BOTHELL, WA - August 11, 2011 - Sonosite, Inc. (Nasdaq:SONO), the world leader and specialist in bedside and point-of-care ultrasound, today announced the appointment of Mehran Mehrtash as Vice President and General Manager of Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Mr. Mehrtash's appointment will aid in the further development of the Asia Pacific region and the company's plans to expand its footprint in China and South Korea; two emerging markets with high growth potential.
"I am excited to welcome Mehran to the Sonosite team, said Mr. Kevin M. Goodwin, Sonosite's President and CEO. "He has a successful track record in the Asia Pacific region and his addition is imperative as we sharpen our focus on expanding in China and South Korea. With an existing appetite for new and innovative technology in these markets, I am confident that Mehran's leadership will enable the company to hit our growth targets."
"I am honored and excited to join the Sonosite team," said Mehran Mehrtash. "Sonosite is an impressive company with its strong leadership and commitment to high quality patient care as well as its innovative pipeline of new technology. The Asia Pacific and Middle East regions offer countless opportunities for growth in the healthcare sector. The combination of some of the world's fastest growing economies and strong demand for high quality medical products create an optimal environment for innovative companies to further expand their presence and reach in these markets. I look forward to working closely with the Sonosite team in this region to capitalize on these attractive opportunities and enable accelerated growth for our business."
Mehran Mehrtash is an experienced international executive in the healthcare industry. For the past decade, Mr. Mehrtash held positions of increasing responsibility at ConvaTec, Inc., a leading developer and marketer of innovative medical technologies focused on Ostomy Care, Wound Therapeutics, Continence and Critical Care, and Infusion Devices. He recently served as the General Manager of the North Asia Pacific region and managed all commercial and operational priorities for the Asia region, including: Greater China, South Korea, India and the ASEAN markets. Among many accomplishments, Mehran led the rapid expansion of the ConvaTec China team, which grew from a total of 10 staff members in 2008 to more than 100 in early 2011, resulting in a tripling of its annual sales. The leadership team he established comprised of sales, marketing, and functional support staff in HR, finance, regulatory, and operations. Prior to ConvaTec, Mr. Mehrtash held managerial positions at Goldwell/Aveda.
As part of his compensation package, Mr. Mehrtash will be granted restricted stock units covering 22,000 shares of the company's stock. The restricted stock units will be granted pursuant to the employment inducement exception to the NASDAQ rules requiring shareholder approval of equity awards, and will be subject to substantially similar terms and conditions that apply to awards granted under the company's Amended and Restated 2005 Stock Incentive Plan. The grant of the restricted stock units will become effective on the date that the company files an SEC Form S-8 for the grant to Mr. Mehrtash.
About Sonosite
Sonosite, Inc. (www.sonosite.com) is the innovator and world leader in bedside and point-of-care ultrasound and an industry leader in ultra high-frequency micro-ultrasound technology and impedance cardiography equipment. Headquartered near Seattle, the company is represented by ten subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 100 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.