Invacare Adds Venture Capital Financier to its Board

Invacare Corporation has appointed Diana S. Ferguson to its Board of Directors. Ferguson currently serves as chief financial officer (CFO) for Cleveland Avenue LLC, a privately-held venture capital firm that accelerates and strategically invests in restaurant, food and beverage concepts and emerging brands. In addition, since August 2013, Ferguson has served as principal of Scarlett Investments LLC, a firm that invests in and advises middle market businesses.
 
Ferguson has more than 30 years of finance experience in the manufacturing, financial and consumer industries, as well as the public sector. Ferguson was unanimously appointed by the current members of the board after an extensive search conducted by an internationally recognized executive search firm. Her appointment brings the total number of Invacare directors to nine, eight of whom are considered independent directors.
 
“We are excited to welcome Diana to the Invacare Board of Directors. Diana’s strong background in finance and strategic development at several multinational organizations is a great fit for Invacare. Her demonstrated leadership and ability to provide strategic oversight for financial management of the company’s resources will be invaluable during our transformation,” said Matthew E. Monaghan, chairman, president and CEO.
 
Ferguson previously served as CFO of the Chicago Board of Education from February 2010 to May 2011, and as senior vice president and CFO of The Folgers Coffee Company from April 2008 to November 2008. Prior to joining Folgers, she was executive vice president and CFO of Merisant Worldwide Inc. Ferguson also served as CFO of Sara Lee Foodservice and held several leadership positions at Sara Lee Corporation including senior vice president of Strategy and Corporate Development, as well as treasurer. Ferguson currently serves as a director of Frontier Communications Corporation, a provider of communications services, and formerly served as a director of TreeHouse Foods Inc., a consumer-packaged food and beverage manufacturer.

Ferguson has a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Yale University and an MBA from Northwestern University.

“I look forward to working with Matt Monaghan, Dr. Martin Harris, lead director, and the entire Invacare Board as we continue the company’s transformation to a leader in the home healthcare industry,” said Ferguson.
 
Invacare Corporation is a manufacturer and distributor in its markets for medical equipment used in non-acute care settings. At its core, the company designs, manufactures, and distributes medical devices that help people to move, breathe, rest and perform essential hygiene. The company provides clinically complex medical device solutions for congenital (e.g., cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida), acquired (e.g., stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, post-acute recovery, pressure ulcers) and degenerative (e.g., ALS, multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), elderly, bariatric) ailments. The company sells its products principally to home medical equipment providers with retail and e-commerce channels, residential care operators, distributors and government health services in North America, Europe, and Asia/Pacific.