Accomplished Ultrasound Executive Brings 30 years of Industry Experience Bothell, WA - November 17, 2005, Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONO), the world leader in hand-carried ultrasound, today announced the appointment of Dieter Schwartmann as Vice President of Europe and Acting Manager of Sonosite GmbH, the company's wholly-owned German subsidiary, effective December 1, 2005. Mr. Schwartmann brings 30 years of experience in the medical ultrasound and technology industry including serving as Vice President of Europe for ATL Ultrasound, Inc., now part of Philips Medical Systems. Under his leadership, sales for ATL Europe doubled in the period between 1995-2000.
From April of 2001 until May of 2004, Mr. Schwartmann was Vice President of the ultrasound business line of Philips Medical Systems with responsibility for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He also served as a member of the Steering Committee overseeing the integration of Philips Medical Systems' acquisition of ATL Ultrasound and Agilent Technologies Healthcare Solutions Group Imaging Systems. Mr. Schwartmann joined ATL Ultrasound in 1990 as a Country Manager responsible for Germany, Eastern Europe and Russia. Most recently, Mr. Schwartmann was Vice President and board member of Aloka Holding Europe AG, a leading Japanese ultrasound manufacturer and distributor.
A German national, Mr. Schwartmann was a founder and served as General Manager for nine years of Sonotron GmbH, an ultrasound distributor and service provider, and as regional sales manager for ultrasound and other medical products for Kontron Medical GmbH. Additionally, he worked with Beckman Instruments in Germany and Carl Zeiss GmbH, a maker of medical optical instruments. "Dieter is a proven executive and exceptional leader," said Kevin M. Goodwin, Sonosite President and CEO.
"His first priority is to strengthen our German operations and establish a solid foundation from which to better capitalize on Europe's largest ultrasound market." "We are very fortunate to recruit an individual with such dynamic and broad ultrasound management experience to head up our business in Europe," said Graham Cox, Sonosite Vice President, International. "We look forward to working with Dieter to accelerate our growth opportunities and build on the successful launch of our newest product, the MicroMaxx system." "Sonosite has the right products to address the challenges that European health care systems face," said Mr. Schwartmann.
"Smaller, faster and less costly than their traditional cart-based counterparts, Sonosite hand-carried systems are changing medical practice by bringing ultrasound to the patient and thereby helping clinicians to increase productivity and deliver better patient care. I am delighted to be joining this leader of ultrasound innovation.
" Leadership in Hand Carried Ultrasound
Sonosite is the innovator and leader in hand-carried ultrasound with an installed base of more than 20,000 systems and 60% market share worldwide in the hand-carried ultrasound market. In a recent independently conducted survey commissioned by Sonosite, customers gave the company's products an overall satisfaction rating of 97% based on image quality, ease of use, durability, reliability and ergonomic transducer design. Since the first product shipment in 1999, Sonosite ultrasound devices are increasingly being used in and for procedures where physicians need inexpensive, non-radiating imaging for diverse applications such as real time assessment in emergency situations, guiding biopsies and nerve blocks, as well as for full diagnostic examinations.
About Sonosite
The Company, (www.sonosite.com) with corporate headquarters near Seattle, Washington, USA and international headquarters in London, England, is represented by eight subsidiaries and a distribution network in over 75 countries. Sonosite's small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. The Company employs approximately 470 people worldwide. Sonosite, GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sonosite, Inc. based in Erlangen, oversees a direct sales distribution network in Germany and Switzerland.
From April of 2001 until May of 2004, Mr. Schwartmann was Vice President of the ultrasound business line of Philips Medical Systems with responsibility for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He also served as a member of the Steering Committee overseeing the integration of Philips Medical Systems' acquisition of ATL Ultrasound and Agilent Technologies Healthcare Solutions Group Imaging Systems. Mr. Schwartmann joined ATL Ultrasound in 1990 as a Country Manager responsible for Germany, Eastern Europe and Russia. Most recently, Mr. Schwartmann was Vice President and board member of Aloka Holding Europe AG, a leading Japanese ultrasound manufacturer and distributor.
A German national, Mr. Schwartmann was a founder and served as General Manager for nine years of Sonotron GmbH, an ultrasound distributor and service provider, and as regional sales manager for ultrasound and other medical products for Kontron Medical GmbH. Additionally, he worked with Beckman Instruments in Germany and Carl Zeiss GmbH, a maker of medical optical instruments. "Dieter is a proven executive and exceptional leader," said Kevin M. Goodwin, Sonosite President and CEO.
"His first priority is to strengthen our German operations and establish a solid foundation from which to better capitalize on Europe's largest ultrasound market." "We are very fortunate to recruit an individual with such dynamic and broad ultrasound management experience to head up our business in Europe," said Graham Cox, Sonosite Vice President, International. "We look forward to working with Dieter to accelerate our growth opportunities and build on the successful launch of our newest product, the MicroMaxx system." "Sonosite has the right products to address the challenges that European health care systems face," said Mr. Schwartmann.
"Smaller, faster and less costly than their traditional cart-based counterparts, Sonosite hand-carried systems are changing medical practice by bringing ultrasound to the patient and thereby helping clinicians to increase productivity and deliver better patient care. I am delighted to be joining this leader of ultrasound innovation.
" Leadership in Hand Carried Ultrasound
Sonosite is the innovator and leader in hand-carried ultrasound with an installed base of more than 20,000 systems and 60% market share worldwide in the hand-carried ultrasound market. In a recent independently conducted survey commissioned by Sonosite, customers gave the company's products an overall satisfaction rating of 97% based on image quality, ease of use, durability, reliability and ergonomic transducer design. Since the first product shipment in 1999, Sonosite ultrasound devices are increasingly being used in and for procedures where physicians need inexpensive, non-radiating imaging for diverse applications such as real time assessment in emergency situations, guiding biopsies and nerve blocks, as well as for full diagnostic examinations.
About Sonosite
The Company, (www.sonosite.com) with corporate headquarters near Seattle, Washington, USA and international headquarters in London, England, is represented by eight subsidiaries and a distribution network in over 75 countries. Sonosite's small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. The Company employs approximately 470 people worldwide. Sonosite, GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sonosite, Inc. based in Erlangen, oversees a direct sales distribution network in Germany and Switzerland.