MPO’s Most-Read Stories This Week—April 23

Personnel changes enticed MPO website visitors this past week, as Dentsply Sirona, Moderna, and PAVmed announced executive leadership changes.

Dentsply Sirona’s April 19 announcement that it fired CEO Don Casey drove the most site traffic. The company did not disclose a reason for Casey’s termination or his removal from the Board of Directors, but the announcement apparently has triggered a securities fraud investigatiion against Dentsply Sirona. “The investigation concerns Dentsply sirona’s April 19 termination of its former chief executive officer Don Casey and the impact of such termination on its business operatiions and prospects,” read a statement from Cudahy, Wis.-based Ademi LLP. 

Upon firing Casey, Dentsply Sirona immediately appointed board member John Groetelaars as interim CEO; a search has officially begun to find a permanent leader. Groetelaars served as president and CEO of Hillrom from May 2018 until its acquisition in December 2021 by Baxter. He was also previously exec VP and president of BD’s Interventional segment following its purchase of C.R. Bard, where he worked for 10 years in various roles.

In addition to Casey’s replacement, Dentsply Sirona also will begin searching for a successor to Executive Vice President and CFO Jorge Gomez, who is leaving the firm May 9 to become the finance chief at biotechnology firm Moderna. Current Moderna CFO David Meline announced his retirement and will remain as a consultant to ensure a smooth role transition. Before Dentsply Sirona, Gomez spent 13 years at Cardinal Health. He was most recently the company’s CFO and previously served as Medical Segment CFO, Pharmaceutical Segment CFO, corporate treasurer, and corporate controller. Before Cardinal Health he held several financial and business leadership positions at General Motors.

PAVmed Inc.’s new board member garnered cyber visitors’ interest as well this past week. The company has named Joan Harvey, to its Board of Directors and will serve as a member of the governing body’s Audit and Compensation committees. Harvey has more than two decades of health care experience serving in a variety of leadership roles dedicated to improving whole person health and advocating for patients. She is the president of Care Solutions for Evernorth, Cigna Corporation’s health services business. In this role, Harvey oversees Evernorth’s medical, behavioral, and pharmacy clinical programs to meet the diverse needs of health plans, employers, government organizations—and the people they serve.

M&A was a top traffic driver too (not surprisingly), though it played second fiddle to Casey’s termination. ArchiMed, an investment firm focused exclusively on the healthcare industry, announced its purchase of Natus Medical Incorporated for $1.2 billion. Natus provides medical device solutions to screen, diagnose, and treat disorders affecting the brain, neural pathways, and eight sensory nervous systems; under the terms of the agreement, Natus shareholders will receive $33.50 in cash for each share of Natus common stock, representing a 29 percent premium to the closing price of the company’s common stock on April 14, 2022. 

1. Dentsply Sirona Terminates CEO Don Casey

2. Archimed Group to Acquire Natus Medical for $1.2 Billion

3. Dentsply CFO Jorge Gomez Named Modern’s New Finance Chief

4. Joan Harvey Named to PAVmed’s Board of Directors

5. Technological & Regulatory Changes in the Medical Device Industry