Julie D. Tracy

Thoratec Corp. develops, manufactures and markets proprietary medical devices used for circulatory support for the treatment of heart failure patients. The company's products include Ventricular Assist Devices, HeartMate Left Ventricular Assist System, HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist System, Thoratec Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist Device and Thoratec Implantable Ventricular Assist. It also manufactures and markets the CentriMag Acute Circulatory System, HeartMate II, PVAD, IVAD and for pediatric patients PediMag/PediVAS Acute Circulatory System. Its ventricular assist devices products primarily serve patients suffering from late-stage heart failure. Heart Failure is a chronic disease that occurs when degeneration of the heart muscle reduces the pumping power of the heart, causing the heart to become too weak to pump blood at a level sufficient to meet the body's demands. The company operates its business through the Cardiovascular group segment, which develops, manufactures mechanical circulatory products to support the cardiovascular systems of humans and to provide product-related services. Thoratec was founded in March 1976 and is headquartered in Pleasanton, CA.

Medtronic Spine LLC develops medical devices for invasive therapies. It designs, manufactures and markets instruments used in therapies for the restoration of spinal anatomy. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN.

Wright Medical Group, Inc. designs, manufactures and distributes biologic products. It provides surgical solutions for the foot and ankle markets. The company was founded by Frank O. Wright and is headquartered in Memphis, TN.

ev3, Inc. is a provider for specialists treating a range of vascular diseases and disorders. ev3 is committed to the peripheral vascular and neurovascular markets offering a portfolio of treatment options, including interventional technologies used such as plaque excision systems, PTA balloons, stents, embolic protection, thrombectomy, embolization coils, liquid embolics, occlusion balloons and procedural support.

Epocrates LLC provides clinical tools and solutions. The firm provides the healthcare industry, primarily pharmaceutical companies, and opportunities to engage with its user network through delivery of targeted information and to conduct market research. The company was founded by Richard Fiedotin and Jeff Tangney on August 1998 and is headquartered in San Mateo, CA.

National Investor Relations Institute operates as an association of corporate officers and investor relations consultants responsible for communication among corporate management, shareholders, securities analysts and other financial community constituents. The company was founded by DeWitt C. Morrill in 1969 and is headquartered in Alexandria, VA.

Founded in 1998, Epocrates, Inc. Research is an investment research firm located in Ewing, New Jersey. The firm is a subsidiary of Epocrates, Inc. (NasdaqGM: EPOC), a San Mateo, California-based company that develops clinical information and decision support tools for healthcare professionals.

Wright Medical Group NV engages in the provision of medical device products. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Lower Extremities and Biologics; U.S. Upper Extremities; International Extremities and Biologics; and Corporate. The U.S. Lower Extremities and Biologics includes the sale of its lower extremities products, such as joint implants and bone fixation devices for the foot and ankle; and biologics products used to support treatment of damaged or diseased bone, tendons, and soft tissues or to stimulate bone growth. The U.S. Upper Extremities segment focuses on joint implants and bone fixation devices for the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand; and products used across several anatomic sites to mechanically repair tissue-to-tissue or tissue-to-bone injuries, and other ancillary products. The International Extremities and Biologics segment covers all lower and upper extremities products, as well as associated biologics products. The Corporate segment reflects general and administrative expenses not specifically associated with other segments. The company was founded by Frank O. Wright in 1950 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.