AdvaMed Appoints New VP of Government Affairs

The Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) has expanded its executive ranks.

The Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group has hired Riley Swinehart as vice president of government affairs.

“We’re pleased to welcome Riley to AdvaMed,” said J.C. Scott, senior executive vice president, government affairs. “The medical technology industry has no shortage of issues to address on Capitol Hill-–from repeal of the medical device tax to FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] oversight to payment reforms–-and Riley’s deep government and health care experience will help the association advance its advocacy goals.”

Swinehart most recently served as minority staff director for the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (most often called HELP) Subcommittee on Children and Families on behalf of ranking member U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), and prior to that served as a professional staff member for the full committee.

Previously, Swinehart was a health insurance specialist with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where he worked for former CMS Administrator Don Berwick and provided analyses on draft legislative proposals for the agency and healthcare reform legislation, among other responsibilities.

Swinehart also served as a confidential assistant for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), representing the HHS secretary and assistant secretary for legislation in interactions with U.S. Congress on various healthcare issues. In addition, he was a staff assistant in the White House where he managed the office of the internal deputy assistant to the president for legislative affairs.

AdvaMed also named CVRx CEO Nadim Yared as chairman of its Emerging Growth Company Council (EGCC) Board of Directors for a two-year term. Yared has served on the EGCC Board since its inception in 2012 and has been an active member of AdvaMed’s Board of Directors since 2011, representing the voice of smaller manufacturers.

“I am honored to be leading AdvaMed’s EGCC Board and working to benefit those smaller and emerging medical technology companies that are on the leading edge of patient care,” said Yared. “These companies are developing the innovations that make such a difference in patients’ lives and help fuel economic growth in our industry, but they also face many challenges-–from capital formation to FDA regulation-–which is why AdvaMed’s EGCC is so important if these companies are going to thrive.”

“AdvaMed’s EGCC is extremely fortunate to have such an experienced and dedicated individual as Nadim as its new chairman,” said Ashley Wallin, executive director and vice president, AdvaMed EGCC. “He has a keen understanding of the challenges smaller medtech companies face in today’s market and of their potential to bring life-changing innovations to patients worldwide.”

As EGCC chairman, Yared will focus on ensuring patient access to the innovative technologies the industry’s small companies develop by:

• Promoting tax policies that facilitate small company investment and capital formation;
• Working to ensure that changes to the European Union’s Medical Device and In-Vitro Diagnostic Directives do not negatively impact EGCC companies, which often target the European Union for initial new product launches;
• Increasing small company interactions with FDA through the use of the EGCC U.S. Submission Tracker program, which aims to improve the quality of submissions and the submission process for both industry and the agency; and
• Addressing emerging challenges of small medical device manufacturers with physician ownership.

Overall, the cornerstone of Yared’s chairmanship will be increasing engagement of small companies in advocacy work to improve the medtech innovation ecosystem.

Yared succeeds Abiomed Chairman, President and CEO Michael R. Minogue, who served as inaugural chair of the EGCC board.

“Mike’s passion for helping small and mid-size companies address the issues they face in today’s challenging environment was a driving force behind the creation of the EGCC board,” said Wallin. “His many novel ideas have created a strong foundation for this group, which will continue serving small companies for years to come.” Minogue no longer will serve on the EGCC board, as Abiomed has grown outside of the small company spectrum, but he will continue to serve on the AdvaMed board.

Among Minogue’s many accomplishments as EGCC chair, he was instrumental in developing the first EGCC strategic plan, which calls for a culture of inclusivity that recognizes and values the diverse viewpoints of all AdvaMed members. In addition, he led efforts to establish the EGCC U.S. Submission Tracker program.

AdvaMed also announced the following new members of the EGCC Board:

• Randall Barko, president and CEO, Ximedica
• Shawn P. Fojtik, CEO, Control Medical Technology
• David L. Macdonald, CEO, Agendia
• Todd M. Pope, president and CEO, TransEnterix
• Ken Reali, president and CEO, Baxano Surgical
• John Russell, president and CEO, Corventis