2007 Minnesota Biosciences

Home-field Advantage

The most profound factor contributing to Minnesota’s stature in the medical device industry has been its talent base. The synergy of active, well-funded research institutions like the University of Minnesota and St. Thomas, as well as keen interest from the state government to creative incentives for business growth, feed the pipeline of innovation that attracts workers—as well as venture capital—to this environment.

“This is wonderful technological work; you work on amazing and exciting new technologies for a good purpose: to help patients and bring therapies to the market,” says Colen. “And that always attracts good people and provides a lot of motivation for people in the industry to continue doing that.”

Adds Kucheman: “The Twin Cities is one of the more difficult places to recruit people into, but once you get people here you have to use dynamite to blast them out.”

Competition also adds vigor to the industry, particularly with the major players operating on the same turf. “Because three of the largest medical device manufacturers have major facilities in Minnesota, there is a great deal of competitive spirit that exists,” says Medtronic’s Mahle. “Each company can claim leadership in certain areas. Minnesota benefits as a state because these organizations attract highly educated and skilled talent, keeping many of Minnesota’s best in the state as well as recruiting phenomenal talent at all levels from around the globe.”

That competitive spirit also spills over to charity. The PaceMaker 5000 5K Walk/Run, which ran for the fifth year on June 23, 2007, was started by Jim and Jill Gilbertson after their infant daughter Madeline was implanted with a pacemaker. The event was created to increase awareness about medical device technology and to raise funds to support Children’s Hospital. Medtronic, Boston Scientific and the St. Jude Medical Foundation all joined together to support this event, which raised more than $490,000.

“Minnesota benefits in several ways from having all three major ICD manufacturers in the state,” says Kathleen Janasz, senior director of communications and public relations for St. Jude Medical. “By creating thousands of well-paying jobs, the medical technology companies here help the Minnesota workforce and the overall economy.”

It’s this feeling of synergy that fuels the industry with a sense of common ground and feeling of community.

“In the lofts where I live, an engineering executive down the hall, a CEO down stairs, a general counsel and investment lawyer upstairs—all who work in the medical device arena,” says Fred Parks, president of Minneapolis-based Urologix, which specializes in treatments for urological disorders. “Where else do you have than kind of expertise available before your first cup of coffee? There is a lot of competition for the top tier talent. But this same competition is what keeps Minneapolis on top of the medical device pile.”