ELYRIA, OH – Invacare founder A. Malachi Mixon III, 74, will retire as executive chairman of the Board of Directors, effective Dec 21, 2014. Mixon will continue his responsibilities as a non-employee member of the Board until the 2015 annual meeting when the Company will nominate him for one additional term after which he will reach the Board’s mandatory retirement age of 75.
”Over the past 35 years, I have had the privilege of leading and guiding Invacare’s evolution into a global manufacturer and distributor of medical devices that promote recovery and active lifestyles,” said Mixon. “At this important transition point in the Company’s history, I feel that now is the appropriate time for me to retire and let the next generation of leadership guide the Company into the future. I have full confidence in our management team as they work to restore profitability in the North America and Asia/Pacific businesses and exit the injunctive phase of the Company’s consent decree with the United States Food and Drug Administration.”
In 1979, Mixon led a leveraged buy-out of Invacare Corporation with the support of his business partner, Joseph B. Richey II, and a small group of investors. During his tenure, the Company has grown from a domestic manufacturer of lifestyle products with annual net sales of $19 million into a global home medical device company with a broad product portfolio and annual net sales of $1.4 billion in 2013. Throughout his career, Mixon has been a staunch advocate for the HME industry in Washington, D.C., and throughout the United States.
IN BRIEF
Ken Waters Joins Emerge Sales as Global Strategic Adviser
EAST NORTHPORT, NY – Emerge Sales Inc has added Ken Waters to serve as global strategic adviser. Waters brings decades of experience in creating and leading global sales teams and helping companies grow. “It’s like a dream come true for me,” says Mike Sperduti, founder of Emerge Sales. “For Emerge, were getting a highly experienced sales leadership pro.”
Waters’ extensive experience includes senior level domestic and global sales leadership positions at Becton-Dickinson, Datascope, Rita Medical, CIVCO Medical Solutions, and Cooper Surgical. Most recently he was vice president of sales for Iris Diagnostics where the consistent sales growth of his team contributed to Iris’ acquisition by Beckman Coulter.