MPO Summit 2006: San Francisco Sets the Stage for West Coast Sequel

MPO Summit 2006: San Francisco Sets the Stage for West Coast Sequel

If you wanted to obtain insightful knowledge about the medical device outsourcing industry and perhaps take a concurrent break from the everyday grind, where should you go? The 2006 MPO Summit to be held in San Francisco, CA this April could be the answer.

Building on the success of last year’s MPO Summit in Princeton, NJ, the 2006 West Coast sequel is shaping up to be even more successful, with more than 150 key industry executives expected to be in attendance. The event will be held April 17-19 at the prestigious Hyatt Regency Embarcadero in downtown San Francisco.

Influential decision-makers from top companies such as Baxter BioSciences, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic and LifeScan, among others, will gather to discuss industry trends, solve critical problems and network with other industry leaders.

Some of the topics to be addressed during this event include determining overall outsourcing strategies for medical device manufacturers, regulatory issues and global outsourcing trends. In one conference session, Grady Barnes, director of OEM product development for Abbott Laboratories, will explain the processes and problems OEMs face while trying to partner with small to mid-sized contract manufacturers. In another session, keynote speakers from Johnson & Johnson and LifeScan will discuss the implications of global sourcing throughout the supply chain.

In addition to the conference sessions, a highly anticipated panel discussion will also be held to foster frank discussion about the outsourcing industry and how OEMs, contract manufacturers and suppliers are all working together. A moderator will facilitate this lively event as panel members from a wide range of top companies interact freely and answer questions from the audience.

To ensure all participants additionally have ample opportunities to interact and share ideas with one another, the MPO Summit will offer various networking events. A pre-conference networking reception kicks off the Summit on April 17, followed by luncheons, a roundtable discussion and a supplier networking center.

The MPO Summit will also help prioritize educational sessions and networking by handily arranging an innovative “passport program” in which participants will be able to truly get a chance to experience every facet of the event.

The Elite sponsor of the Summit is Norman Noble, Inc. Avail is a platinum sponsor, while gold sponsors consist of B. Braun and Memry Corporation. Medical Design Technology magazine is serving as a media partner, and the Medical Device Manufacturers Association is a key endorser of the event.

“We are here to advocate growth and development of the industry,” said Howard Revitch, publisher of Medical Product Outsourcing magazine. “The industry has a lot of conferences and trade shows, but the MPO Summit differentiates itself by staying focused on the importance of collaborating to improve medical device manufacturing on the whole. We are dedicated to doing that.”

During the evening recesses, attendees can take advantage of San Francisco’s various restaurant offerings and sightseeing opportunities.

In addition to the West Coast event, MPO will host an East Coast Summit September 25-27 in East Rutherford, NJ and will offer the same level of educational content and access.

Medical device professionals interested in attending the Summit can register online at www.mposummit.com or by faxing the registration form in this issue of the magazine.