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Cardiovascular Surgery; and Director of Marketing for Cardiovascular Surgery. He also held sales and marketing management positions for Snowden-Pencer. 

Mackin began his career as an officer with the U.S. Army. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in General Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from the Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University.

The SEMDA Conference is specifically designed to meet the needs of the medical device industry and brings together professionals from throughout the Southeast. Other highlights will include:

• Presentations from some of the region's top existing and emerging medical device companies
• Workshops on a variety of topics including critical business issues
• Numerous networking opportunities plus structured 1:1 partnering

Early bird registration is available. To register or learn more about the conference, sponsorship opportunities and presenting company applications, visit www.semda.net or contact admin@semda.net.

About SEMDA
The Southeastern Medical Device Association (SEMDA) is a non-profit trade association that supports and promotes medical device companies in the Southeast. Created in 2004, the association provides a unique resource and networking opportunity for medical device companies, inventors, physicians, and investors interested in accelerating the growth of the medical device industry in the Southeast. Through quarterly and members-only meetings, as well as its highly regarded annual Conference, SEMDA meets the needs of members of the medical device community. Learn more at www.semda.net.