Merit Medical names medical device veteran as new director of board

Merit Medical Systems, a maker of medical devices cardiology, radiology and endoscopy specialties, has appointed a new director for the company’s board of directors as it focuses on representing the best interests of the company’s shareholders.

Thomas Gunderson, a veteran in the medical technology industry, is filling the vacancy left by Richard Edelman, who recently resigned after serving as the director since its founding, according to a statement from the company.

Prior to joining Merit, Gunderson worked at Piper Jaffray, an investment bank in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as a senior research analyst for 24 years. Prior to Piper Jaffray, he worked for 12 years at American Medical Systems, a medical device subsidiary of Pfizer.

Gunderson also holds board positions at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, TransMedics and the Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation.

“We are pleased to have Thom Gunderson join our Board,” said Fred P. Lampropoulos, Merit’s chairman and CEO, in a statement. “We believe his broad experience in observing, analyzing and reporting on medtech companies will bring a seasoned perspective to the Board as we continually seek to represent the best interests of our shareholders. We would like to publicly thank Dick Edelman for his many years of dedication and service to Merit’s Board.”