Healthcare >> CEO Interviews >> December 4, 2000

Manuel Villafana – Ats Medical Inc (atsi)

MANUEL (MANNY) A. VILLAFAA is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ATS Medical, Inc. Prior to joining ATS, he was Latin American Sales Manager for Medtronic, Inc. from 1967-1971; Founder of Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc./Guidant, from 1972-1976; Founder of St. Jude Medical, Inc., from 1976-1982; co-Founder, GV Medical, Inc., from 1982-1987. He was Chairman, Founder & CEO for CABG Medical, Inc. (a company in the field of cardiovascular surgery in the start-up phase). Profile
TWST: Could you give our readers a profile and brief background of ATS

Medical?

Mr. Villafaa: ATS Medical was founded by a group of individuals who had

developed the St. Jude heart valve,