Shape Memory Medical Names Chief Commercial Officer

Shape Memory Medical Inc. (Shape) announced that Bart Balkman has joined the company as chief commercial officer. Balkman most recently served as NuVasive Specialized Orthopedics vice president of Sales, a position he assumed upon the purchase of Ellipse, where he was vice president of Sales and Marketing. Prior to these roles, Balkman had similar senior management roles at Arstasis, CardioKinetix, Concentric Medical, and several other emerging companies. Bart’s career also includes positions at Heart Technology, Medtronic plc, Edwards Lifesciences, and Johnson and Johnson.

Balkman earned a bachelor of science degree from Oklahoma State University and attended the Sales Management Executive Program at Columbia University.
 
“Bart’s proven background in market development, product launch, strategic planning and experience in many related medical specialties, including neurointervention, will allow him to immediately develop and execute our commercial strategy in Europe and the United States for our peripheral and neurovascular polymer embolization devices,” said CEO Ted Ruppel. “Our research and development team, aided by the decades long development of our unique and patented embolization materials, have developed products that are being embraced by the clinicians who have been using our devices. We are pleased to have attracted a manager of Bart’s caliber and experience to lead us into an exciting commercialization phase.”
 
Commenting on his new position, Balkman said, “I’m excited to join an organization that has developed such innovative technology in the peripheral and neurovascular segment. I believe that we have an excellent opportunity to partner with physicians around the world to launch products addressing unmet clinical needs. I look forward to working with the Shape Memory team to drive commercial excellence and bring our differentiated, lifesaving technology to more patients.”
 
Shape Memory Medical Inc., based in Santa Clara, Calif., is committed to developing multiple medical therapies with their novel Shape Memory Polymers. Some of these products include IMPEDE peripheral embolization devices and TrelliX neurovascular embolic coils.