Welcome to MedTech Trailblazers where Andrew Cleeland, CEO of Fogarty Innovation, hosts in-depth conversations with the disruptors and innovators in the field of medical technology. Join him as he shares their insightful stories, effective leadership styles and what they're doing to transform patient outcomes and shape the future of human health.
Leading With His Heart - A Conversation with Allan Will (Part 2)
Allan Will is one of the founding architects of the medtech industry. Raised by parents who were outspoken supporters of equality and human rights, his desire to help people, passion for science, and business acumen came together in an early job helping Abbott Labs expand into interventional medicine. Just five years later, he was leading DVI, one of the first atherectomy companies, from a 16-person team to a 600-person powerhouse.
With a leadership style marked by a patient-centric focus, high expectations, relentless questioning, and an emphasis on authenticity, he helped bring forth industry-changing products including the first minimally-invasive solution for mitral valve regurgitation, the first non-drug approach to reduce high blood pressure, and the first clot retriever for ischemic stroke.
Over his 40+ year career, Allan has served as CEO of eight Bay Area venture and private equity-backed startups; visionary and founder of The Foundry; founder or co-founder of 12 companies, including Evalve, Ardian and Concentric Medical; founding general partner at Split Rock Partners; and named inventor on over 30 patents.
In this episode, Allan rejoins Andrew Cleeland to discuss what made him the leader he is today, his career superpowers – leadership and mentorship – and his advice for others in the industry.
Don’t miss part 2 of Allan's remarkable story.
12 Jul 2023
Leading With His Heart - A Conversation with Allan Will (Part 1)
Allan Will is one of the founding architects of the medtech industry. Raised by parents who were outspoken supporters of equality and human rights, his desire to help people, passion for science, and business acumen came together in an early job helping Abbott Labs expand into interventional medicine. Just five years later, he was leading DVI, one of the first atherectomy companies, from a 16-person team to a 600-person powerhouse.
With a leadership style marked by a patient-centric focus, high expectations, relentless questioning, and an emphasis on authenticity, he helped bring forth industry-changing products including the first minimally-invasive solution for mitral valve regurgitation, the first non-drug approach to reduce high blood pressure, and the first clot retriever for ischemic stroke.
Over his 40+ year career, Allan has served as CEO of eight Bay Area venture and private equity-backed startups; visionary and founder of The Foundry; founder or co-founder of 12 companies, including Evalve, Ardian and Concentric Medical; founding general partner at Split Rock Partners; and named inventor on over 30 patents.
While he is proud of all of these accomplishments, he most proud of having mentored countless Bay Area medtech CEOs and in particular, having been honored with the Astia/Deloitte Excellence in Mentoring Award for mentoring women executives.
Don’t miss part 1 of Allan's remarkable story.
28 Jun 2023
Sam Conaway: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities - Part 2
Sam Conaway is the president of U.S. Cardiology Sales for Boston Scientific and the chair of the company’s Close the Gap program, which seeks to eliminate treatment disparities in underserved populations. He has been recognized as one of the most influential Black executives in corporate America (SAVOY Magazine), and in healthcare (BlackDoctor.org), and was the first recipient of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s "Pulse-Setter Leader Award" for his commitment to advancing health equity.
Sam’s road to these achievements, however, was littered with obstacles that could easily have been roadblocks. Sam grew up poor, in a rough neighborhood in Baltimore. Strong family values and athletic ability might have been a way out until an injury ended his baseball prospects. He ended up working in the laundry room of Washington Hospital Center.
There, his strong work ethic and passion for learning were noticed and rewarded with opportunities to advance, starting with an invitation to attend the cardiac catherization program at the hospital's School of Nursing. Determined to always do the best he could with whatever job he had, Sam used this opening to launch a stellar career as a top device sales rep, then manager, then company and diversity leader.
In this episode, Sam discusses stumbling over his lack of formal education on his way to leadership positions; getting his associate's degree and then an MBA (during Covid!); his personal work ethic; the sale of Guidant to Boston Scientific/Abbott; and his work in health equity, which started with the observation that "... there weren't a lot of Black people on the table getting pacemakers and defibrillators."
Sam also describes the career high of receiving the Pulse-Setter Leader Award from his mentor, Dr. Marty Leon.
Don't miss part 2 of Sam's remarkable story.
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